Winter 2007-2008
Gloucester County Improvement Authority
Volume 2, Issue 3
Shady Lane Times Inside this issue:
Infection Control
2
Back Care
2
Freeholder Director’s Message
2
Recreation
3
Food Service
3
Employee Profile
3
GCIA Projects
4
Gloucester County Freeholders Hold Ceremony to Honor Shady Lane Veterans
Freeholders Sweeney & Chila Thank Vets for Their Service
Administrator’s Message 4
Ralph Payne Receives His Medal
March 7, 1963: Board approved the purchase of an adding machine for $200. January 22, 1965: Board approved lending our adding machine to the County Board of Taxation for a period of several weeks. First time the Board discussed obtaining some sort of Occupational Therapy for the residents who are capable for doing handiwork.
The Freeholder Board has commissioned medals to honor all Gloucester County Veterans who served our country and were honorably discharged from military service. Our Liaison, Freeholder Director Steve Sweeney specifically wanted to make sure that we reached out to our residents’ families to encompass all those who were eligible could be included in this program. Three residents of Gloucester County’s Shady Lane Nursing Home were honored on New Year’s Eve with the Gloucester County Military Service Medal in a special ceremony. Freeholder Director Sweeney and Freeholder Chila attended the ceremony where Former United States Army First Lieutenant, Herbert F. Johnson of Pitman, presented the Medals to:
CWA Scholarship Information College scholarships are available to union members again in 2008 through CWA's Joe Beirne Foundation, as well as through Local 1085. Local 1085 offers $1,000 college scholarships to members of the Local or their families. Recipients of Local 1085 are selected by a random drawing every June. Any member of Local 1085 or any spouse or dependent of a member may apply if planning to attend an accredited college or university on a full-time basis during the 2008-2009 school year. Application forms are available at: http:// www.cwa1085.org/pdf/ScholarshipForm2008.pdf
Jacobus ‘Jack’ Accardi, a Veteran of the United States Army, during World War II, with the rank of Sergeant. Battles & Campaigns – The Rhineland; Medals & Citations – The EuropeanAfrican-Middle Eastern Theater Medal and the most noble of all medals, the Purple Heart, for wounds received on November 24, 1944, in the European Theater of Operations. Ralph Payne, a Veteran of the United States Army during World War II with the rank of Staff Sergeant. Battles & Campaigns – Normandy, Northern France, the Rhineland, Central Europe and the Ardennes. Medals & Citations – The Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the EuropeanAfrican-Middle Eastern Theater Medal & the most noble of all medals, the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, which denotes being wounded twice, on July 25, 1944 and October 18, 1944. (cont on Page 4)
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Shady Lane Times
Volume 2, Issue 3
Shady Lane Blood Drive a Success Shady Lane held a blood drive in conjunction with the American Red Cross on Feb. 5th. GCIT Students Caroling in the Dining Room
Snowy Nature Trail Outback
"Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing, it's when you've had everything to do and you've done it!" --Margaret Thatcher
Due to a cancellation by another site unconnected with the county scheduled for this day, the Freeholder Board was asked to help by supplying a replacement donation site. Up to 90 patients in the region would have been negatively impacted by this cancellation
as they were counting on the Red Cross for donations that day. Despite the fact that it was the day of the Presidential primary, 30 units of blood were donated that day. We intend on holding more blood drives in the not too distant future. Please help by giving the gift of life! Thanks to all those that participated.
Not Taken the Fall! Shady Lane had 7 resident falls in the month of January and 6 for December. This is per approximately 1000 patient days per month. There has been a decline in the past couple of months, even though our rate was extraordinarily low to begin with. While the bed alarms may be annoying, this shows that they are working. This is also a tribute to the teamwork of our facility and the cooperative effort of folks in the Nursing Department and the Falls Committee. Thanks for everyone’s help in keeping our residents safe.
