Sprenger Healthcare Opens First Dedicated Memory Care Assisted Living

Media Contact:

Amanda Yandell, Corporate Marketing Coordinator
Sprenger Health Care Towne Center Community Campus
500 Community Drive
Avon Lake, OH 44012
(440) 930-6627 / AYandell@SprengerHealthCare.com

 
Location Contact:

Jason Coe, LNHA, Regional Director of Operations
Sprenger Health Care Towne Center Community Campus
500 Community Drive
Avon Lake, OH 44012
(440) 930-6603 / JCoe@SprengerHealthCare.com


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Avon Lake, OHIO – July 6, 2017 – Parkway Memory Care Assisted Living, a unique memory care assisted living facility located inside Sprenger Healthcare Towne Center Community Campus, is now open and accepting residents.

“Parkway Memory Care Assisted Living offers quality care for residents in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or other related dementias,” said Jason Coe, LNHA, Regional Director of Operations with Sprenger Healthcare. “With safety, continuity of care, and sensory cognition in mind, Parkway Memory Care Assisted Living optimizes quality of life while encouraging residents to maintain a healthy level of activity.”

Parkway Memory Care Assisted Living is Sprenger Healthcare’ first memory care assisted living community. The unit features 30 private studios, each with individual bathrooms and specialized safety features; a large dining area featuring chef-designed meals; saltwater aquarium; a common area with a 30-foot glass clerestory to let in plenty of natural light; and a secured courtyard for residents and their loved ones to enjoy.

The addition of a memory care assisted living facility on our campus will give us greater capacity to meet the evolving needs of our community,” Coe continued. “Parkway Memory Care Assisted Living will not only be a safe and comfortable home for residents, it will provide a constructive environment to promote activity and socialization.”

Parkway Memory Care Assisted Living at Sprenger Healthcare Towne Center Community Campus also features a Life Enrichment team, which offers residents specialized programming, including fitness programs, planned outings, and weekly happy hours, as well as art and pet therapy, among other services. Residents can also take advantage of Sprenger Healthcare’ Certified Dementia Care Specialists and 24-hour staff to assist with everyday needs.

Sprenger Health Care Towne Center Community Campus to Showcase Parkway Memory Care Assisted Living with Community Open House

Media Contact: Amanda Yandell, Corporate Marketing Coordinator
Sprenger Health Care Towne Center Community Campus
500 Community Drive
Avon Lake, OH 44012
(440) 930-6627 / AYandell@SprengerHealthCare.com

Location Contact: Jason Coe, LNHA, Regional Director of Operations
Sprenger Health Care Towne Center Community Campus
500 Community Drive
Avon Lake, OH 44012
(440) 930-6603 / JCoe@SprengerHealthCare.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Avon Lake, OHIO – June 13, 2017 – Sprenger Healthcare is celebrating its new Parkway Memory Care Assisted Living space at Sprenger Health Care Towne Center Community Campus with a community open house Wednesday, June 28, 2017.

The community open house will take place from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at 400 Community Drive, Avon Lake, OH 44012.
Tours will be provided throughout the event for community members to explore the new Parkway Memory Care Assisted Living space, which is designed to offer quality care for those in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or other related dementias. With safety, continuity of care, and sensory cognition in mind, Parkway is designed to optimize quality of life and encourage residents to maintain a healthy level of activity.

As the first memory care assisted living facility in Sprenger Healthcare, the unit includes 30 private studios with individual bathrooms and specialized safety features. It has its own dining room featuring chef-designed meals, a soothing salt water aquarium, a 30-foot glass clearstory to let in plenty of natural light, and a secured courtyard for residents and their loved ones to enjoy.

“The addition of a memory care assisted living facility on our campus gives us more capacity to meet the changing needs of our residents,” said Jason Coe, Regional Director of Operations for Sprenger Healthcare.

Parkway Memory Care Assisted Living provides a constructive environment to promote activity and socialization, with planned outings, weekly happy hours, in-house fitness programs, as well as art and pet therapy. Residents can also benefit from Certified Dementia Care Specialists and 24-hour staff to assist with everyday needs.

The community open house will include a ceremonial ribbon cutting, complimentary wine tasting with The Wine Room, raffle baskets, cocktails, and hearty hors d’oeuvres and desserts compliments of Chef Jim Smith.

For more information and to RSVP please contact Jasmine Naida at (440) 930-6700 or email JNaida@SprengerHealthCare.com.

About Sprenger Healthcare

Sprenger Healthcare is a leading developer, owner and operator of senior living communities in Ohio, Indiana, and South Carolina. Through our 12 communities encompassing nearly 2,000 beds, we provide exceptional health care services for the aging, including short-term post-acute rehabilitation, long-term nursing care, assisted and independent living, memory care, hospice, and respite care.

