Living well n 3
The Stonehill Communities Campus
Stonehill Updates
01. Living Well Together Program
In October, Stonehill opened a new program that makes amenities on the Stonehill campus available to community members. Living Well Together is a membership program for independent adults who wish to join an active social group and take advantage of wellness benefits. Members are able to participate in events and activities at Assisi Village, receive a Wellness Center membership, enjoy 5 meals a month, and receive happy hour drinks. Memberships are available on a monthly or annual basis. Gift certificates are also available. This program is an important outreach offering that supports overall wellness and welcomes new individuals to our campus.
03. Walk to End Alzheimer’s
Stonehill was once again a proud sponsor of the annual Dubuque Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
This year’s walk took place on October 5. Team Stonehill, led by Clinical Care Manager, Halle Nichols, raised $7,615 to support Alzheimer’s research, resources, and programming through several fundraising events. What an incredible contribution to such an important cause that affects so many older adults!
02. Employee Scholarships
Employee scholarships are an important benefit offered to Stonehill employees and one of our efforts to grow the healthcare workforce. For the 2024 fall semester, we are happy to award a nursing scholarship to one of our outstanding CNA’s in the Health Center. She is pursuing an Associate’s Degree in nursing as she works toward becoming a registered nurse. Last month, 6 individuals completed our first in-house CNA class, offered free to Stonehill employees. Our second class will begin in December. In addition, Stonehill covered the tuition of CNA’s advancing to Certified Medication Aides as well as assisted with costs for HR certification, additional nursing classes, and administrator licensure. This represents an investment of $82,000 in employee education and advancement since January.
04. New Veterans Group
Thanks to a wonderful volunteer, Stonehill will be starting a social/support group for Stonehill residents who are veterans. The group will be facilitated by Adam Bauer, a veteran who has retired from the Army Reserve. It will meet on the first Saturday of the month from 1:303:00pm in the Health Center Coffee Shop. The first meeting will be November 2.
Assisi resident Imy Sherman reached a rare milestone recently, turning 100 in October. The residents and staff treated her to a special celebration with music and cake. Assisi Village has been Imy’s home for the past seven years, and she thanks God every day for bringing her here. She appreciates the staff who help her and the residents who have become a second family to her.
Imy grew up in Bellevue, Iowa and graduated from St. Mary’s College in Milwaukee. She began her nursing career as a surgical nurse in Iowa City before returning to the Dubuque area, where she became a neurosurgeon nurse. She did not have any neurology experience, but she learned under the guidance of Dr. French, a neurologist at Mercy Hospital. The position was demanding, but she enjoyed the challenge of learning something new every day. She said nursing was rewarding because her work made a difference in other people’s lives.
Aside from nursing, Imy was a wife and mother who raised three sons. Her husband has passed away, but her sons, Paul, Bob, and Fr. Tom, are still active in her life even though they do not live in town.
Imy Sherman celebrates 100 years.
Imy said that turning 100 feels like any other day. “It doesn’t feel like I’m 100. It’s just a number, and I probably don’t act like I’m 100.” She says it’s important to stay active as you age. It doesn’t matter what you do, but you must keep moving. Imy golfed daily for many years, keeping her active and social.
Imy’s faith has always been the most important thing to her. “Faith in God is number one in my life,” she said, “He’s guided me throughout my life and brought me here. It was God’s plan, not mine, and I’m thankful to Him every day.”
Recently, a group of Assisi Village residents went on a tour of John Deere Dubuque Works. The residents donned yellow safety vests, hard hats, and ear muffs and climbed aboard a tour train that drove them through the facility. Six Assisi residents were former Deere employees and the tour felt like a homecoming of sorts. Louis Sigwarth worked in purchasing, Lois Link and Loretta Steichen worked in the accounting department, Mary Jo McElmeel and Jim Hansen were painters, and Burton Butler worked in facility service. Residents were intrigued to see robots moving parts, painting, and even welding as part of the production line. Everyone enjoyed the tour and was grateful for the hospitality provided by the tour guides.
