The Music Gym

Amongst the squash courts and practice nets at Horntye Sports Centre in Hastings is the Decoda Music Gym, an area designed for experimenting and playing with music and movement. For the physically able there’s an interactive bouncy castle, dancing-boards that trigger music, or the opportunity to dance with your shadow on a large screen. For the less able, or less energetic, there are Soundbeams, vibro-acoustic seats and cushions, bubbles, and switches to operate film.

The Gym is overseen by popular local blues musicians Tom Smurthwaite and John Ballard. Its clients range from people with profound disabilities to conventionally able but playful or curious adults and youngsters – but this isn’t a mere leisure activity. When administrator Sue Heath invited me to attend one of their regular Friday sessions, I was in for a morning of surprises and learning.

Sue says: “Years ago, as a Relate counsellor, I was surprised to find that mentioning a client was a musician would trigger smiles all round. The label ‘musician’, I discovered, was taken as shorthand for totally unable to communicate except through his/her music. The film The Commitments bears this out – a band delivering Irish soul music on stage and beating nine bells out of each other in the dressing room.”

So why is it that a pair of typical pub-musicians have made such a hit as facilitators at Decoda, working with people with profound and multiple disabilities? How did they come to feel at home with people who find it so very difficult to communicate? And why have they have gone to such lengths over the years to bridge the gaps in those people’s lives?

John with his band Night Shift, and Tom (playing under the name of Junior Thompson) are regulars on the circuit of blues-loving pubs around Hastings and make occasional appearances in Europe. They’re both life-long blues musicians; singer songwriters with a strong local reputation. Playing in pubs has given them the confidence to walk into any situation and know that they can turn it around. A lack of initial response from an audience doesn’t worry them. In short, they can bypass the rituals of polite, social behaviour without embarrassment and without making judgemental responses.

Tom says: “In an open situation, [such as a pub] you’re not just playing to people who know you. There are people walking in and out all the time. If people stay, that affects you. Equally if people leave that affects you. Sometimes you’re not entertaining in respect of people looking at you, but rather you’re creating an ambience.”

John felt this was particularly important and something young bands don’t necessarily recognise – the need to be sensitive to the feel of the venue, rather than demanding attention and immediate positive feedback.

The Decoda project started with the aim of taking good musicians of all genres into day centres and residential homes. It was an inclusion issue – why shouldn’t people with learning disabilities enjoy live music in the same way as anyone else? But not everyone was included – the people in wheelchairs, on the edge of a group, couldn’t participate in playing the percussion instruments, they simply had something done for them – bells strapped on their wrists, their hand held around a tambourine.

Gradually the attention shifted to those with the least chance of joining in, with the least experience of having an effect on their surroundings. How to enable them to be more involved? When Tom and John were asked to run a regular workshop consisting solely of people with profound disabilities this question became a real issue. None of the things they had been doing with other groups worked with them. It might keep them, and their staff, amused for a couple of hours but Tom and John wanted to be more than entertainers.

They decided to start from where the people were, to explore how their unconventional gestures could be used to express themselves through music. One of the results of their experiments was their installation of The Soundbeam – a ‘keyboard in the air’ which turns movement into sound.

Using the Soundbeam meant that a young woman who had no movement other than her eyelids was able to compose music, or a man who constantly jerked his head learned to control this to create the sounds he wanted and then, spectacularly, to sit completely still for twenty minutes. People were now making something happen who had maybe never experienced this before.

Communication requires the ability to make choices and to convey them to others. Tom speaks of a “wordless communication that develops amongst musicians, working together to produce the end-sound, recognising their part in the whole and playing the most compatible part.”

So for all their reputation for being social misfits off-stage, pub performers know of more ways to communicate than they are often given credit for. “Playing in a pub,” says Tom, “you learn to observe how things are going between yourself and the band plus between the band and the audience. The same is true when working with people with PMLD (profound and multiple learning disabilities); noticing how they become engaged, how they react, and noticing in enough detail to see when they doing something they’ve never done before.”

Such moments can be the key to great progress. B is a young woman who has been a regular visitor to the Music Gym since it started. She has no speech, is visually impaired and confined a lot of the time to a wheelchair. She is also blessed with two support staff who saw immediately the potential of the Music Gym. With their help she tried out the castle, pushed the huge ball, played the Soundbeam and walked, supported, with a metal frame – Tom and John noted that the sports hall allowed a lot more space for this than a house would. On the last day of the pilot project she walked without staff support for the first time in her life. She now enjoys the shadow-dancing as the contrasting images allow her to see her support staff making shapes on the screen.

