News: Case Management Services Nursing Homes in Wisconsin Excerpt from U.S. News, website address: http:// health.usnews.com/health-news/best-nursing-homes
An estimated 3.3 million Americans will live in the nation's nearly 16,000 nursing homes during 2013. That number translates to 1 in 7 people ages 65 and up, and more than 1 in 5 of those are 85 and older. They and their families will want and need a way to find a source of the best possible care. For many, it won't be easy. To help them, U.S. News has collected meaningful data and ratings about nearly every nursing facility in the United States, and built from them a searchable database designed to highlight the highest-rated homes likely to meet each user's needs. The data behind Best Nursing Homes come from Nursing Home Compare, a website run by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CMS sets and enforces standards for nursing homes enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid, as most are. The agency also collects information from states and individual homes and assigns each home a rating of one to five stars in each of three categories: state-conducted health inspections, nursing and physical therapy staffing, and quality of medical care. The ratings are combined to produce an overall rating of one to five stars. Go to http://health.usnews.com/bestnursing-homes/area/wi for a complete look at how our local area nursing homes are rating. With so many Americans utilizing these facilities during times when quality healthcare is so critical, it’s important to be an informed and educated consumer.
April Means Planning for Severe Weather Excerpted from the State of Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs Division of Emergency Management
Governor Scott Walker has proclaimed the week of April 15-19, 2013 as Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin. Wisconsin averages 23 tornadoes annually. It’s important to have a plan at home, at work, and when you’re away. Keep these simple tips in mind: · In a home or building, move to a pre-designated shelter, such as a basement and get under a sturdy table or the stairs. If a basement is not available, move to a small interior room or hallway on the lowest floor and cover yourself with anything close at hand: towels, blankets, pillows. If possible, get under a sturdy table, desk or counter. Put as many walls as possible between you and the storm. Stay away from windows. · If caught outdoors, seek shelter in a sturdy building. If you cannot quickly walk to shelter, get into a vehicle, buckle your seatbelt and drive to the closest sturdy shelter. If flying debris occurs while you are driving, pull over and park. Now you have two options as a last resort: Stay in the vehicle with the seatbelt on and place your head below the windows. If you can safely get noticeably lower than the roadway, exit the vehicle and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands. Do not seek shelter under an overpass. · Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes. You should leave a mobile home and go to the designated storm shelter or the lowest floor of a sturdy nearby building. · Make sure you have multiple ways to receive weather information. A NOAA Weather Radio access to local TV, and smart phone apps can keep you informed when severe weather threatens.
S TOUGHTON A REA S ENIOR C ENTER • 248 W. Main St., Stoughton WI 53589
3