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104 - Hwy. 47 South, Estevan, SK 306-634-5588 Bay #1 - Hwy. 13, Carlyle, SK 306-453-2519
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Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015
Care homes getting positive feedback By Sam Macdonald smacdonald@estevanmercury.ca
Things are looking good for long-term care homes in the Sun Country Health Region, after a recent CEO tour showing that most of the needs of residents and families are being met within the region. CEO Marga Cugnet noted that overall, residents and family members are satisfied with the care provided at homes in the region. “We’ve got a very good building and were fortunate to just finish off building three long-term care sites. Those are brand new buildings, and the one in Weyburn is fairly new as well,” said Cugnet. “Infrastructure isn’t as much of a challenge for us.” Compared to other regions, Cugnet said that Sun Country is doing comparatively well, considering the challenges with the shortfalls long-term care facilities are facing in larger centres like Regina and Saskatoon, regarding replacement and long-term care beds. Staffing in the region is adequate, but all the same, Cugnet said the region could always use more staff. While it’s not perfect, she described the staff to residents ratio as good, at most of the region’s facilities. “It’s hard to say if you’re not there. We’re talking about qualitative, so we’re talking about a discussion rather than measurements. There isn’t a standard, so it’s hard to say. If you said it was six hours of care per resident, I’d say, ‘We’re lower than that,’ but if you said the standard is three, I can say we’re above that,” said Cugnet. “I think, from the
perspective of the residents, they feel their needs are met most of the time, and they’re not having to wait for services. “If they put calls out, the staff is responding in a fairly timely manner.” An area in which the region is looking to improve its service is in diet and menus at long-term care facilities. Residents at many of the facilities had several requests that included more fresh vegetables, larger portion sizes, less fried food and more beef on the menu. In response to the resident feedback, Cugnet said Sun Country has developed some strategies. “I think it’s always good to consider the needs of the residents here. Sometimes they felt the menu had too much pasta, for example,” said Cugnet. “Many of our residents came from where they ate a lot of beef, in a meat and potatoes sort of deal.” Cugnet said the region is responding by arranging discussions with the director of food and nutrition services, consulting the residents about what they prefer at each facility. She noted that she doesn’t anticipate menu changes to be difficult to implement. Long-term care homes in the region have also made an effort to cultivate a more home-like environment for residents by creating a more relaxed system by which breakfast is served, looking to accommodate people who are comfortable waking up at different times. “They’re quite appreciative of relaxed breakfasts, where you don’t have to get up at 7:30 a.m. to eat your breakfast. Some people like to get up at 7:30 a.m., and some like to
get up at 9:00 a.m., and some like to be up by 10:00 a.m., with just toast and coffee,” said Cugnet. “It’s up to the residents, and they like that schedule more than a regimented schedule.” Cugnet described the direct discussions with residents and families as important and productive tools for properly assessing where long-term care is at in the region. She added that having councils and creating expectations for staff to meet needs and address issues have also helped create a productive environment in which residents are cared for in a satisfactory manner. “From the standing point of the system, we need to hear more about what the residents see as important to them, because we might think we’re really doing something well, and the residents might say it’s not important to them,” said Cugnet. Cugnet referred to the introduction of weekend activities for residents as a situation in which the importance of their input proved valuable in improving service and meeting needs. Traditionally there were no activities planned for weekends. After hearing “very loudly and clearly” that residents were bored on weekends, dissatisfied with a lack of activity, the ministry was consulted and funds were obtained to hire more staff. With more staff working, activities were more easily implemented on weekends. Residents gave immediate positive feedback to such a development. Cugnet said, “It’s important for us to listen to what our residents are telling us.”
