During our Mother’s Day Tea residents, family members and friends enjoyed music, light snacks, and beverages. A Mother’s Day poem was also shared by staff. They all enjoyed conversing and socializing with each other. A great time was had by all.
This event starts off our Nursing Home Week with special activities as well as special attire throughout the week.
Mahoning Valley Nursing and Rehab Center Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists are health, wellness and rehabilitation professionals dedicated to maximizing function across the lifespan so individuals can live life to its fullest. Our Therapists utilize a holistic approach that incorporates all facets of wellness to assist residents to age successfully and incorporate wellness beliefs into all aspects of their day-to-day lives. Our efforts are to empower our residents to take control of their health, well-being, and quality of life while preserving dignity and independence. The therapists at Mahoning Valley Nursing & Rehabilitation Center work closely with families and caregivers to provide education and training for increased carryover of learned techniques to promote the highest level of independence.
It is important to be aware of the hidden dangers that could be in the home. In Fact, more accidents happen in the home than anywhere else, especially in the bathroom and the kitchen. As reported by the Centers for Disease Control, 1 out of 3 people aged 65 and older experience a fall every year. That’s 2.3 million seniors with injuries requiring treatment! The therapists at Mahoning Valley provide resident and caregiver education for home safety to allow their loved ones to remain in their homes for as long as possible.
Some basic recommendations for a safer home environment include:
Upon discharge from our facility, safety education for the transition home is discussed on an individual basis according to the resident’s needs.
Some of our treatment approached include:
Our therapists also use a variety of standardized test to assist with implementing the most appropriate treatment plan for our residents.
Tinetti Balance and Gait Test
The Times Up and Go Test(TUG)
The Functional Reach Test
The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
The Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS)
Various Speech/Language assessments are utilized to fully assess skills of residents with speech and language deficits.
The therapists at Mahoning Valley Nursing and Rehab Center are dedicated to helping our residents reach their maximum potential for their individual needs. Each resident receives an individualized treatment plan on their diagnosis, their personal goals and needs to provide the best possible outcome.
The competition is a truly exciting and fun competition where contestants, staff members, compete in a three-round contest. The contestants attempt to incorporate unusual combinations of ingredients into dishes that are later evaluated by a panel of judges. (Sounds exciting right?)
At the beginning of each round (Appetizer, entrée, and dessert), the contestants are each given a basket containing mystery ingredients and are expected to use all of them in some way. The ingredients are often not commonly prepared together. (Let your imagination run wild with you there.) The contestants are given access to a pantry and cooler stocked with a variety of other ingredients utensils to make their masterpieces. Let the fun and food begin.
Did we mention each round has a time limit? (tick, tock, time counts) The time limit may vary from 20 to 30 mins per round. (Sounds like a TV cooking show, right?) The contestants must cook their dishes and complete the plates before the time runs out. (tick, tock,) Once the time has expired, the judges critique the dishes based on presentation, taste, and creativity and select one team to be “Chopped”– Eliminating them from the competition.
Sounds like the folks at Mahoning Valley Nursing and Rehabilitation know how to have a good time, with some good food. The “Chopped” event is a fun example of how Mahoning Valley Nursing and Rehabilitation. It provides exciting events to interact with residents in a game that makes memories and draws residents and staff closer. We hope to see you there next year. Take a look at some of the great pictures from the event. If anyone has any questions about the event or wants to take a tour of the facility, please stop by or call 570-386-5522 for more information.
A Social Service Department has various functions. Another role in which we serve our residents and families with the Medicaid Application Process. This can often be a confusing and daunting task. Whether it is to cover the cost of a Short-Term or Long-Term stay, the Social Services department can assist you through the process. We will meet with the resident and family for a private appointment where we can complete the application step by step. We submit the application and all necessary documentation to the County Assistance Office. We also complete annual renewals when necessary.
One of our most important services is helping the resident and their families adjust to their new environment. It is often difficult to deal with the physical and emotional challenges our residents face as well as being in a new environment. Social Services is here to help in any way we can to make the transition here, whether short term or long term, to a homelike environment.
Social Services participates in Care Plan Meetings. These are designed to be ‘update meetings’ for the families and resident to receive reports on progress as well as to voice any concerns you may have. They are held shortly after admission and quarterly thereafter. These meetings are beneficial for both staff as families as we all work toward a common goal.
Social Services also provides community outreach to provide education about our services, answer questions and provide some fun. We have visited local senior centers to speak about our facility and services where we hosted bingo and provided prizes.
On 9/7/17 we participated in the Annual Carbon County Senior Expo in Jim Thorpe, PA. The event was highly attended by over 1,100 people. We handed out Mahoning Valley brochures, koozies, pens and other items. We were greeted by family members that had loved ones with us and even got to see some of our former residents thriving in the community. It was a truly great event that we were proud to be a part of to give back and help educate our senior community.
