By: Shelia Kries, PT
As the older adult population ages, physiological changes occur and the probability of falls increases that may result in negative outcomes. These outcomes span from pain, fear, isolation, to a decreased quality of life, high monetary costs, loss of mobility and loss of independence. The Otego fall prevention approach is an evidenced based program that has been developed to address the many variances that affect our aging population.
When it comes to falls, prevention is best. By identifying factors that contribute to falls and research based programs, we are able to develop and delay the effects of aging. We know that age associated functional declines in muscle strength and the sensory systems, in addition to several other issues, contribute to reductions in balance that may increase fall risks.
The aging population can “manage” some of the common problems that accompany age. Exercise, along with nutrition and staying educated on side effects of prescribed medications, play a crucial role in this prevention process. This article’s primary focus is the rehabilitative aspect of fall prevention.
Once a risk has been identified through testing, further attention to be considered includes: range of motion, strength, proprioception, pain and posture. A licensed therapist can develop a prescribed balance and exercise training program that addresses postural stability impairments as well as training programs for performance enhancement. A good understanding of balance, postural stability and sensorimotor training (SMT) is necessary for success. Effectiveness is also dependent on the ability to identify the deficits and develop a program that addresses these deficits.
The Sensorimotor Training approach addresses both static and dynamic components of balance as well as the multitude of systems that control balance in order to train effective strategies and elicit automatic postural responses in order to promote postural stability. This program is adapted for the aging population and utilizes trained Therapy staff to provide this program.
While balance is a commonly used term to describe the ability to maintain an upright position, “postural stability” is a more specific description of the overall aging balance. Postural stability can be defined as the ability of an individual to maintain their center of gravity (COG) within the base of support (BOS). Other areas that are contributory include the many complex physiologic and neurological processes that contribute and control postural stability. This is where the sensorimotor system has an affect on balance in this population. A good understanding of both areas of the musculoskeletal system along with the input from the central nervous system is essential in development and implementation of any balance recovery program.
Normal balance requires use of righting reactions, which require normal proprioception, range of motion, strength, and use of ankle, step and hip strategies. Therefore the treatment focus is on strength, flexibility, balance and reaction times, as these are considered modifiable risk factors for fall prevention. Research has shown that adults, even in the 90’s can improve in each of these areas with training.
The progression of this program has shown the best outcomes when a patient advances through three phases of SMT: Static, dynamic and functional. With in each stage individuals complete the task/exercise (1) different postures, (2) progressive BOS, (3) challenges to the center of gravity. The success of this type of training is based on several factors of addressing core areas, which includes the base of support, ankle strength, proprioception moving up to the pelvis region/posture. The main goal of SMT is to increase muscle reaction and tissue endurance rather than total joint strength. Instead of focusing on strength, the focus is placed on restoring the automatic reflexive stabilization for dynamic balance. The training outcome between normal strength training and SMT, notes that SMT showed improved objective testing scores.
We encourage you to further explore specifics of Sensorimotor training, and the Otega Exercise program to further educate and utilize these methods in reducing the falls in the aging population.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AMHERST, OHIO (July 12,2016) – Amherst Manor Retirement Community, managed by Sprenger Healthcare, is undergoing extensive renovation and expansion to better serve the needs of the aging population in Amherst, OH.
Thirty private rooms with individual bathrooms and walk-in showers are being added to Amherst Manor to increase comfort and privacy for short-term residents of rehabilitation and skilled nursing. In addition, the project will make room for a new dining room, living room, and more common areas, including a pub/lounge area and an outdoor courtyard, for all residents and their loved ones to enjoy.
The expansion also consists of a new, state-of-the-art 2,700 square foot therapy gym, which will be more than three time the size of the current therapy gym at Amherst Manor.
“This expansion of Amherst Manor will give us more capacity to meet the needs of our residents as they change and evolve,” says Kristen Gollinger, Administrator at Amherst Manor.
The larger and more functional therapy gym will feature a full kitchen and bedroom suite for occupational therapy support and added state-of-the-art equipment for all therapies. This is in addition to the advanced tools already offered at Amherst Manor, including Biodex equipment, VitalStim and Jintronix. Jintronix is a new, fun and effective tool for physical therapy that provides “gamified” exercises designed to improve a patient’s functional abilities.
Along with the expansion of Amherst Manor, the building will undergo extensive renovation. Its existing front fascia will be given a new look with the adding of a Porte-cochere to provide convenience for guests and give Amherst Manor extra curb appeal. Furthermore, much of the existing space at this facility is being converted to better serve residents with more spacious rooms and extra common areas for activities and socialization.
