I am dismayed to read that Lloyd Speck said the most important thing about Care Center residents is that they are “well fed and clean.” This could describe the residents of an animal rescue shelter. Speck and others with similar feelings need to come observe conditions at the Care Center and visit with some of our cognitively intact residents and family members about the comprehensive quality of care they receive at Cook County North Shore Hospital and Care Center.
My co-workers and I feel morally and ethically compelled to provide for all of the needs of our residents, assisting them to function at the highest level of independence they can muster. We have an extensive Nursing Rehabilitation program for all residents provided by registered nursing assistants and rehabilitation nursing assistants along with our excellent Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Department. Extending mobility is important in preventing pressure ulcers and other painful and debilitating conditions. So we keep residents exercising as long as is possible.
Care Center L.P.N.s and R.N.s are key in providing safe medication and medical treatments. They are the front line in observing changes in residents’ conditions, often early enough to prevent a costly trip to the hospital. Our Activities staff and experienced volunteers provide welcome mental, social, spiritual, and intellectual stimulation to the most withdrawn of our elderly population. Our social worker assures resident rights are respected. Dietary does not just feed people, they analyze individual nutritional status, learn what preferences are and then closely monitor weights and changes in ability to swallow and chew. Housekeeping and Maintenance provide a clean and safe environment given an inefficient and deteriorating physical plant.
There are around 1,020 regulatory items prepared by Aging Services of Minnesota, one of the road maps for the laws regarding comprehensive care. Our long standing compliance with state and federal regulations is why we have a Five out of Five Star rating with www.medicare.gov/ nursinghomecompare.
Many other facilities within a two hour driving distance do not.
When I teach nursing programs a primary value is to take care of patients as if they are the most beloved person in our life—our parent, spouse, or close friend. The majority of Cook County yearround taxpayers do not have the option of moving to Duluth or warmer southern climates if they have a debilitating stroke or illness with end of life needs. Our residents have the luxury of family members and lifelong friends visiting daily. This disappears when the folks most concerned about their personal bottom line start determining if we will continue to care for our own here in Cook County.
Mark Abrahamson, R.N.
Grand Marais
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