Infection Control Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium that causes infections that are tough to treat. Although today it is found worldwide, MRSA was originally discovered in Britain in 1961. It has evolved an ability to survive treatment with antibiotics, which is why it’s often called the “superbug”. MRSA is especially difficult in hospital associated (nosocomial) infections. Infections are often localized to skin and soft tissue and usually can be treated effectively. However different strains can display enhanced virulence, spreading more rapidly and causing illness, which can affect vital organs and lead to widespread infection. People with the greatest
risk are those with open wounds, invasive devices, or a weakened immune system.
where patients are recover-ng from invasive procedures. Know that MRSA can survive Staff need to follow proper sani- on fabrics as well as surfaces, including privacy curtains or a tary procedures so as not to caregiver’s clothes. The termitransfer bacteria from resident nal cleaning of resident rooms to resident. Please talk to your supervisor if there are any ques- and all other clinical areas is our tions with our policies or proce- set standard policy protocol to control for nosocomial MRSA. dures. Beyond hand washing, alcohol is proven to be an effective surface sanitizer against MRSA. This is one of the reasons why there are sanitizer dispensers throughout our facility for your convenience. It is especially important Blanche Burton enjoys Thanksgiving with family
A Message From Freeholder Director Steve Sweeney
Freeholder Director Stephen M. Sweeney
The most basic function of government is and always has been to protect the lives of its citizens. Often this role becomes more expensive and less efficient than it has to be. In the state of New Jersey this happens many times based on the fact that we have 566 different municipalities. Subsequently, towns have to provide duplicate services to what the next town over is also providing. My Freeholder colleagues and I believe that the county can be a tool for helping with providing services
that are better, faster and cheaper. This was the case when the Freeholders started to look at Emergency Management Services (EMS). In many towns, response times for emergency calls could have been up to 9 minutes. This was unacceptable from a life and death standpoint when in an emergency every second counts. The Freeholders knew that this needed to be addressed and the county set out to regionalize Emergency Medical Services. Our goal for success was based on the “Gold Standard” recommended by the Commission on Ac-
creditation of Ambulance Service which sets the bar for an average target response time at 8 minutes and 59 seconds, 90 % of the time. Since last fall we have been able to have half of the county’s towns sign up to join a regionalized system. We are pleased that the response times are averaging 6 minutes or under. We will continue to monitor the program. More importantly though, we are more confident that when someone calls 911, help will be there faster than before.
Shady Lane Times
Volume 2, Issue 3
good source of electrolytes, can also be high in sugar and calories. One often overlooked aspect to Check the nutrition label on a proper nutrition is hydration. It sports drink and you might be is certainly import to make sure surprised. Soda is generally also high in calories and you get enough fluid considersugar . ing that your body is 60-70% water. Your blood is mostly A good rule of thumb water. Your lungs, brain, and for projecting how Dorothy Dallas & Edith muscles contain and need a lot much water you Bozza at the Senior Lunchof water. We need to be mind- should drink every day is to take eon held at Aulletto’s ful that caffeine and alcohol are your body weight and divide it in examples of diuretics that trick half to roughly give you the numyour body into thinking it has ber of ounces you should drink. more water than it needs. So if you weigh 160 pounds, you should drink 80 ounces or 8 - 8 Water is obviously the best ounce glasses of water each day. source of fluid. Believe it or You’ll need an extra 8 ounce glass not, if you eat a healthy diet, 20% of your water intake could for every 20 minutes of exercise. While this seems like a hassle in a come from the foods you eat. busy day, keeping a bottle of waJuices are good because they ter with you and making it a habit Marie Caban showing Rotend to contain vitamins and land Paradise the Love minerals. Sports drinks, while a will help.
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Food Service Notes
The sounds of “Unforgettable” entertaining in our dining room.
Therapeutic Recreation With Winter here, a full program for Therapeutic Recreation continues. With much of the season is behind us, we have had a great time highlighted by our Holiday night for our families and residents, New Years’ Eve ball drop and entertainment galore! Our monthly VFW birthday parties continue as well. Our Red Hat Club continues to meet at 5:30 pm every Tuesday.
Feb 5th was our Mardi Gras Party, a lot of fun. For Valentine's Day, our residents made their own Sundaes for their lunch dessert. "Paws of Joy" will be by every 2nd Thursday of each month with therapy dogs. We look forward to community outings, fund raisers, & BBQ's in the weeks to come. Bring on Mary McCormick at the Super Spring! Bowl Party
Employee Profile For this edition of the Shady Lane Times, we would like to highlight a member of our Maintenance Department, Robert Licciardello.
