One of the toughest decisions an adult child has to make is whether or not to move their mom and dad into assisted living. Often parents don’t want to move and the adult children feel guilty for not being able to provide the level of care required to meet their needs. Something to think about: if the quality care cannot be provided, the quality of life slips.

Once the decision has been made that an assisted living is in the best interest of all members of the family, it’s important to not look back, but, move forward with the decisions of finding the place that best fits the needs of the parent.  The transition can go a lot smoother if the parent is involved in the decision making.  Take the parent to visit potential new home. If it’s not offered when touring, ask to partake in a meal or an activity. Let the parent get a feel of what their day living there could look like.

For some families, the decision has been to move into an assisted living is made long after the parent’s cognitive functions has declined and the parent is incapable of making the decision. In these instances it’s important to look at the services provided at the assisted living facility ~ can the assisted living meet the parent’s current needs and what about if mom or dad health declines? What level of care/conditions can the assisted living provide? And, most important is to determine if the assisted living is the best fit for them. If they live in a cozy little home, a spacious facility with fancy fixtures and a heated pool might not be the best choice. It’s important to tour at least three facilities before making a decision.

After a community is chosen, the next step is to begin to downsize. This is sometimes the most difficult step: convincing a loved one to part with items they’ve obtained throughout their lifetime. Sometimes a person is afraid to get rid of something in fear of forgetting the memory it’s attached to. Going through items together is a good way to relive the memories together and to determine the importance of the item.

Moving in with personal items is key to a better transition into assisted living. Taking the favorite recliner and their own bed, along with a few personal items will helps the parent settle in faster. Finding a way to make a loved one feel as comfortable and at home as possible is important.

Working together and finding the right setting are they key factors to a successful transition to assisted living. The correct community and the comfort of your loved one are the answers to thriving golden years for loved ones.

We often speak about how important staying fit is especially as we age. As age begins to set in, certain things begin to happen. Joint pain, arthritis, and loss of energy are just a few of the very common ones, sometimes making activity difficult. However, one of the better exercise options for senior citizens happens to be time in the water.

Water fitness calls images of swimming laps. While this is typically how people decide to use water for fitness, there are lots of other options in the pool. Water aerobics, water yoga, and even lifting weights under the water has become popular with those seeking a way to improve fitness without putting too much pressure on joints.

Water fitness is low impact. It is not weight-bearing and therefore easier on the joints since water supports body weight. While this reduces the strain in general and decreases the chances of injury, the increases in resistance creates the ability to use multiple muscle groups with every small movement.

Studies have shown that not only is swimming great for fitness, it also reduces stress and has been shown to reduce falls – both during the workout and out of the water by improving core strength, leading to improved balance.

Our local William Shore Memorial Pool does offer exercise and therapy classes for all fitness levels, including water aerobics and aqua dance & Zumba. Saint Andrews Place in 2017 will begin to take our seniors down a few times a month for an opportunity of improved mental and physical health for all of our amazing residents.

St. Andrews Place’s biggest fundraiser of the year, Oktoberfest, has become an annual highlight for the community of Port Angeles. This year was no different, and the turnout was fantastic – helping us to raise the money needed to remodel our kitchen.

When walking through the doors, our guests were immediately immersed with authentic Polka music performed by the Hometown Band.

Our Emcee, John Ozimkowski, kicked the evening off with a toast and the dinner buffet was opened. Guests were treated to delicious German foods such as Bratwurst, Spaetzel, and hand-made pretzels.

During dinner, the guests browsed the silent auction tables to place their bids on the beautiful items. Some of the more popular items included round trip tickets to Victoria on the Coho and 3/4 of a pound of fudge each month for a year from We Do Fudge!

After the silent auction had closed, the live auction began. Our auctioneer, Tim Nichols of Westsound Auction & Estate Services, returned from last year due to popular demand. Some of our fantastic live auction items included a flight over Puget Sound and an excellent package with gift certificates and room stays from many of the Washington casinos.

When the live auction had completed, the dessert buffet (sponsored by Canterbury Manor) was opened. Many guests raved about the delicious desserts that included German chocolate cake, berry swirl cheesecake, and bread pudding with vanilla cream sauce.

Our guests left with full stomachs and smiles on their faces. Many complimented us on another great year and were excited for next year.