View our monthly activities at stonehilldbq.com
What a wonderful summer we’ve had at the Health Center. The residents have certainly been enjoying the warm days. I hope you’ve had the pleasure of dining with your loved one in our new shade pavilion in the backyard and admired the lovely flowers that have been planted by residents and volunteers in our new flower beds.
With winter approaching, the activities team has organized great in-
door programs for warmth, comfort and entertainment.
On November 11th, we will recognize Veterans Day with the Marine Corps League Detachment 101, providing our retired veterans with certificates of appreciation and refreshments. The Marine Corps will host a flag-folding ceremony and perform Taps at 2:00pm in the Coffee Shop. All are welcome to join us to honor our service men and women.
This December will be an exceptionally active month for our residents, including Christmas tree decorating on December 4th, a Hot Cocoa Bar on December 11th, our Christmas program on December 20th, and numerous Christmas caroling visits. You are warmly invited to join us for these celebrations.
Though December brings the year to a close, we’ll keep the celebration going on January 1st with music by Jerry Long, appetizers, and a champagne toast. Ring in 2025 with us!
View our monthly activities at stonehilldbq.com
Marge and Rose make Apple Butter.
Marilyn, Rose, Rose, Marge, and Delee made cute scarecrow crafts.
We have a new social worker assisting residents and families at the Health Center, Katlin Fortin. Katlin earned her Masters in Social Work from Clarke University in 2022. She has experience as a CNA as well as a social worker in long-term care.
Katlin will be supporting residents and families in the 1 Northwest, 2 Northwest, and 2 Southeast households. She can be reached at 563.690.9628 or kfortin@stonehilldbq.com. If you are visiting, stop by her office in the 2 North hallway to say hi!
Residents enjoyed s’mores and music at our backyard bonfire.
Sue and Delee paint a pumpkin for our pumpkin decorating contest.
Stay Active & Make a Difference!
Are you retired and looking for a way to stay active while giving back to your community? Join the team at Stonehill Communities! We’re looking for caring individuals in multiple roles, including home caregivers, cooks, nurses, and more.
As part of the Stonehill family, you can enjoy flexible scheduling that fits your lifestyle and a free membership to our Wellness Center.
Applying is easy. Visit us today at www.stonehilldbq.com/careers or call us at 563.690.9624 with questions.
We are the only Dubuque nursing home with a 5-star CMS overall rating and 5-star staffing!
November is recognized as National Family Caregiving Month, a time we acknowledge and honor family caregivers for their essential support and the significant role they play in our communities’ unseen healthcare system.
According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, caregivers provide an average of 24 hours per week to caregiving duties. 23% are providing over 40 hours weekly. This time may be spent providing physical care such as bathing, dressing, feeding, etc. It may also include the time driving and accompanying their loved one to appointments, the trips to the pharmacy, and management of those medications. This time commitment can lead to stress, especially if the caregiver is also trying to balance a job, other family members’ needs, and their own health.
One way to manage the stress is through self-care, but we need to consider how we approach with support, specifically when we discuss self-care. Telling family caregivers to “do some self-care” or “take time for yourself” may not be helpful.
We need to stop telling mom to “just get out of the house.” Or telling our friends to “just get a massage.” Self-care is incredibly important to one’s mental and physical well-being, however, this approach can often oversimplify the challenges of caregiving when considering time constraints, guilt, and lack of resources.
Let’s try to change our approach by removing the responsibility of self-care from caregivers and placing it on ourselves to help deliver those supports. Big or small, there are many ways we can help make self-care attainable for busy caregivers.
• Take a caregiver’s loved one on a drive so the caregiver can leave the house for a bit.
• Reach out to a caregiver and make time for them when you ask: “how are you?”
• Drop off a meal or arrange for food delivery
• Offer transportation to appointments, pharmacy pick-ups, grocery shopping, etc.
• Help with yard work or holiday decorating
• Offer companion support by accompanying caregivers on walks or at their local gym
• Provide respite breaks
How will you support a caregiver this month?