But what of the people who couldn’t be enticed to use the Soundbeam? What of someone with so-called ‘challenging behaviour’ whose energy could erupt in a disruptive manner?

Sometimes in a pub people feel they have a right to tell you what to play. Tom recalls a man asking for a number while he was actually singing – without halting he managed to let him know that that wasn’t the right time AND he wouldn’t be playing that. In a rowdy environment it can be vital to turn around stubborn or unrealistic demands quickly without getting into a conflict situation. Tom enjoys ‘grabbing’ people with something they weren’t expecting, something beyond what they think they want. He brings the same attitude to his work with Decoda clients. He’s always on the look out for ways to extend people’s boundaries, to enable them to experience something new and unexpected.

So the Decoda team turned their attention to clients whose behaviours had previously been seen as wholly negative – something to stop, or get control of. What if someone who liked to punch were given a punch-bag fitted with sensors so that each time he punched it he produced a sound? What if there were a room full of similar devices? Plus space to move around and freedom to choose what to do?

This was the thinking behind the Music Gym. It took another two years to access the funding which would make it a reality, albeit for just one morning a week. The pilot scheme started in October 2005, funded by the local Learning Disabilities Development Fund and run in partnership with MCCH (a regional care-providing organisation).

Part of the funding was for an independent evaluation which found that 97% of questionnaires completed stated that their client had benefited overall from their participation in the Music Gym. 88% stated that the client had developed over time and 72% of clients had tried things new to them. In addition 55% of participants demonstrated sustained learning. These latter points are often not seen as potential achievements for people with such complex needs. It was observed that where staff believed in their clients’ capacity to make their own choices and in their potential to develop, they were actively encouraged and clearly benefited. In addition to the activities, clients benefited from the opportunity to participate in the wider community, and from the space that the sports hall provided.

The Music Gym is now an ongoing weekly facility for people with profound disabilities, some of whom travel over 20 miles for the experience. In the huge sports hall they can be as energetic, creative, or simply relaxed as they like as they find their way around the fascinating array of technology, but what stuck in my mind after my morning with the Decoda team was the power of music under the direction of these gifted facilitators.

I watched John charging around with a young man in a wheel-chair, activating a patchwork of sound-emitting mats and boards. There was no pattern to it that I could see and I had no way of interpreting the signals John was clearly getting from the young man – but when they returned to us, and John said to his partner in the chair; “That was great – shall we do it again?” Even I could see the eager ‘yes’ in the eyes that answered him.

The Music Gym

The Music

Kay Green is an English teacher and editor of Earlyworks Press

Senior communities – Active Living for Old Age

Maintaining an active lifestyle after retirement is what every elderly person aims for. One great way to stay active even at old age is to live in senior communities, which will take care of you and your needs. Aging can be very difficult for some people who think that they will become inactive and that this will increase their dependency on others. However, if elderly people go into retirement living, they maintain their active lifestyle for years to come. Senior homes offering active lifestyles are communities where social activities, independent living, and maintenance are there for aging people. In these communities, people who share common interests live together and have all of their facilities and amenities nearby. When searching for senior communities, it is important for you to assess the individual needs of the person so that he or she can enjoy old age.

Seniors who remain physically active after retirement keep their bodies strong, healthy, and fit. Staying fit is key to a long and happy life, so retirement living is ideal for senior citizens who want to grow old happily. Moving out of homes and getting into senior communities that provide an active lifestyle is a great way to keep a routine which will enhance your life expectancy. Senior citizens who believe in active living can enjoy various kinds of recreation and exercise, like indoor and outdoor pools, exercise rooms, walking and biking trails, hobby shops, arts and crafts rooms, cooking classes, lounging areas, rooms to play cards and games, and movie night. Some of the best senior homes offer great activities including adventure trips and other special events at night.

For individuals who are passionate about maintaining an active lifestyle, senior communities are an ideal place, offering a variety of recreational things and other activities that keeps the elderly entertained and involved physically as well as mentally. As the number of elderly people who want to remain active even after retirement is increasing, more and more retirement living options are emerging, offering different kinds of interesting activities. Before selecting senior homes that offer active living, it is important to visit the facility first and learn more about the environment and the kinds of activities offered. If those activities interest you, then you should consider that facility. To be on the move is essential to keep yourself fit and healthy, so shopping centers and grocery stores are located nearby. This way, senior residents can walk and buy everything they need.