Amherst Manor Retirement Community was originally founded in 1959 by Grace Sprenger. Although it started as a 26-bed nursing facility, today Amherst Manor offers continuum of care options, including skilled nursing, assisted living, independent living, short-term and orthopedic rehabilitation, hospice care and respite care. It’s located on nine wooded acres in the historic village of Amherst. Residents enjoy a park-like setting that’s just minutes from downtown shopping restaurants and entertainment.
The expansion and renovation of Amherst Manor Retirement Community is scheduled to be completed in fall 2016.
About Sprenger Healthcare
Sprenger Healthcare has been family owned and operated since 1959. With 10 facilities throughout Northeast Ohio and Indiana, Sprenger offers the full continuum of aging services including: Short Term Rehabilitation, Skilled Nursing, Memory Care, Assisted Living, Independent Living, Hospice, and Home Health. Our innovative care, excellent customer service, and compassionate, dedicated employees have made Sprenger Healthcare a leader in providing exceptional health care. Sprenger communities have a history of excellent Resident and Family Satisfaction Surveys, 5 Star Ratings, Deficiency Free Surveys, and US News & World Report Rankings. For more information on the programs we offer and to hear more about the Sprenger difference, please visit our website, www.SprengerHealthCare.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
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By Sprenger Home Health Care
The summer months are a great time for outdoor activity but with it comes an increase in the incidence of heat related illnesses, especially for seniors.
Did you know that as early as age 65 our bodies are changing in how we respond to heat? As we get in that round of golf, mow the lawn, work in the garden or take a good walk we need to heed and take extra precautions to avoid heat illnesses.
As we age, we don’t tolerate, and just as importantly don’t perceive heat as we did. Because of that we may be reaching for that sweater when everyone else is comfortable in a short sleeve shirt. Take cues from those around you and think twice before adding that extra layer.
One of the most important things we can do to stay healthy is to make sure we’re well hydrated. Our ability to perceive thirst has diminished making this even more challenging. Dehydration can lead not only to heat related illnesses but to falls as well. When we’re dehydrated the chances of dizzy spells and fainting increase.
Don’t forget about sunscreen. Our skin has become thinner so sunscreen is even more important when planning outdoor activity.
Diet and nutrition play an important role as well. Eat light! Consuming foods that are easy to digest as well as smaller more frequent meals will serve you well. Be careful about food storage. Foods spoil more quickly in the heat of the summer. The Nutrition.gov website is packed with good information for senior nutrition.
Plan your outdoor activities when the air is cooler. Mow the grass and work the garden in the evening. Plan your tee time and take that brisk walk early in the morning and don’t forget your water and sunscreen!
Have a healthy and safe summer!
The thrill of a spike. A great serve. Scoring an ace. All may seem like simple things to the average person, but to Inge Helmetz, these are just a few of her favorite memories. As a retired Volleyball coach, Ms. Helmetz carried her love of playing the game into coaching at St. Peter School in North Ridgeville while her children attended school.
The thrill of a spike… A great serve… Scoring an Ace…
All may seem like simple things to the average person, but to Inge Helmetz, these are just a few of her favorite memories. As a retired Volleyball coach, Ms. Helmetz carried her love of playing the game into coaching at St. Peter School in North Ridgeville while her children attended school.
This month, Sprenger Hospice Care helped turn an average day into an exciting adventure back on the court for Ms. Helmetz. Hospice nurse, Lisa Lotz along with Voni De Almeida, MSW and Toni Rotz, Director of Marketing, escorted Ms. Helmetz to an afternoon at the North Ridgeville Rookie Ranger Volleyball camp.
Coach Jenny Onlock and her students were extremely welcoming and presented Helmetz with a “Coach Inge” t-shirt. Ms. Helmetz had much to say about each girl’s technique that day and also enjoyed tossing the ball back and forth with nurse Lisa.
“It’s simple” says Toni Rotz, Director of Marketing for Sprenger Hospice Care, “Our commitment is to optimize the quality of life for our patients. Here at Sprenger Hospice our care plans go beyond the patient’s medical needs. We listen carefully for unexpressed wishes that will help bring a smile to their face and pep in their step. For those who think that hospice is giving up, let this ‘serve’ as proof that hospice helps to provide enough comfort that one can enjoy their last days, weeks, months or years to the fullest.”