In February we will be offering the Powerful Tools for Caregivers class. This is an evidence-based curriculum designed to help caregivers learn ways to take care of themselves, reduce stress, improve caregiving confidence, and establish balance in their life as they care for others. Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a 6-week class offered free to caregivers.
The class will run on Wednesdays, February 12 to March 19 from 2-3:30 pm. Advance registration is required. Contact Taylor Hummer at 563.690.9679 or thummer@stonehilldbq.com for more information or to register.
Home Care
In August we welcomed a new director for Stonehill At Home. Rachel McDermott is the Director of Health and Wellness, overseeing home care and the Wellness Center and coordinating the transition to outpatient therapy for residents discharging from post-acute care.
Rachel McDermott is a licensed Physical Therapy Assistant. She has 25 years of experience in physical therapy in long-term care. She previously worked on the Stonehill campus as Director of Rehabilitation for the outpatient therapy clinic through Select Rehabilitation. She also owned her own home care business for 6 years.
If you have questions about home care, Lifeline service, or how Stonehill can support you or a loved one living at home, please contact her at 563.599.7674.
Wellness
The holidays are a wonderful time for gathering with friends and family, but sometimes it is easy to feel like you’re in survival mode. Here are 6 simple steps for surviving the season!
1. Be mindful of what you eat and how often: Prevent the holiday weight gain by practicing mindful habits. We’re not saying you can’t enjoy that piece of pie, but try only eating one small piece instead of two. Be aware of eating out of convenience rather than need.
2. Stay active: Physical activity helps reduce stress, promotes better sleep, stabilizes weight, and keeps your body going strong. Although you may feel your days are getting busier, find some time for selfcare.
3. Sleep soundly: Sleeps is when your body is able to rest and restore. Don’t wear yourself down. Allow yourself to rest and be energized for the festivities ahead!
4. Remember the reason for the season: It is easy to become overstimulated, overwhelmed and frustrated. Take deep breaths and stay calm, cool and collected. You can’t change the craziness of the season, but you can stay thankful and humble.
5. Connect with others: Find strength and comfort with those around you. Maintain positive relationships through friends and family. Meeting new friends through church or even the Stonehill Wellness Center are great options.
6. Accept yourself: We see family and friends over the holidays we may not see often. Stay true to yourself and path and do not compare yourself to others. Your worth is not based on others.
We hope you all stay health and well through the holiday season!
Volunteering
Your purpose is not just the thing you do. It’s the thing that happens to others when you do what you do. It’s how you make people feel and remember you by doing what you do. It’s the experience that your energy leaves upon them. By mastering your unique gifts, you step into the realm of the infinite possibilities. The greatest blessing you can give is owning your purpose and inspiring others to courageously own theirs.
There is so much to celebrate! This past year has been full of success for our residents, staff and Stonehill Communities as a whole. However, I want to reflect on the volunteer program and what our volunteers have made possible through donating their generous, most precious gift of TIME.
This year we have expanded our volunteer services to 3 buildings and 12 departments. We were able to bring back Coffee Clutch for our residents every Saturday. Though, originally started with the Caregiver Resource Center, Music, Movement, and Memory was added for residents at both Assisi and the Health Center, which gave caregivers the choice of which class to attend. Assisi has a regular Yarn Club for residents, along with weekly Hy-Vee online grocery order assistance. For the first time ever, a veterans social group for residents will be held once a month. In addition, volunteers are providing services at Alverno apartments. These new additions, along with the opportunities we were already attending to, are made possible by all 131 of our volunteers. Our sincere gratitude to all who provide service in any capacity. We are honored to work by your side in serving others. Thank you!
If you would like to join our volunteer family at Stonehill Communities please contact Sarah Candee!
See opportunities and apply online at stonehilldbq.com/volunteer or call 563.690.9666.
We had a great group of student volunteers on Western Dubuque’s Service Day.
Volunteers helped make s’mores at our backyard bonfire.
Luna brought some love to the residents during pet therapy.