Making a list of the specific needs and wants of the senior person is also very important so that they can enjoy their retirement living. Senior homes offering active living are more in demand these days and if senior citizens want to improve their lives, then active living is the best choice.

San Diego Assisted Living

San Diego is the second largest city in California, and the seventh largest in the United States. This former territory of Mexico has developed into a strong political and economic forerunner, not to mention an extremely popular tourist destination, thanks to the city’s many attractions and year-round good weather.

Although the area is highly populated, San Diego assisted living residents feel a sense of security in knowing that their city maintains a consistently low crime rate. There is no place better than San Diego for warm sun and carefree seaside living.

San Diego Recreation

Residents of San Diego senior living communities enjoy the outdoors at many public recreational areas and open spaces. Mission Bay Park is one of the best locations for beachcombing and bird watching along the coast, while Mission Trails Regional Park offers an inland escape for city dwellers.

San Diego is a prime shopping location, with the oceanfront tourist stores and entertainment of Seaport Village or the sophisticated indoor and outdoor retail shops found at Westfield Horton Plaza. The health conscious will appreciate the more than 25 farmers markets found throughout San Diego County.

San Diego Activities

 Seniors will never be bored in a city that boasts nearly as many activities as grains of sand on the beach.

Balboa Park alone provides 15 different museums, botanical gardens and the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Many of the park’s attractions are free of charge on certain Tuesdays.

Lovers of stage and sports can find ample entertainment at the San Diego Civic Theatre and Qualcomm Stadium. For socialization and organized activities, San Diego assisted living residents are invited to join one of the city’s many community senior centers.

San Diego Medical Facilities

San Diego senior living residents receive health care services from several quality medical facilities. One of the largest and most prestigious is Scripps Mercy Hospital, which has been providing care to the greater San Diego area since 1890.

The hospital has won numerous awards including being ranked 38th in the nation for its treatment of respiratory disorders by U.S. News and World Report, receiving Primary Stroke Care Certification and being recognized for quality in cardiac and spine care in 2009.

San Diego Transportation

511sd.com is the place for San Diego assisted living residents to find schedules and information for the city’s many different modes of public transportation. Seniors are eligible for reduced fares on all types of service.

There are two available paratransit options for qualifying seniors: North County Transit District operates LIFT, while Metropolitan Transit System also offers an Access service to residents of San Diego County.

“America’s Finest City” has plenty of activity and sunshine to offer your senior loved one. Browse our directory of local senior housing options by visiting our San Diego Assisted Living page.

Assisted Living: Making the Right Decision

Most elderly people want to live independently, without checking themselves into assisted living for as long as they can. However, this is not always possible for everyone. The level of service offered at assisted living facilities varies greatly. Some facilities consist of a group of small homes, while other communities have clubhouses with regularly scheduled activities. For many people who are nearing retirement age or are already retired, choosing one of the best retirement communities is an important decision that can help them live happily for the rest of their lives. Before selecting any senior living facility, it is important to complete extensive research on all of the options so the best choice is made for each individual. For any senior citizen, it is important to choose the right facility, because each assisted living option has a different ideology.

While searching for elder care in assisted living facilities, there are a number of ways to determine whether the facility will provide the right kind of care or not. First and the foremost, seniors must consider their future needs and then determine whether the facility will be able to provide the right kind of care for them. Assisted living can provide support from the staff in the form of housekeeping, laundry, recreational activities, exercise, health care monitoring, dressing, eating, bathing, security and transportation. Choosing the best retirement communities can be a challenge for elderly people who want to maintain the same quality of life after retirement. If seniors have special needs or requirements, many retirement communities offer assisted living options at an additional cost.

Some of the best retirement communities help to alleviate loneliness and boredom by offering a community with assisted living services such as recreational activities and help with daily tasks. These days, assisted living facilities have improved by emphasizing an active lifestyle, which can help increase the longevity of the senior residents. Assisted living facilities become necessary for elderly residents because these facilities offer many convenient services that save the senior citizens time and suit their individual requirements. Before choosing assisted living, it is important to visit the facility in advance and spend some time getting comfortable with the environment.