Sixty five percent of the elderly with long term care needs depend solely upon family and friends to meet those needs. More than 66% of these caregivers are women. How does the caregiver meet the challenges of caring not only for their loved one, but for themselves as well?
Setting realistic goals for what the caregiver can provide in terms of time and types of support are critical. Once those parameters have been established, the caregiver must be willing to ask for and accept help. Well-meaning family and friends often offer to do anything they can, but the caregiver frequently declines. Instead of declining have a list of needs prepared; it may be sitting with your loved one for an hour, going to the grocery store, preparing a meal or picking up prescriptions. Accepting those offers will be a benefit for you and those offering their help.
Support services of all kinds, including those mentioned above can positively impact the care givers well-being, allowing them to provide better care with less stress. Support services are not only those found in support groups and family counseling, but include things such as respite services, durable medical equipment (DME) and home modifications.
When a caregiver can no longer meet the needs, Sprenger Healthcare offer a wide variety of help including Independent and Assisted Living, and Home Health. Staff are trained to evaluate, develop a plan of care in coordination with your physician, and provide treatment to inspire hope and improve the quality of life for the people we serve.
By: The Nord Center
Did you know that one in five American adults have experienced a mental health issue? Young people also suffer from mental health issues – in fact, one in 10 children experience a period of depression. For people who need someone to talk to, there is the Nord Warm Line.
The Nord Center, with the support of the Lorain County Board of Mental Health, has launched its Warm Line, a free, confidential telephone support service for anyone in Lorain County experiencing a mental health challenges such as loneliness, anxiety or substance use.
The Warm Line is staffed by mental health consumers who have experienced mental health issues themselves. Having learned to live a full life through their own recovery, Peer Support Specialists want to help others struggling with similar concerns. Peer Support Specialists do not diagnose or treat, but are trained to listen and offer non-judgmental support and shared experiences of hope and recovery.
“Support from those who have experienced similar issues can be a source of great comfort to someone having trouble coping,” states Amy Denger, The Nord Center CEO & COO. “We received nearly 16,500 calls to our Emergency/Crisis Line last year. Our goal with the Warm Line is to provide support and encouragement to individuals before they reach a crisis point. Sometimes they just need someone to talk to who understands what they are going through.”
Warm Line services are available Monday through Friday, from 1pm-10pm. To speak to a Peer Support Specialist, please call 1.800.888.6161 and ask to be connected to the Warm Line.
Sprenger Healthcare is honored to be ranked seventh on the Crain’s Cleveland Business list of Family Owned Businesses.
Rankings are determined by the number of local full-time employees employed by companies in Cleveland and the percentage of company ownership by family.
Sprenger Healthcare was founded in 1959 by Grace Sprenger, who established Amherst Manor Retirement Community in Amherst, OH.
Today, third generation Michael Sprenger, COO, and Nicole Sprenger, CEO, continue Grace’s legacy with a commitment to provide the highest quality of services to customers and the community. Sprenger Healthcare is also proud to bring jobs to Northeast Ohio as it employs more than 1000 full-time local employees.
Sprenger Healthcare has grown throughout its nearly 60 years to include ten communities for older adults. These communities offer continuum of care options with 10 skilled nursing centers, 7 assisted living communities and 5 independent living communities. In addition, Sprenger Healthcare offers short-term rehabilitation, orthopedic rehabilitation, hospice care and home health care.
With 9 communities in Ohio, 1 in Indiana and construction underway in South Carolina, Sprenger Healthcare plans to continue providing sustainable jobs and offering premier services well into the future.
Find out more about Sprenger Healthcare and the services it has to offer by visiting www.sprengerhealthcare.com. Make it your first choice for employment by applying at www.sprengerjobs.com.
By: Chris Phillips
As a society, we often place emphasis on physical health when we talk about being healthy. Physical health is incredibly important to your overall well-being, but so is mental health. Mental health doesn’t just focus on mental illness. It references the overall well-being of your mind and a healthy mind means a happier person in general. How do you stay mentally healthy?
Get Plenty of Sleep
Adults need 7-9 hours of sleep to operate at their highest level. Anything less than seven hours decreases a person’s ability to concentrate and increases chances of developing mood problems. If you are constantly moving and working when you’re awake, even if you get a sufficient amount of sleep, you could still feel tired and drained. Plan some down time to just lie around and do nothing.
Focus on Your Hobbies
Do you like to read? What about play cards? Go hiking and explore nature? Whatever it is, make sure you incorporate it into your weekly schedule. You need fun to balance the stress of working and life in general. Set aside some time every night to just unwind with whatever your favorite hobby is. How does the old saying go? All work and no play, right?