Outpatient Therapy
Transitioning to outpatient therapy following a post-acute stay is a crucial step in regaining mobility and strength. While post-acute care often covers a limited duration—typically up to 100 days under Medicare guidelines—outpatient therapy plays a vital role in extending recovery beyond this time frame. On average, individuals require several weeks to months of therapy to achieve optimal mobility, depending on their specific needs and conditions.
Insurance coverage for outpatient services varies, but many plans, including Medicare, generally cover a significant portion of therapy costs. It’s important for individuals and families to understand their benefits and any limitations that may apply to ensure a smooth transition.
We support our patients’ journeys by offering a complimentary three-month Stonehill Wellness Membership upon discharge from post-acute or outpatient therapy. This membership grants access to our fitness facilities, wellness classes, and personalized support, empowering individuals to maintain their progress and continue their path to wellness.
For more information on Outpatient Therapy options, referrals, and insurance coverage please call 563.690.9637.
Member Spotlight
Tracy Nolan
Tracy is a family caregiver for her mom, Kathy, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s almost 3 years ago. Though her mom continues to live independently, Tracy visits her nearly daily and helps with groceries, household chores, medications, and other supports that help her maintain that independence. Having video communication devices and lots of notes with Tracy’s phone number also help.
With a full-time job herself, balancing caregiving with her own family’s needs and her work schedule can be very difficult.
“People don’t realize how time consuming it is and how selfless you have to be. You have to choose how you use your time wisely and give up things. You might not always get to do what you want to do. That’s the hard part. I do as much as I can. Sometimes I fail with taking care of myself if I take care of Mom, but it balances out. You only get one mom, so you gotta do the best you can.”
Tracy got involved with the Caregiver Resource Center at Stonehill upon recommendation from a friend who had been volunteering. She takes advantage of the self-care options offered to caregivers including free membership to the Stonehill Health Center and free massages from Stonehill’s on-site massage therapist. She also attends the monthly Memory Café program with her mom.
For her own wellness, Tracy makes an effort to listen to her body and take care of herself. “Living well for me is staying busy, being active and resting when necessary.” She goes outside for fresh air during breaks at work, exercises, plays with her grandkids, and works on crafts.
Tracy believes every day can be a good day. “If you have a bad moment it doesn’t define the whole day. After all we’ve been through, that’s the only way to think. It’s a choice.”
Despite the challenges, exhaustion, and fear of what comes next with her mother, Tracy finds caregiving to be very rewarding. All the time spent with her mom is valuable and she will forever cherish the memories of being together.
“You take care of your loved ones how you would want to be cared for and nothing less. Lots of extra patience and grace is what I always remember when I am with my mom. She deserves that and so much more. She didn’t choose this diagnosis. I dread the day she forgets who I am, but that will never change how I care for her.”
Ethics
Shared Decision Making in Health Care
by Janine Idziak, PhD, Stonehill Ethics Committee Chair
“Elizabeth, as an experienced cardiologist I can tell you that a pacemaker is the way to take care of your heart problems.”
“Yes, doctor, please arrange the procedure ASAP.”
As noted in the American Heart Association News: “Traditionally, many decisions about medical treatment were left up to doctors. They decided, and patients agreed.” This approach is now being replaced by a shared decision making model.
In this new model, a health care provider and a patient work in partnership to reach the decision that is best for the patient. A health care provider sets out the treatment options, explains the likely risks, benefits, and burdens of each alternative, and assists the person in evaluating the options in terms of their values and goals. The treatment decision “takes into account evidence-based information about available options, the provider’s knowledge and experience, and the patient’s values and preferences” (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality).
Stonehill embraces shared decision making and is committed to working collaboratively with residents and family members in determining their plan of care.
Social workers assist residents in completing advance directives through which they make decisions about the type of care they would want to receive if they become unable to speak for themselves. These documents help ensure that the wishes of the resident will continue to be taken into account in planning their care.
In order to be partners with their health care providers in decision making, residents must be adequately informed. Providing information to residents and their family members is an essential part of the process of shared decision making. Stonehill’s Ethics Committee has written pamphlets on Completing IPOST (Iowa Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment) and on Making Decisions about Medically Assisted Nutrition and Hydration in Long-Term Care which are available on Stonehill’s website.
