News About Kindred People and Places
Here are some current happenings at Kindred facilities across the country.
Kindred Hospital St. Louis-St. Anthony’s Opens
By Cindy Sander
Human Resources - Recruiting Coordinator
St. Louis, MO --- Kindred Hospital St. Louis-St. Anthony’s new
38-bed facility opened in September. The hospital received license approval
on September 16, and accepted their first patient on September 21. An
open house was held at the facility for medical staff as well as the community
on September 26, with over 300 in attendance.
The growing staff and patient census is a very exciting time at Kindred
Hospital St. Louis-St. Anthony’s.
CEO Ron Evens chats with some of his new staff members at the open house.
Soldiers Continue Gift Giving Tradition at Woodland Terrace
By Dennis McNatt
Executive Director
Elizabethtown, KY --- For the past 11 years, soldiers stationed at Fort
Knox have presented Christmas gifts to the residents at Woodland Terrace
Health Care Facility. It's no surprise that the residents love it and
look forward to it every year.
Each year, about a month before Christmas, the soldiers send out a questionnaire
to the center to find out one item each resident would really like. Then
they deliver it at a special party at the center a few days prior to Christmas.
Bay Area Pasadena Adopts Family of Eight for Holidays
By Cynthia Shepherd
AA/HR Coordinator/Events Coordinator
Pasadena, TX --- Our hospital joined forces with Archives Masonic Lodge
#1399 and Archives Chapter # 1095 O.E.S. to make Christmas 2004 much brighter
for a family of eight. When Kindred employees heard that a family of two
adults and six children (ages 7 to 16) were not going to have food or presents
this Christmas, they decided to do something about it.The father, whose leg had to be amputated due to complications associated with his diabetes, has been unable to work for almost two years. He had also been without his blood pressure medication for over two months because the family simply didn't have the money to pay for it. The mother has mental health issues, and two of the children are actually grandchildren whose mother died a couple of years ago. The family had been surviving on small donations from a local church for over a year. It's apparent to anyone who visited the family at home that they had been living without comforts, and often with little food or clothing, for a while.
A giving tree was set up, and Kindred employees purchased each member of the family a jacket, shirt, pants and shoes. They also bought a toy for each child, and presented the father with a Wal-Mart gift card for $200 to purchase any other items needed for the children or to pay for medications. A total of 46 presents were taken to the family on Dec. 22. Additionally, the Masons and Eastern Star members donated $175 and collected enough groceries to last the family for a couple of months.
The family was overwhelmed by the generosity. Their expressions of gratitude through words of thanks and hugs from the children made it very apparent that the employees of our facility have been blessed with caring hearts. This was certainly a project from the heart.
Kindred Hospital Milwaukee Participates in Community-Wide Disaster Drill
By Charles Faist
Director of Education
Milwaukee, WI --- On Thursday, October 21, Kindred Hospital Milwaukee
participated in a community-wide disaster drill. The disaster simulated a biohazard event in which a large group of people were unknowingly exposed to pneumonic plague several days prior to the actual incident. On the morning of the drill, those who had been exposed were in various states of symptomatology, and walk-ins and EMS services patients began overwhelming Milwaukee area metropolitan emergency rooms. Pneumonic plague exposure was determined as the causative factor, and the alert was placed to all hospitals via the disaster network. A bus accident involving a large group of exposed foreign, Russian-speaking visitors further complicated the scenario. Emergency rooms whose resources had been overwhelmed quickly reached capacity levels. Two patients were transferred to Kindred Hospital Milwaukee. These patients were life-sized robotic manikins that moaned and moved to add a realistic touch.
Kindred’s staff assembled quickly in full personal protective equipment and transformed the hospital's gym into an emergency room that could be isolated from the rest of the hospital. Both patients were triaged on arrival, and each had a full team of respiratory therapists, nurses and nursing assistants. Supportive ancillary help stood by, being pressed into service as needed. Both patients required intubation and mechanical ventilation and support drugs. One required chest tube placement for a large chest/abdominal wound. Orders were received from our medical director.
It was an extraordinary example of teamwork. The staff members were never sure what simulated situation they would encounter during the course of treatment, however they responded in an appropriate, professional and expedient manner. The entire event was videotaped and will be used for future training. Special thanks to Dale Davidson, Director of Plant Operations, for coordinating the event at the hospital.
Kindred Hospital Ontario Celebrates 10th Anniversary
By Candy Peters
Chief Operating Officer
Ontario, CA --- Kindred Hospital Ontario celebrated their tenth anniversary
twice. The first celebration was for the employees. Everyone appreciated
the cook out and gifts. Leadership returned that evening to provide the
same for the night shift.
John Axtel, Rodger Badger, Wanda Cline, Barbara Cruz, Eyglo Gudsteinsdottir,
Irmgard Holmes, Zenaida Holmes, Marylene "Ming" Majeska, Rosie
McDonald, Jose Moreno, Donald Mowery, Curtis Powell, Gloria Pratt, Rebecca
Robles, Guillermo Santa, Virginia Schmidt, Rita Talwar, Rosalinda Valencia
and Nenita Varilla were honored for having worked at the hospital since
it opened.
The second celebration was for the community. On September 22, Ontario
had an open house for local and extended area referral physicians, case
managers and hospital administrators. Approximately 100 attendees were
treated to tours, raffle prizes and great food. Kindred Hospital Ontario
was presented with two certificates of recognition from the City of Ontario
and the California State Senate and a resolution from the County of San
Bernardino.
Two former patients and their families also attended.
Greenbriar Celebrates National Alzheimer's Awareness Month
By Melissa Hibbard
Director of Marketing/Staff Recruiting
Nashua, NH --- November is National Alzheimer's Awareness Month. As one
of the leaders in the Nashua community for Alzheimer's care Greenbriar
Terrace Healthcare sponsored a free seminar on "Holiday Challenges
for the Alzheimer's Family" on November 17.
Charlie Zoeller, Associate Program Director for the Alzheimer's Association,
was the guest speaker. The program was designed for those caring for dementia
patients at home as well as those with loved ones in long-term care facilities.
This discussion covered topics including how dementia, especially Alzheimer's
disease, challenges any visit; special challenges of holidays for patients
and family members, and strategies to address them; and typical holiday
questions.
Refreshments were provided at the free community event.