Assisted living is offered in some of the best retirement communities, and each individual should consider the level of care that they require when choosing such a facility. One of the most important things to consider is that the staff at these assisted living facilities is trained and that they can cater to each resident’s need with patience and sympathy. If a senior citizen is looking for a community-oriented environment in addition to assistance with certain activities, then assisted living is often the best choice.

Assisted living – what can you expect?

In today’s world, finding suitable care for our elderly loved ones is becoming a complicated choice.   It’s hard enough deciding what type of care makes the most sense from both a practical and financial standpoint.  And even then you still have to sort through all the jargon to choose between various levels of in home care as well as the many different types of facilities that may advertise senior care, senior living, independent living and even Alzheimer’s care.

 

But perhaps the biggest factor in deciding what type of care to choose for an elderly parent or loved one should be made in consideration of what type of lifestyle they currently have and are trying to maintain.  And if your senior is somewhat independent and wants to stay that way as long as possible, assisted living might be just what they need.

 

A look at daily life

 

Housing – Each resident or couple will usually have their own apartment or living space to themselves.  These housing units will include standard furniture such as beds and dressers, private bath facilities and may potentially include full kitchen accessories such as a stove and refrigerator.  They can come and go as they please, although most facilities will encourage residents to check in for their own safety.

 

Daily Living – Each resident may have different needs for what services they need depending on their level of lifestyle and mobility.   Daily living services can including anything from housekeeping services like cleaning and laundry to more personal services such as help with bathing and dressing.  As an individual or couple’s situation changes, the services provided can also be altered to meet their new needs.

 

Common Areas – Common areas will typically include a restaurant style area for serving meals, as well as areas for games, activities and social gatherings.  Some facilities may even include things like a library, movie theater, fitness center and a pool.  It is also common to find quiet areas for reading as well as a chapel of some sort.

 

Meals – Many senior apartments will come equipped with a basic kitchen, but meals are typically provided at set times in a common area.  However, the quality and types of meals may vary widely.

 

Medicine – Getting help administering and managing daily medication is one of the primary functions at an assisted living facility.

 

Activities – No discussion of senior living would be complete without at least a mention of activities which rival cruise lines when it comes to fun.

 

The bottom line is that a facility that describes itself as assisted living is more than likely best suited for a relatively mobile and independent senior.  For example, the facility staff will help seniors manage their medication and other important daily activities; but it would not be suitable for seniors that need close supervision or help.

Bakersfield Assisted Living

Bakersfield is California’s third largest inland city and considered one of the fastest growing in the state. Incorporated in 1873, the city was once known for gold and oil but now thrives on agriculture, manufacturing, and petroleum extraction and refining.

Bakersfield is popular for being one of the sunniest cities in the U.S. Its mild autumns and brief, sometimes rainy winters allow for the cultivation of a wide variety of crops.

The booming economy guarantees a lively and fun-filled atmosphere, and, coupled with the perfect climate, makes Bakersfield assisted living a great place for long-term senior housing and care.

Bakersfield Recreation

There are numerous places of interest in the City of Bakersfield, most of them both historical and functional. The Fox Theater, built around the 1930s, hosts performances by music artists, comedians, movies and much more.

Hart Memorial Park is a great place for a variety of outdoor pursuits or to simply appreciate the fantastic collection of wildlife living on the premises. The city is also home to the Historic Sam Lynn Ballpark, the oldest stadium in the California League.

Valley Plaza Mall and The Marketplace are two popular shopping centers, where Bakersfield senior living residents can go for dining, shopping and movie watching.

Bakersfield Activities

Bakersfield assisted living residents will find there’s quite a lot they can do in the city. The Kern County Museum boasts of having more than 50 historic structures and exhibits, while the Kern County Library houses not just books and DVDs, but also a “special collection” of Kern County and Bakersfield history.

And if the number of senior centers is any indication, Bakersfield has an active senior community. The Rasmussen Senior Center in E. Roberts Lane and Greenacres Senior Center in Calloway Drive both offer quilting lessons, bingo games and fitness classes, while the Richard Prado East Bakersfield Senior Center along Ridge Road is famous for its Friday dances.

Bakersfield Medical Facilities

Residents of Bakersfield senior living will never feel shortchanged when it comes to medical care, as the city has at least six conveniently located hospitals. San Joaquin Community Hospital not only pioneered heart surgery in Bakersfield but also houses Kern County’s first full-treatment burn care center.