Sometimes a resident or family members feel a need for help in talking through an ethical issue regarding the resident’s care. Or sometimes a serious ethical disagreement arises between a resident and family members, among family members, or between the resident/family members and care providers. In these situations some members of the Ethics Committee will meet personally with them in an “ethics consult.” The Ethics Committee members do NOT make the decision about what should be done. Rather, they facilitate a conversation to assist the stakeholders themselves in determining a mutually acceptable course of action.
These are a few examples of Stonehill’s efforts to implement the model of shared decision making.
Upcoming Events
Please join us at one of these upcoming events for family members, friends, and the community.
01. Career & Education Open House
Thursday, November 7 2:00-6:00pm
Stonehill Health Center
Coffee Shop
3485 Windsor Ave Dubuque, IA 52001
This is an opportunity to learn about career and advancement opportunities at Stonehill. Stonehill leaders and Human Resources staff will be available for questions, there will be information about Stonehill’s CNA class and other educational opportunities, and on-site interviews and tours will be offered.
02. Christmas Fair Shopping Event
Thursday, December 5 1:00-4:00pm
Stonehill Health Center
Coffee Shop
3485 Windsor Ave Dubuque, IA 52001
Join us for an on-site holiday shopping event! There will be a variety of local vendors, a bake sale, and raffle. All proceeds will support employee scholarships.
03. Pancheros Fundraiser Night
Wednesday, January 8 4:00-10:00pm
Pancheros Mexican Grill
4840 Asbury Rd Dubuque, IA 52002
Queso for a cause! Dine-in or order online at Pancheros to support Stonehill Communities. Ten percent of all sales during that time will be donated to Stonehill.
Stonehill Trivia Answer
The Stonehill Wellness Center is open to the public and has approximately 800 active members. Membership is open to anyone age 14+ and special pricing is available to individuals 55+! Business memberships are also available to local employers.
Benevolent Foundation
In this final edition of 2024, I would like to thank all of our supporters. We could not carry out the mission of Stonehill Communities without you! Recently, Stonehill has been the humble recipient of the following gifts:
• McDonough Foundation - $1,000 for Dementia Simulation Kits
• Dubuque Racing Association - $4,500 for two staff members to attend the International Council on Active Aging Conference to enhance the services of the Caregiver Resource Center and Wellness Center.
• The Schoen Family Foundation - $50,000 to equip and prepare Stonehill’s CNA classroom including a state-of-the-art training manikin.
• Dupaco Community Credit Union - $10,000 for a state-of-the-art training manikin for caregiver and nurse training.
The list above a is snapshot of areas of our campus that have benefited from your support. We are truly grateful. The range of why people give matches the range of giving opportunities. Your support can assist residents in their cost of care, staff members with education, caregivers with support services, among many other areas of need. The generosity of our community causes me to take pause each time a donation comes in.
You may soon be receiving our Year End Appeal. This year we are focusing on Benevolent Care. The current cost to care for a resident in our Health Center is $323 per day. For those on Medicaid, Stonehill receives payment of $238 per day. With nearly 40% of residents covered by Medicaid, this deficit of payment builds quickly. Last year, Stonehill provided $715,000 in benevolent care. The Benevolent Care Fund helps cover these costs and ensure that all residents receive the high-quality care they need and deserve.
I would love to hear from you about your Stonehill story and discuss the Year End Appeal and other contributions you may be interested in. You can reach me at 563.690.9660 or tconnolly@stonehilldbq.com. Again, thank you for supporting Stonehill Communities.
Compassionate Care for All.
Our mission, inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi, ensures that no one in our care is left behind—no matter their financial circumstances. But we need your help. By donating to our Benevolent Care Fund, you can ensure that every resident receives the high-quality care they deserve, regardless of their ability to pay. Your support means that families facing financial hardship can rest assured, knowing their loved ones are in safe, caring hands. Please consider a year-end donation today.
www.stonehilldbq.com
3485 Windsor Avenue, Dubuque, Iowa 52001
