Franklin Park Newsletter

The Community At

Franklin Park Fall 2014

In This Issue:

Constructing the New Franklin Park New Memory Care Unit Opening Soon New Wellness Program at Franklin Park

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Constructing the New

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n our last Community at Franklin Park newsletter we announced the construction a new Memory Care area opening in late 2014. As that time approaches we are excited to say the project is nearly complete. The newly designed memory care area will feature amenities and services designed to meet the needs of those individuals with memory concerns, yet still maintain a high quality of living within the safe, secure environment. The new resident rooms offer a beautiful view of the city and the common areas provide a comfortable setting for residents and families alike.

Improvements continue throughout the community with refurbished dining areas and lounges that create more intimate space to visit with family and friends.

And, on your next visit to the Community at Franklin Park you will also see an entirely redesigned front entrance and lobby that enhance the warm community feeling.

Finally, with all the recent changes and growth, we want to extend a “Thank You�, to all of the residents, families, volunteers and staff for your patience during this time of transition. The Community at Franklin Park is a vital and growing part of downtown Denver today because of YOU, for whom we are so grateful!

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New Memory Care Living Room Fireplace

New Second Floor Dining Room New Memory Care Living Room

Photographs of the Community at Franklin Park’s $3 million-plus redevelopment project include a new dining area on the second floor (above), a fireplace in the new Memory Care living room (top right), an additional area of the new Memory Care living room (middle right), and a portion of the new therapy gym (bottom right). Renovations are set to be completed by the end of 2015.

New Therapy Gym

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New Memory Care Program To Be Oered at Franklin Park

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he Community at Franklin Park is excited

to announce the creation

of a NEW Memory Care area to enhance

the services available to residents, families and the seniors of downtown Denver.

We understand residents and families affected by Alzheimer’s, dementia and

associated memory issues, face certain challenges and often require specific care.

Rest assured The Community at Franklin Park can be a resource to help you and your family create a plan that is right for you.

This completely redeveloped memory care setting offers residents and families the ability to choose from one of our 11 private or 5 semi-private resident rooms. The new resident rooms, along with the redesigned common areas and specialized memory

care programs, create surroundings that are safe, comfortable and engaging, all of which are vital to residents.

If you are interested in finding out more

about The Community at Franklin Park memory care or our other living options,

affordable independent lining or health care center, we invite you to call and set up your personal tour of the Community.

For more information, visit our website www.CommunityAtFranklinPark.net or call

303-832-9323 and we will answer any

questions you may have or to make an appointment to tour the community and learn more about your specific needs.

Community Franklin Park

Dementia

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Dementia is a general term used to designate a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life. Memory loss is an example. Alzheimer's is the most common type of dementia.

Dementia is not a specific disease. It's an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of cases. Vascular dementia, which occurs after a stroke, is the second most common dementia type. But there are many other conditions that can cause symptoms of dementia, including some that are reversible, such as thyroid problems and vitamin deficiencies.

While symptoms of dementia can vary greatly, at least two of the following core mental functions must be significantly impaired to be considered dementia:

• Memory • Communication and language • Ability to focus and pay attention • Reasoning and judgment • Visual perception

Many dementias are progressive, meaning symptoms start out slowly and gradually get worse. If you or a loved one is experiencing memory difficulties or other changes in thinking skills, don't ignore them. See a doctor soon to determine the cause. Professional evaluation may detect a treatable condition. And even if symptoms suggest dementia, early diagnosis allows a person to get the maximum benefit from available

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the Signs, Symptoms and Causes

treatments. It also provides time to plan for the future.

Different types of dementia are associated with particular types of brain cell damage in particular regions of the brain. For example, in Alzheimer's disease, high levels of certain proteins inside and outside brain cells make it hard for brain cells to stay healthy and to communicate with each other. The brain region called the hippocampus is the center of learning and memory in the brain, and the brain cells in this region are often the first to be damaged. That's why memory loss is often one of the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer's.

There is no one test to determine if someone has dementia. Doctors diagnose Alzheimer's and other types of dementia based on a careful medical history, a physical examination, laboratory tests, and the characteristic changes in thinking, day-to-day function and behavior associated with each type. Doctors can determine that a person has dementia with a high level of certainty. But it's harder to determine the exact type of dementia because the symptoms and brain changes of different dementias can overlap. In some cases, a doctor may simply diagnose "dementia" and not specify a type.

Treatment of dementia depends on its cause. In the case of most progressive dementias, including Alzheimer's disease, there is no cure and no treatment that slows or stops its progression. But there are drug treatments that may temporarily improve symptoms. The same medications used to treat Alzheimer's are among the drugs sometimes prescribed to help with symptoms of other types of dementias. Non-drug therapies can also alleviate some symptoms of dementia.

At Franklin Park we will provide a positive, encouraging lifestyle for those with dementia. Our separate dementia floor will have a variety of private rooms for residents, a number of engaging activities and a dedicated staff to create an atmosphere where residents can enjoy quality of life regardless of their diagnosis.