Bakersfield Heart Hospital, as the name suggests, specializes in extensive and first-class cardiovascular care, and has the equipment to back them up. Bakersfield Memorial Hospital has a Memorial Certified Stroke Center where the highest level of stroke care is given, and whose areas of excellence also include cardiac and vascular services.

Bakersfield Transportation

Bakersfield’s primary mode of transportation within the city is bus service provided by the Golden Empire Transit District (GET). The district also runs the Get-A-Lift paratransit program that utilizes wheelchair lift-equipped vans to help seniors and the disabled get around the city.

A Bakersfield assisted living community is the perfect way for your loved one to lead a vibrant and dynamic life. Visit our Bakersfield Assisted Living page to view local housing information and options.

How To Relocate To Tampa Bay

Its no wonder that Florida’s Tampa Bay area has become such a popular choice for relocating adults and families to call home. The west coast of Florida has mile after mile of white, sandy beaches and magnificently, beautiful natural resources. These areas include the city of Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, as well as Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs and Oldsmar.

Picture if you will, the opportunity for renewing your spirit any time you need a recharge. Dip your toes into the gentle, warm gulf waters of Tampa Bay. Let your troubles roll out to sea with the tides. As the waves return to once again touch the shores, let them bring you peace and a renewed sense of self. Now that you feel newly invigorated, perhaps you will want to head over to one of the areas more populated beaches, such as Clearwater Beach or St. Petersburg Beach, for some adventure. Take the whole family for a day of fun-filled activities such as collecting sea shells, building sand castles, swimming, fishing, parasailing, or take a cruise for the chance for spotting a whale or a group of dolphins.

You will find exciting activities away from the beaches as well. You can spend the day shopping to find that unique gift for yourself or a loved one. Take in an art gallery or take the family on a historic tour of the area or even to one of the many museums you will find throughout Florida’s Tampa Bay area. When you get hungry, you will find plenty of fine dining and family restaurants to satisfy even the most finicky of eaters.

The Tampa Bay area is also home to some of the best theatre productions, live music, and sporting events to be found anywhere. Attend a play or watch in awe, the beauty of ballet, for a cultural experience your family will not soon forget. The sports fan will be delighted as a spectator at one of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers action-filled football games. Those who like to gamble a bit might enjoy a little time spent betting, at one of the areas Greyhound Racing tracks.

You will find that life along Florida’s West Coast offers on one hand, an oasis from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and even the influx of tourists that visit Florida each year: but also provides you with many recreational and educational activities to enhance the time that you spend with your family. And of course, you are just a short distance drive from family attractions such as Disney World, Busch Gardens, Universal Studios, Cypress Gardens, and Universal Studios. But unlike visitors who only get to experience some of what Florida’s West Coast has to offer, as a resident, you can discover and explore all that is here, at your own pace.

You can rely on your Tampa real estate representative to provide you with all of the information and assistance that you will need as you become an official “Floridian.” A real estate agent can help you select the neighborhood that best matches your living style and needs. Whether you’re looking for a suitable neighborhood to raise a family in, or a community for adults 55 and over, or looking to settle in where other single, middle-aged people are already living: your real estate agent can help you locate these areas.

Together you and your agent can explore the many housing options available to you. From single-family dwellings to single adult condominium complexes and retirement villas, so that you can choose the one that is best for you. These friendly and knowledgeable real estate representatives can also assist you in obtaining the financing you need to make your dream of relocating to Florida’s West Coast, a reality!

The Nursing Career

Nursing is a profession focused on assisting individuals, families and communities in attaining, re-attaining and maintaining optimal health and functioning. Modern definitions of nursing define it as a science and an art that focuses on promoting quality of life as defined by persons and families, throughout their life experiences from birth to care at the end of life.

In pre-modern times, nuns and the military often provided nursing services. The religious and military roots of modern nursing remain in evidence today. For example, in Britain, senior female nurses are known as “Sisters”. In recent times in the US and Canada many nurses are flowing back into working in a “religious” field through “Parish Nursing”. These nurses work within a church community to perform health education, counseling, provide referrals to community support agencies, and connect volunteers from the church community with those in need of assistance.

Nurses acknowledge that the nursing profession is an essential part of the society from which it has grown. The authority for the practice of nursing is based upon a social contract that delineates professional rights and responsibilities as well as mechanisms for public accountability. The practice of nursing involves altruistic behavior, is guided by nursing research and is governed by a code of ethics.