Without the generous support of our amazing sponsors, Oktoberfest would not be the fantastic event it is. This year our Sponsors included Drennan-Ford, Jim’s Pharmacy, Primary Care Solutions, Harper Ridgeview, First Federal, and Dungeness Courte. We also want to extend our thanks to our incredible team of volunteers and all of the local businesses who donated and sponsored items for our silent and live auctions. We are lucky to live in a community that can rally together to support our mission to helping seniors age in place with dignity.

Early in September to my surprise, I discovered that many of our residents had never had the opportunity to experience the glory and grandeur of Olympic National Parks Hurricane Ridge. We waited for a perfectly crisp and clear late summer day to fill our bus to capacity and make the journey directly up from St. Andrews Place. It was wonderful to have our volunteer driver Jim Ude at the helm as we made our way to the top. I had the opportunity to speak with the residents about their love for nature and the mountains. We all talked about places in the world we have lived where the mountains made an impact on our everyday lives and were a staple of the landscape. Once at the top we stayed on the bus and gazed out at the magnificence of the Olympic range. It was a heartwarming feeling to watch some of the residents taking in the natural beauty of the mountain that we look up to every day for a feeling of seclusion and comfort. The trip back down was full of conversation about the Olympic Marmot (rodent part of the squirrel family) and the amazing variety of wildflowers and a conversation piece for the days and weeks that followed.

Thanks,

John Ozimkowski

Activities Director

360.417.3418

stapactivity@olypen.com

A little over a year ago, resident Pat moved into St. Andrew’s Place with the encouragement of her children. Pat has always lived a very active lifestyle – even as a senior. She has been president of the board at the senior center and also used to spend time greeting visitors at the community center once a week.

When she began looking for an assisted living facility, St. Andrews Place was at the top of her list due to the encouragement of a resident that she knew from the senior center. After taking a tour, Pat decided St. Andrew’s Place was the best. “I liked the family atmosphere,” she says.

Pat has always considered herself a “people person.” For 25 years, she worked at the local hospital. She started as a housekeeper and worked her way up to become a billing clerk. She worked hard and is proud of the accomplishments she achieved.

She has belonged to many ladies auxiliary lodges including the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Eagles.   “I worked my way through the chairs and became president and enjoyed it very much,” she remembers.

Pat still enjoys going out into the community. Her daughter takes her out shopping often, and this summer her favorite thing was the concerts on the pier. Pat also took the opportunity to attend Oktoberfest this year.

Pat enjoys the full activities schedule that St. Andrews Place offers. She likes that she can choose to be as active as she decides without being pressured to do too much or not offered enough. Being a social person, she also says she appreciates the smaller atmosphere as it’s easier to get to know the people around her.

Our menus will change to reflect the season. We will add some heartier offerings as the weather gets colder such as stews and thicker soups. We will add seasonal vegetables to the menu. And, as long as weather permits, Jim, our Maintenance Director, will continue with the BBQ Thursday lunch – grilling up chicken, burgers, and steaks.  Although, we won’t be surprised if Jim is out there in a snow storm grilling away.

It’s only October, but we are looking ahead towards the holiday season.  Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner with all the trimmings is on the menu.  We are looking forward to playing with pumpkins to create the absolute best pie and other yummy desserts (the residents do love their desserts!).  Guests are welcome for our traditional Thanksgiving dinner – please call 360-417-3416 by November 18th to sign up.

Bon Appétit!

Melissa

“You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients.”― Julia Child

The fall seasons brings a new variety of activities, smells, sights, and flavors. At St. Andrew’s Place we believe as you age one of the most important things you can do for our health is remain active, that’s why we offer a variety of purposeful activities. A new season brings an opportunity for more fun.

Plans for outside includes:

• Going for walks in the parks or in town to enjoy the fall foliage. We will breathe fresh, crisp air, and “ooh and ahh” over the leaves changing colors.
• Visiting a local farm to either pick apples or pumpkins which we will later use for decorations and/or making treats.
• We will build a campfire on the porch. We will enjoy the blaze, reminisce about fall time of past, and perhaps get out the s’more making materials (it’s not just for summer!).
• Visiting local bazaars during the holidays. Perhaps get some ideas to do our own crafts.
• And, of course, weekly shopping trips!