Rob, his wife Karen, and children Robbie and Jenna live in Logan Township. He is a graduate of Paulsboro High School
and worked as a carpenter before coming to Shady Lane in February 2003. Besides being everywhere he is needed (often at off hours) and willing to go the extra mile for our residents at Shady Lane, Rob volunteers his time with the Repaupo Fire Company where, until recently, he was the Chief. He recently attended specialized fire training in Austin Texas. We are certainly lucky to have him as a co-worker. We thank Rob for
his continued efforts and hard work here and in the community and invite you to do the same!
Rob Licciardello
Many people think that if they were only in some other place, or had some other job, they would be happy. Well, that is doubtful. So get as much happiness out of what you are doing as you can and don't put off being happy until some future date. Dale Carnegie
Celebrating New Year’s Day
Gloucester County Improvement Authority Shady Lane Home 256 County House Road Clarksboro, NJ 08020
Phone: 856-224-6979 Fax: 856-423-3634 Email:
[email protected]
Other GCIA Projects! Paulsboro Port Development Moves Forward —The GCIA is working as the developer for the South Jersey Port Corporation to develop a port in Paulsboro. The project seeks to redevelop the old BP site, an existing industrial, brownsfield site. The project will be funded by bonds sold by the SJPC. The GCIA had also received grant funding from the NJ Department of Transportation to construct an overpass over the Mantua Creek so that port truck traffic coming to and from Route 295 can bypass the neighborhoods. Both aspects of the project are currently in the design and permitting stage. While we are still several years from substantial completion, the economic benefits of this will eventually be significant. Several thousand living wage jobs are projected to be created either directly at the port or through the businesses that it will support.
We’re on the web! Visit us at: www.gcianj.com/shady_main.htm
Gloucester County DREAM Park Set to Open — With the finishing touches being placed on the buildings, the state of the art equestrian facility is set to open at the DREAM Park in Logan Township. It will feature a 55,000 square foot indoor arena enclosing a 150’ X 300’ ring with bleacher seating for 500. Attached to the Arena will be an 8,000 square foot exhibition area, including restrooms and a concession stand. There will also be two 150’ X 300’ outdoor rings, one of which will be lit for night use; one 190’ X 350’ Grand Prix & Carriage Dressage Ring with adjacent 90’ X 150’ warmup ring; one 150’ X 290’ schooling ring; and one 114’ X 190’ schooling ring for resident horses. The facility will also include two 120 stall barns for show horses and a resident barn with 48 stalls. There will be on site trailer parking and an area for RV’s. The facilities are to open in May. The next phase of the project will involve construction of riding trails.
Blanche Tavenor & family at Thanksgiving Dinner
(cont. from Page 1) James J. Angarola, a Veteran of the United States Army, during World War II, with the rank of Sergeant. Mr. Angarola was from Philadelphia, Pa. before the war and was employed as a rigger helper. Battles & Campaigns – Normandy, Northern France, the Rhineland and Central Europe. Medals & Citations – The Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the EuropeanAfrican-Middle Eastern Theater Medal with 4 Bronze Stars, denoting four major campaigns.
From the Administrator’s Desk Hobbling around on crutches for the past many weeks has certainly been about as fun as it looks. But I always try to look at the good in the bad and learn from challenges. Having torn my Achilles tendon on Thanksgiving Day I’ve needed to undergo surgery and the subsequent rehab and recovery.
on a daily basis. Struggling through activities of daily living is not fun, especially when it's you. Not only walking, but having some trouble initially dressing was also a problem. The loss of independence with the inability to drive has been extremely frustrating and required me to What I’ve been able to take out this stifle my pride. Dealing with pain is never fun, to say the least pretty unpleasant experience has but chronic pain can certainly been a greater feeling of empathy compromise not only your spirit for what our residents go through
but other health aspects as your body devotes resources toward pain relief. I offer these examples not from a perspective of complaint, but as illustration of the greater appreciation for daily struggles our residents have and/ or continue to endure. Moreover, there is little doubt that I’m getting better. In contrast, most residents of long term care facilities have a disease process that does not. My situation is tempo-
Ruth Stauffer & Debbie Blake on many levels. There is little doubt that we all can learn from bad things and that understanding and compassion can in fact empower us to be better not just physically. Thanks for your hard work. George D. Strachan