Nursing continues to develop a wide body of knowledge and associated skills. There are a number of educational paths to becoming a professional nurse but all involve extensive study of nursing theory and practice and training in clinical skills.

In almost all countries, nursing practice is defined and governed by law and entrance to the profession is regulated by national, state, or territorial boards of nursing.

The American Nurses’ Association (1980) has defined nursing as “the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual or potential health problems.” Just as medical diagnoses help in the planning, implementing, and evaluation of medical care, Nursing diagnoses help in the planning, implementing, and evaluation of nursing care.

Like other maturing disciplines, nursing has developed different theories that are aligned with diverging philosophical beliefs and paradigms or worldviews. Nursing theories help nurses to direct their activities in order to accomplish specific goals with people. Nursing is a knowledge based discipline committed to the betterment of humankind. Nursing has not only developed into a profession, but an art as well.

Nursing is the most diverse of all healthcare professions. It is a universal role appearing in some form in every culture.

Nursing may be divided into different specialties or classifications. In the U.S., there are a large number of specialties within nursing. Professional organizations or certifying boards issue voluntary certification in many of these areas.

These specialties encompass care throughout the human lifespan based upon patient needs. Many nurses who choose a specialty become certified in that area, signifying that they possess expert knowledge of the specialty. There are over 200 nursing specialties and sub-specialties. Certified nurses often earn a salary differential over their non-certified colleagues, and studies from the Institute of Medicine have demonstrated that specialty certified nurses have higher rates of patient satisfaction, as well as lower rates of work-related errors in patient care.

Nurses practice in a wide range of settings from hospitals to visiting people in their homes and caring for them in schools to research in pharmaceutical companies. Nurses work in occupational health settings (also called industrial health settings), free-standing clinics and physician offices, nurse-run clinics, long-term care facilities, and camps. Nurses work on cruise ships and in military service. They act as advisors and consultants to the healthcare and insurance industries. Some nurses are attorneys and others work with attorneys as legal nurse consultants, reviewing patient records to assure that adequate care was provided and testifying in court. In many cities, nurses can even enter their names in a “registry” and work a wide variety of temporary jobs.

In the modern world, there are a large number of specialities within nursing:
Ambulatory care nursing
Advanced practice nursing
Behavioral health nursing
Camp nursing
Cardiac nursing
Cardiac catheter laboratory nursing
Case management
Clinical nurse specialist
Clinical research nurse
Community health nursing
Correctional nursing
Critical care nursing
Developmental disabilities nursing
District nursing
Emergency nursing
Environmental Health nursing
Flight nursing
Forensic nursing
Gastroenterology nursing
Genetics nursing
Geriatric nursing
Health visiting
Hematology oncology nursing
HIV/AIDS nursing
Home health nursing
Hospice nursing
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Nursing
Intavenous therapy nursing
Infectious disease nursing
Legal nursing
Legal Nurse Investigator
Maternal-child nursing
Medical-surgical nursing
Military and uniformed services nursing, including Public Health Service
Neonatal nursing
Neuro-surgical nursing
Nurse anesthetist
Nurse-midwife
Nurse practitioner
Nursing educator
Nursing informatics
Nursing management
Obstetrics gynecology nursing
Occupational health nursing
Oncology nursing
Operating room nursing
Orthopaedic nursing
Ostomy nursing
Pain management and palliative care nursing
Pediatric nursing
Perianesthesia nursing
Perioperative nursing
Plastic and reconstructive surgical nursing
Private duty nursing
Psychiatric or mental health nursing
Public health
Pulmonary nursing
Quality improvement
Radiology nursing
Rehabilitation nursing
Renal dialysis nursing
Renal nursing
Research
School nursing
Sub-acute nursing
Substance abuse nursing
Tele-medicine nursing
Telemetry nursing
Telephone triage nursing
Transplantation nursing
Travel nursing
Urology nursing
Utilization management
Wound care
Professional organizations or certifying boards issue voluntary certification in many of these specialties.

Nursing assistant skills are the set of learned tasks used in helping residents or patients with activities of daily living (ADLs) and providing bedside care—including basic nursing procedures—under the supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).