Plans for inside activities include:

• We will explore the fall colors in different art projects. Decorating pumpkins, creating Thanksgiving centerpieces, and Christmas stockings. Art allows us to work with our hands, engage our minds, and do a little socializing.
• The knitting club will resume on Tuesdays.
• Tai-chi geared towards senior will return on Thursdays.
• Decorating of St. Andrew’s Place. First Halloween, slowly transitioning into fall colors for Thanksgiving, and then, Christmas.
• We will gather on Sundays for the Seahawk football games in the activities room for snacks and to watch the game together.
• Halloween we will be throwing a Monster Mash party in the morning along with a costume parade and spooky bingo in the afternoon.
• We will be making Christmas cookies for the community to say “thanks” for the support over during the year.

Please stop by and join us for activities.

Flu season has officially started. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), getting an annual flu vaccine is the first and best way to protect from the flu. The flu activity peaks between December and February, and in some years can last as late as May.

At St. Andrews we work hard to keep the flu at bay and encourage everyone to get a flu shot – although, it is not required. Recently, Jim’s Pharmacy was at St. Andrew’s Place to give the annual flu shots to all residents that chose to participate. For employees, our RN, Kim, provides the flu shot to all that wishes to be immunized.

Other preventative measures include disinfecting all door handles, tables, and furniture in the common areas; encouraging residents who are sick to remain in their apartments; not allowing employees who are sick to be at work; using face masks for residents that are sick that must be out of their apartments; and reminding residents and staff to wash their hands.

All year we offer a healthy diet and a water station to keep our residents nourished and hydrated to help the immune system. A good immune system helps fight against any infections.

A gentle reminder: We ask family and friends not to visit if you are ill. The flu can be deadly to a senior. Note: if a child is too sick to go to school, is running a fever, or has an uncontrollable runny nose – please don’t bring them to visit St. Andrew’s Place.

Stay healthy,

Jamie

Life is always sweeter with good food and great friends—both can be found at St. Andrew’s Place.  Our fabulous kitchen cooks know how to take a little of this, a little of that and turn a basic meal into a gastronomical delight. With well over 800,000 meals and snacks prepared in the kitchen, our kitchen is starting to show its age.  It’s time for a little remodel. Nothing too extravagant. The floor needs to be replaced. The dish washing machine is on its last legs.  A new convection oven would be heaven!  Better storage and shelves will keep us organized.

To pay for the remodel, St. Andrew’s Place is fundraising.  If you would like to help us toward our goals, donations can be accepted on Paypal or mailed to St. Andrew’s Place. Also, funds raised during our annual Oktoberfest will be applied towards the remodel. Oktoberfest is an evening where everyone has a great time and is a wonderful opportunity for St. Andrew’s to raise money for the kitchen. (more information on page 06)

We hope to start the remodel in early November and be ready for the holiday season.

Bon Appétit!

The opportunity to enjoy life to the fullest is what living in an assisted living is all about.  Residents are able and encouraged to leave the building and enjoy the community they live in.  Take a walk in the neighborhood.  Jump on a bus and go to into town. Or, get in their car and head to the pool.  Anytime – day or night – residents have the right to leave the building.  Sometimes this can be a scary thought when a resident or your loved one has memory loss and may not remember how to get home.

We are fortunate that the Clallam County Sheriff Department participates in the Project Lifesaver Program.  Per the sheriff’s website, Project Lifesaver is “designed to track and rescue individuals with cognitive conditions who tend to wander, the service answers a critical need for protecting people at risk for wandering, including those with Alzheimer’s, Autism, Down Syndrome and Dementia.”

Specifically, Project Lifesaver provides a tracking monitor to be worn on the person (on the ankle or wrist) that has an individual tracking signal. In the event of a person wearing a tracker goes missing, the agency is notified and a trained team responds. A search that used to take hours or even days has been reduced significantly. Many of the missing persons are found inside 30 minutes – usually within a few miles from home.

At St. Andrew’s Place we are very thankful for this service!  Several former and current residents have been enrolled in the Project Lifesaver.  This program allows people to continue living in assisted living or their homes who otherwise would have to be placed in a secured memory community.  To verify tracking monitors are working correctly, once a month representatives of the Port Angeles Sherriff’s station visits the participant to check the equipment and change batteries.

Having memory issues does not mean the end of the freedom to take a stroll.  Using Project Lifesaver provides peace of mind to the residents, families, and staff of St. Andrew’s Place that if something were to happen, the resident can be found quickly.

For more information on Clallam County’s Project Lifesaver, please visit their website:

http://www.clallam.net/sheriff/projectlifesaver.html