After Five Club hears story of perseverance and trust Submitted by Jennifer Howie On Nov. 18, 31 ladies met at the Living Hope Community Church for the monthly After Five Club supper meeting. Chelsea McLenehan was the winner of the baby picture guess while Rose Harder and Sara Hollingshead won door prizes, including a child-sized apron from Reta Goby of Aria’s Apparel who also supplied the local feature for the evening when she spoke passionately about her successful home-based business. She reported she had been busy designing, despite her husband’s suggestion to raise prices so she wouldn’t get quite so many orders. Goby said she has been sewing since June of 2014 with her first work being sold on her Etsy store website. Since then, 164 custom-made aprons have been sold to customers from around the globe … from Switzerland, Greece, the United Kingdom, Mexico and Singapore. Her themed creations are popular with movie and television fans. She also markets the aprons at Comic-Con Expos. She laughed when explaining how she talks about her aprons the same way she would talk about her children. “I am blessed to have them in my life,” she said. Fresh off the stage of the ECS performance of
Grease, Sara Hollingshead, who played Ms. Lynch in the production, sang Blue Moon. Hollingshead’s voice projected across the room without the aid of a microphone. Her second choice was Hallelujah, the Leonard Cohen classic. Guest speaker, Judy Mary Llewelyn, from Calgary, shared her story. As a child she and a cousin witnessed their grandmother have a stroke. The experience weighed heavily on Llewelyn over the years and influenced her decision to take up nursing as a profession with the goal of working at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. She was not raised in a church-going family, but remembers the Bible was given to her from her grandfather. As a child, it was the popular television show, Romper Room that showed her the importance of saying grace before a meal. She had always wanted to teach, but after watching her grandmother’s deterioration in the aftermath of a stroke, Llewelyn decided to attend nursing school at the age of 18. Her plan to relocate to Toronto never did materialize and she ended up working as a community health nurse in rural Alberta for six years. During this time she met her husband Bruce. They have now been married for over 30 years. She struggled for years with a binge eating disorder
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and one day, at an all-time low, while driving on the highway, she realized something was lodged under her windshield wipers. Arriving at her destination, she discovered a praying hands necklace under the wipers and was amazed at how such a delicate item had survived the trip. She felt it was a sign from God telling her she too, would survive. She and her husband became parents to three children; and while they were preschoolers, the family moved frequently. She began attending Stonecroft ladies’ events which solidified her relationship with
Jesus. Eventually she began speaking at these events. Llewelyn shared her favourite Bible verse, Isaiah 42.3 with her audience. “A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick, He will not snuff out.” She credits God for helping her overcome the destructive eating disorder. Retired from nursing now at 54, Llewelyn said she obtained her education degree, fulfilling the dream she had from a young age. She summed up her talk by stating that transitions, beginnings and endings are a part of everyone’s story. There will be joy, trials and
“if onlys,” but God has a plan for each one of us, she said. Llewelyn encouraged all the women to share a bit of their story with her before they left the building that evening. The December After Five Club meeting will be held on Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. at the Living Hope Community Church. The guest speaker, Noelle Sitler, a retired dairy farmer from Camrose, Alta., has always used ‘to do lists’ as a part of her busy lifestyle. Amazingly, she discovered a Christmas list that requires no shopping, no checking twice and best of all, it’s free.
Local songstress Blair Wrubleski will provide musical entertainment for the event and Nancy Zeleny, from Community Advocates for Employment, will share information about this non-profit organization in Estevan. To RSVP for this event and obtain tickets, contact Jen at 306-634-0196. Free child care can be arranged with advance notice. For more information about the local After Five Club, visit their Facebook page. Women of all ages and denominations are welcome at these monthly supper meetings.
Babies of 2015 Win a Baby
Photo Shoot! A special “Babies of 2015” section will appear in the January 6, 2016 issue of The Estevan Mercury.
Example et Remy Margar t et lu C Marie 2015 November 8, f o r te h Daug u& lie u ea Tawny B t et lu C Brett
You can be a proud parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle and show off the newest member of your family born in 2015.
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Photo & information can be emailed to:
classifieds@estevanmercury.ca Emailed digital pictures must be high resolution.
Or Drop by the office at 68 Souris Ave. N., Estevan, SK
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PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY Parent’s names: Phone:
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