From a small family-owned nursing facility to an expansive enterprise employing 2,000 professionals, Sprenger Healthcare is actively growing and adapting to the ever-changing needs of the communities we serve. With a strong focus on innovation and quality, Sprenger’s third generation is building a legacy while maintaining the same philosophy of personalized care initially established by Grace Sprenger in 1959.

Sprenger Health Care to Gain First Memory Care Assisted Living

For more information, please contact:

Jason Coe

Facility Administrator

Phone: 440-930-6603

Email: jcoe@sprengerhealthcare.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Avon Lake, OHIO (March 1, 2017) – Towne Center Community Campus, owned and operated by Sprenger Healthcare, is undergoing expansion to add a new, one-of-a-kind memory care assisted living facility.

Parkway Memory Care Assisted Living is designed to be a unique transitional unit offering quality care for those in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or other related dementias. With safety, continuity of care and sensory cognition in mind, Parkway was developed to optimize quality of life and encourage residents to maintain a healthy level of activity.

As the first memory care assisted living facility to join Sprenger Healthcare, the unit will include 30 private studios with individual bathrooms and specialized safety features. It’ll have its own dining room featuring chef-designed meals, an original food truck themed café, a soothing salt water aquarium, a 45-foot glass atrium to let in plenty of natural light, and a secured courtyard for residents and their loved ones to enjoy.

“The addition of a memory care assisted living facility on our campus will give us more capacity to meet the needs of our residents as they change and evolve,” says Jason Coe, Administrator at Towne Center.

Parkway Memory Care Assisted Living will not only be a safe and comfortable home for residents, it’ll provide a constructive environment to promote activity and socialization with planned outings and weekly happy hours. The Life Enrichment team will offer specialized programming, including fitness programs, as well as art and pet therapy. Residents can also take advantage of our Certified Dementia Care Specialists and 24-hour staff to assist with everyday needs.

The addition of Parkway Memory Care Assisted Living to Towne Center Community Campus is scheduled to be completed in summer 2017.

About Sprenger Healthcare

From a small family-owned nursing facility to an expansive enterprise, Sprenger Healthcare is actively growing and adapting to the ever-changing needs of the communities it serves. With a strong focus on innovation and quality, Sprenger’s third generation is building a legacy while maintaining the same philosophy of personalized care initially established by Grace Sprenger. For more information on Sprenger Healthcare, please call (440) 989-5200 or visit our website, http://www.sprengerhealthcare.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

###

Maximizing Interactions With Dementia Patients

By: Steve Mankins, PT

Imagine waking up in an unfamiliar room to unfamiliar faces, struggling to answer simple questions and complete routine tasks; all while you are unable to accurately communicate what you are experiencing. A stay in a skilled nursing facility can be a frightening time for a patient with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia and interacting without consideration for his or her disease can make that experience worse. Interactions with these patients can lead to frustration on both sides or a positive experience that leaves the patient feeling valued.

The goal of working with patients with dementia is to understand their abilities and establish a plan to maximize those abilities. In general, we as therapists typically focus on deficits in patients and how we can improve those deficits. Unfortunately in patients with dementia, we need to focus on the present abilities and how those abilities can be improved on to maximize the patients’ independence. Many patients are unable to provide the therapist with accurate assessments of their abilities, which can lead to disconnect between patients’ and therapists’ goals.

An excellent way to gain a better understanding of these abilities is an in-depth discussion with family members and/or close friends. This conversation can provide information about the patient’s mobility level and learning style, as well as likes/dislikes, hobbies and activities of enjoyment that allow the therapist to develop a global picture of the patient. This global view gives the therapist the opportunity to intertwine therapy objectives with activities or topics that are of importance to the patient. Therapy sessions can be a difficult time for patients with dementia because they may have difficulty communicating their needs with the therapist as well as completing tasks that are challenging and frustrating that may have been completed before with ease. Incorporating hobbies or discussing topics of interest can add enjoyment to an otherwise stressful situation and allow the patient to feel that the therapist working with them has a genuine interest in them as a person.

The last key to every interaction with a patient with dementia is patience. It is important to remember that the patient is experiencing changes in their living environment that they may or may not understand, meeting a large number of new people, and are being instructed to do and not do specific tasks; all of which can be very confusing and frustrating. Allowing additional time for the patient to process information and explaining tasks in a variety of ways gives the patient the best chance at understanding; drastically changing your interaction and their experience.

Interacting with patients with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia can pose unique challenges and can leave both parties feeling frustrated and confused. Focusing on the patient’s abilities, getting the family involved, and incorporating hobbies and topics of interest can lead to everyone receiving the maximum benefit from the experience. Above all, be patient because your caring and understanding nature reminds them how valuable they are.