Stay Social
Communicating with your friends, family and other people in your life will give your mental health an enormous boost. Talk about your day with your husband or wife. Call your parents and tell them what’s troubling you. Ask a stranger about the weather. Humans are social creatures who want to be connected to others. Feed your need to be social and raise your mental health.
Exercise and Eat Healthy
Physical health plays a role in your mental health because your brain needs the right vitamins and minerals to stay healthy and you can ensure you get these vitamins by eating healthy. Exercise will help you reduce fat, build muscles and improve sleep. A better night’s sleep can only improve your mental health. It’s also said exercise will release chemicals in your brain to give you an instant mood boost.
Don’t Get Overwhelmed
You have a lot on your plate at work, at home and anything else you may be involved like church, clubs or school. You don’t have to do every favor or take on every task asked of you. It’s okay to say no from time to time. At the same time, you don’t have to face everything alone. You have a social support system and they can help you with any problems that arise. Do you need somebody to pick up your kids from school? Just ask! You don’t need to do everything alone.
Every person has a different life and a different stress level, but we all need to maintain a healthy mental state or we could find ourselves unhappy and overly stressed. Incorporate these tips into your life and watch as your mental health and overall happiness grows.
Sprenger Healthcare is joining the fight against cancer as our communities across Ohio are ready to participate in this year’s Relay for Life. Relay for Life is a community-based fundraising event of the American Cancer Society, in which communities around the world come together to honor cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost and fight back against cancer.
Sprenger Health Care facilities are participating in two Relay for Life events and we want you to join us in supporting this great cause.
The first Relay for Life event is Saturday, May 21, 2016 from 12:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m. It will take place at Vermilion High School, 1250 Sanford Street, Vermilion, OH. The theme for this event is Under the Sea, so get ready for an underwater adventure.
The second Relay for Life event is Saturday, July 9, 2016 from 11:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. It will take place in Downtown Massillon at Tremont SE and 1st Street SE in Massillon, OH. The theme for this event is Disney and we can’t wait for you to be our guest!
Sprenger employees, family and friends are invited to join our teams. You can join either Sprenger Health Care team in six easy steps:
- Visit RelayForLife.com
- Select “Find a team”
- Search “The Heart of Sprenger”
- Select Massillon or Vermilion
- Click “Join Our Team”
- Fill out and Submit Form
You don’t have to attend the event to participate in Relay for Life and help us in the fight against cancer. Each Sprenger community is hosting fundraisers in the days leading up to this event. Here is a list of some of the fundraising efforts coming up at each location:
- Autumn Aegis: Raffle for pampering themed Gift Basket (May 7th)
- Amherst Manor: Spaghetti dinner (May 11th)
- Anchor Lodge: Bake Sale (May 6th), $3 Salad Bar (May 13th)
- Elms Retirement Village: Candy bar sales (Ongoing ), $3.00 Rigatoni (May 27th), Car Wash (TBD)
- Towne Center: 2nd Annual Meatballs on Main Street (May 19th)
For more information, please contact Amanda Yandell at ayandell@sprengerhealthcare.com or 440-396-1827.
Sprenger Healthcare is getting even more proactive about fall prevention with A Matter of Balance, an eight week program designed to help older adults manage falls and increase activity levels.
According to the National Council on Aging, falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older Americans. However, falls can be avoided through fall prevention education and practical lifestyle changes. This is why Sprenger Healthcare is bringing A Matter of Balance to its communities.
Sometimes just the fear of falling can be concerning, as it can change a person’s behavior and increase the risk of falling. The knowledge and training from the A Matter of Balance program can increase participant’s activity levels and confidence in their ability to move.
This program teaches participants to view falls as controllable and set realistic goals for increasing activity. It’s an ideal program for anyone who is concerned about falls, has fallen in the past, or wants to improve flexibility, balance and strength.
A Matter of Balance classes start May 17th at Smithville Western Commons’ Wayne Manor (4138 Swanson Blvd., Wooster, OH, 44691) and will be held each Tuesday for eight weeks. Sprenger Health Care is also planning to implement this program in its other Ohio facilities.
The classes are led by Sprenger’s trained clinical experts. A new topic is introduced each session to help with strengthening and balance. Participants are encouraged to attend all eight classes, as each class builds upon the previous week.
To find out more about the A Matter of Balance program at Sprenger Healthcare or to register for classes, please contact Chris Fankhauser, Clinical Education Director, at 330-495-1792.