In today’s hospitals and extended care facillities a nurse assistant is an important part of a healthcare team that includes many personnel outside of nurses. In the quest to make a profit from providing care many hospitals in the United States have reduced their nurse to patient ratios, requiring one nurse to take care of as many as twelve or fourteen patients at a time. In order for good care to be provided to those patients a nurse assistant is needed to provide the routine care so that the nurse can focus on tasks only he/she can do, such as care plans, nursing assessments, administering medication, and assist in surgery room preparation. The nurse assistant must not only be very skilled in the actual procedures being performed but must also be able to make quick observations of a patient’s condition and report that information back to the nurse. Since the nurse cannot spend large amounts of time in the room with the patient, the nurse assistant is known as the nurse’s “eyes and ears”.

A nurse assistant must also have a strong grasp of emergency procedures and be able to stay calm in stressful situations. They must be able to initiate a Code Blue and be well-drilled in CPR.

Assisted Living: The Right Choice for the Elderly

With old age can come a lot of issues, such as dependency, disease, loneliness, among other various problems. Senior living communities, however, can solve these problems. After retirement, most elderly people want to relax, especially if they are in poor health. For all those who are looking for a relaxed and independent life after retirement, retirement communities can meet their individual needs. As someone gets older, there might come a time when he or she is unable to perform even daily chores like bathing, using the restroom, getting dressed, cooking, and eating. This is when the person should go to an assisted living facility where the staff can help with everyday tasks. This is the best choice for elderly parents who want to live separately from the rest of their families after retirement.

Assisted living is a special kind of home. There are three major reasons why any elderly person should live in a retirement community: they can feel cared for while maintaining their independence, can receive medical assistance, and stay healthy in a well-organized environment. Senior living communities offer a number of facilities that give the feeling of a home away from home. Once a person moves into these facilities, a personalized service plan of the assistance required of the resident is written. These retirement communities are an ideal place for people who want to keep living a stress-free and enjoyable life. These facilities, or retirement homes, offer excellent healthcare services and have qualified health professionals to take care of the senior citizens.

In assisted living, the right kind of assistance is provided to elderly people so that they can lead a happy life without giving up their freedom. These kinds of senior living communities are the best choice for your parents. Families and friends need to educate senior citizens to make an informed choice in terms of retirement communities so that they can continue to enjoy their old age. Families need to understand that there is no exact way to judge which assisted living community is good and which is not because it depends on the individual needs of the elderly person. Among all of the senior living communities, assisted living is one type that is especially well-organized. Since assistance is offered in the retirement communities also, it is up to the aged person which facility is best.

The major concern of the senior citizens entering into any assisted living is whether they will get the care they deserve or not. If this question is answered, then they can spend the rest of their lives happily in senior living communities. In today’s fast-paced world, there may be times when your parents have to live alone. They might need someone to take care of them and their needs, and this is when assisted living becomes the best choice. With this kind of facility, they can live life easily and enjoyably.

Assisted living for the elderly

Coming to a stage in your life where you or a loved one needs constant medical supervision can be a difficult and often daunting phase. In such cases, assisted living housing can provide you with both the medical and emotional support that is required for a more comfortable lifestyle. Deciding to move to an assisted living facility from a familiar surrounding can be a scary task. Therefore, it is important to find a facility that not only provides the requisite healthcare but also the social perks.

Assisted living housing is where citizens who have difficulty with basic needs such as cooking, taking care of themselves, getting to their appointments, etc are taken care of. These facilities have on-site health professionals who provide constant supervision and ensure that the individual is taken care of. The basic difference between an assisted living home and nursing home is that the former allows you the freedom to lead a normal life with various social benefits like meeting and spending time with people who are in a similar phase in their lives. In general, these facilities are basically a community of houses or apartments that provide the right balance between independence and supervision.

Retirement is one of the most important and difficult phases of a person’s life. It is the point where you cut off from the routine that you have been living since you started your career. While some people have a plan in place, there are some who would like to explore options and spend time with likeminded individuals. In such cases, retirement homes are a great option to find a community of individuals who are at a similar junction in their lives. Retirement homes provide you with a home away from home. Often while running the rat race, people tend to put their hobbies and talents on the backburner. These homes allow you the opportunity to explore those interests and use them to continue contributing to society.

Independent Senior Living is ideal for those who want their independence while at the same time being a part of a well structured community. Before you choose any facility for yourself or a loved one, it is important to make a list of requirements and of any individual care that person needs. Online research can help you find the right fit for all your needs, which will help you enjoy your retired days in a comfortable atmosphere.

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