Members of Smithville Western Care Center Receive Dementia Care Specialist Certification

For more information, please contact:

Jaime Marino-Freetage

Therapy Regional Director

Phone: (440) 935-5487

Email: jmarino-freetage@sprengerhealthcare.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Sprenger Healthcare is raising the standard for memory care by providing many of its Smithville Western Care Center staff with the tools necessary to complete Dementia Care Specialist Certification.

The Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI)’s Dementia Care Specialist Certification is a formal recognition of an individual’s commitment and leadership as a professional caring for patients with Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementias. Dementia Care Capable Training helps caregivers work together more cohesively and consistently to deliver a higher standard of dementia care.

At Smithville Western Care Center, training in dementia care allows the memory care team to demonstrate an understanding of dementia and its impact on cognitive function. Trained staff can identify key care approaches for each stage of the disease in order to promote the highest possible level of function in activities of daily living (ADL), mobility, and leisure activity. The team also learned strategies to enhance communication, minimize negative behaviors and support families.

Perhaps the most important skill gained through the certification is the ability to identify and report predictors of cognitive decline or transition, further assisting Sprenger clinicians in the development of care plans that promote successful outcomes.

According to CPI, when this compassionate, results-oriented approach is embraced and implemented, staff attitudes shift, confidence soars, and quality of life improves for dementia clients and their families. This is why staff members involved in the care of dementia patients at Sprenger communities will be given the opportunity to become a Dementia Care Specialist, including therapists, nurses, nursing assistants, life enrichment staff and housekeepers.

Dementia Care training is not only a benefit to the staff at Smithville Western Care Center, but also to patients receiving memory care at each Sprenger community. Trained memory care staff strive to lessen the symptoms of dementia by helping patients with self-care and teaching them to manage activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing and toileting. They provide support while encouraging patients to achieve the highest possible level of independence.

In addition to the benefits of having on-staff Dementia Care Specialists, Sprenger Healthcare provides Excellence in Memory Care, a specialized team approach to quality patient-centered care. Having a team of Dementia Care Specialists raises the bar for Sprenger Health Care’s already high standard of dementia care at its communities.

“It is our goal at Sprenger Health Care to provide our patients with the highest quality of care. Having Dementia Care Specialists on our team only furthers our commitment to our Excellence in Memory Care,” said Jaime Marino-Freetage, Executive Therapy Director.

In addition to enhancing a commitment to Excellence in Memory Care, Sprenger Health Care offers excellence in Neurological Care, Orthopedics, Osteoporosis, Amputee Care and Respiratory Care, and Cardiac Care.

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.

###

5 Tips for Improving Mental Health

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.

Fighting Chronic Illness with Proper Nutrition

By: Chris Phillips, Sprenger Dining Services

It’s projected by the year 2030, 22%of the world’s population will be 65 years old or older. You probably don’t need me to tell you, but this is a large amount of people! In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the same demographic only accounted for 4% of the world’s population at the beginning of the century. Chances are, if you don’t fall into this category, you know someone who does. Someday you’ll fit this category and it’s important to know what you can do to improve not only the number of years in your life, but the quality of those years.

It’s commonly known as we age, we’re more susceptible to disease and disability. Heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and other chronic degenerative conditions all affect the elderly.

There are different techniques and care plans for each condition, but the one thing that can help with all of these conditions is proper nutrition. It will give your body the necessary nutrients to fight any chronic condition and prevent it from becoming worse.

If something like proper nutrition is so important to your health it must be hard to maintain, right? The answer is no!

Older people don’t need to ingest as many calories as younger people due to factors like a slower metabolism, but they do need to make sure they maintain a proper level of minerals and vitamins. This can be done by choosing nutrient dense foods like fruit, fat free cheese and whole wheat crackers instead of sugar filled snacks like cookies and ice cream. Choosing fish, poultry and soy protein foods like tofu will give you your necessary protein. Calcium can come from low-fat milk, calcium fortified orange juice and broccoli. Vitamin B12 can be attained by eating low-fat meat, poultry, fish and fortified cereals. Get your Vitamin D from fortified milk and milk products, and fatty fish. Be sure to include fruits and vegetables for fiber and top it off with 6-8 glasses of water a day.

When preparing food, you should bake your food instead of incorporating other techniques, such as broiling. High heat causes foods to develop toxic compounds called Advanced Glycation End (AGE) products. These AGEs can contribute to hardening of the arteries, wrinkles and stiff joints and should be avoided to achieve optimal health.

Don’t let diminished senses keep you from maintaining healthy nutrition. Add flavor to your food by using low sodium seasonings, such as lemon juice, ground pepper, curry pepper and fresh or dried herbs of all types. Diversity in color and texture of your food can make your food look more appetizing. If you’re having trouble eating, try eating small meals throughout the day instead of three big meals to increase the appetite and stimulate the senses.

One day age catches up with all of us, but it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. Adopt these techniques and you can age well while fighting whatever chronic conditions life throws at you.