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Franklin Park Introduces New Wellness Program

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Accredited through Best Age Physio-Logic. Restorative Long Term Care continuum exercise physiology programming.

he Health Center at Franklin Park’s new Wellness Program provides resident’s with a physical exercise program to measure, maintain, build and gain strength, maintain independence and enjoy everyday activities of daily living. Each resident undergoes an initial assessment to find their baseline. Our Wellness Director, T.J. Sherley, completes the assessment and captures each individual’s strength in order to create a proper exercise program and set realistic goals.

Franklin Park Wellness classes take place six times a week, Monday through Saturday, and last 30 minutes.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday the classes focuses on strength and transfer training; exercises like sit-tostands and strength training for quad and hamstrings and stretching, help maintain mobility. On Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday the class focuses on stretching and additional strength training. During class, each resident is assigned equipment to work with; such as barbells and ankle weights to work the

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triceps, bicep, shoulder exercises as well as hips and legs.

For residents unable participate due to their cognition issues, 1:1 program support is provided with Passive and Active Range of Motion. This type of activity helps these residents maintain a certain level function control in their lives.

Wellness assessments are performed on a quarterly basis along with a resident Material Data Set (MDS), to identify functional or physical changes. If changes are noted, program modifications can be made to ensure to residents stay on track. If larger concerns are identified the Franklin Park physical, occupational and or speech therapy rehab team can be engaged to assist with the residents’ recovery or recuperation.

At Franklin Park we want residents to live life to the best of their abilities, and remain as independent as possible, and a complete wellness program is a vital step in that process.

Franklin Park Names New Wellness Director

he Community at Franklin Park would like to welcome our new Regional Director of Wellness, TJ Sherley.

TJ is a Montrose, Colorado native, and attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins, where he received a Bachelors of Science degree in Health and Exercise Science with and emphasis in Health Promotion. After graduation he and his wife moved to Ann Arbor Michigan where he worked for the University of Michigan in the M-Healthy division as a Fitness Specialist and personal trainer. He was also involved with a program called Fit Script which gave him the opportu-

nity to work with medically complex cases involving exercise and mobility. He has held various other positions in the seven years he was in Michigan that included Anatomy and Physiology instructor and the TJ Sherely manager of the fitness center at the Comm. at Franklin Park Chrysler Proving grounds.

Wellness Director TJ is also certified by the American Council on Exercise as a Personal Trainer and Group Fitness instructor, Silver Sneakers Classic and TRX suspension trainer level one.

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New Care Collaboration With Denver Health Medical Center

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he Health Center at Franklin Park and The Denver Health Medical Center have joined together through a Denver Health Medicare contract as of July 01, 2014. This allows both the Health Center at Franklin Park and Denver Health to offer a continuum of care from the acute care hospital setting to a sub acute rehabilitation program at the HCFP.

The Denver Health Medical Center is the only academic level 1 adult and pediatric level 2 verified Trauma Center in Colorado, verified by the American College of Surgeons. Denver Health is a comprehensive, integrated health care system touching the lives of so many in our community. Over 25% of all Denver residents, or approximately 150,000 individuals, receive their health care at Denver Health.

Yet, as a true health care delivery system and the city’s safety net hospital, Denver Health is so much more.

It’s the backbone of Denver’s health care. “Our

Franklin Park Introduces New Business Office Manager

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he Health Center at Franklin Park would like to introduce our new Business Office Manager, Roseanne Dollen.

Roseanne Dollen Roseanne is not new to the American Baptist Homes of the Midwest family; however she has joined us from our Iowa location, Elm Crest, where she was the business office assistant. Roseanne offers Franklin Park knowledge and expertise in the business realm.

Roseanne, was born in Iowa, but has lived in Colorado off and on throughout her life. She met her husband in Colorado, but interestingly enough he was also from the same part of Iowa where she grew up. They had moved back to Iowa, but now find themselves back in Colorado.

We are please to have Roseanne, join our team at The Health center at Franklin Park. We look forward for her being apart of our future and our family.

residents who choose Denver Health as their primary hospital for health care safely say that Denver Health is the best hospital in Denver.”

Denver Health also, has their own Managed Medicare program which only certain skilled nursing facilities in the area are lucky to be apart of. HCFP recently received approval from Denver Health to provide post acute rehabilitation care for the residents of Denver Health Medicare program. We are proud to be apart of the bigger picture with providing exceptional care to the residents associated with Denver Health and striving to get our residents better and back into the community faster of which they live and love in the heart of Denver, Colorado.

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The Community at Franklin Park 1535 Park Avenue Denver, CO 80218 303-832-9323 www.CommunityAtFranklinPark.net

The Community at Franklin Park is owned and operated by American Baptist Homes of the Midwest, a not-for-profit provider of senior housing and healthcare since 1930.

Now You Can Support The Community at Franklin Park Online W

e hope that you have had an opportunity to check out the new “Community at Franklin Park” website and Facebook pages. Today we are excited to announce the third part of our new expanded online presence, the new Community at Franklin Park Foundation web page. You can find the new page under

the “Community Information” tab on the main “CommunityAtFranklinPark.net” web page. Here you will find information about the many ways you can contribute and become part of our tradition of quality care and service. Please visit us one line and learn how you can donate today.

The Community at Franklin Park is owned and operated by American Baptist Homes of the Midwest, a not for profit provider of senior health care since 1930.