How to make a Face Mask for Providence Life Services

These instructions are adapted from the Deaconess Health System in Indiana.  These masks are reusable after washing and sanitizing.  WE NEED AS MANY AS WE CAN GET! Our preference is for 3 layers, as follows: What you will need 100% Cotton Fabric (either quilt fabric or batik fabric work best). Clean pillow case or bedsheet (flat works better). The sheet fabric is a tighter weave and helps to act like a filter. 1/8” to 3/8” flat elastic (we’ve tried the cord elastic, but this is softer on the ears). Cut the elastic into 7” long pieces. Use a size 14 or 16 needle on your sewing machine. How to assemble Cut 9” x 6” rectangles from the cotton print and the sheet fabric. Be sure any fabric design is placed horizontally. Put the sheet fabric down on your table first, then put a print fabric on top of that right side up. Then put another print fabric on top of that, face down. Put the elastic in between the print layers and place the edges of the elastic out to the corners, pinning through all layers. Mark a 2”-3” opening in the center of the bottom of your rectangle. Using […]

Park Place St. John Awarded Gold Seal of Approval

(February 2020 – St. John, Indiana) Park Place Health & Wellness Center of St. John was recently granted re-accreditation as a Nursing Care Center from The Joint Commission, earning the prestigious Gold Seal of Approval,® as well as a special certification in Post-Acute Care. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care. Joint Commission reaccreditation is yet another validation of Providence’s commitment to excellence in care. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission holds health facilities to high performance standards, going far beyond what is required by the state in all areas of care. “Achieving Joint Commission accreditation is not mandatory,” explains Megan Tengerstrom, Vice President of Operations. “But Park Place Health & Wellness Center – like all of our Providence skilled nursing facilities – is happy to undergo this voluntary survey. It’s important to us that our residents and families can rest assured that our team has taken extra steps to ensure the highest levels of quality and safety.” The accreditation was received following a rigorous, three-day site review at the end of January. During the visit, The Joint Commission’s surveyor evaluated Park Place’s compliance […]

Buying Meaningful Gifts on a Budget

Buying gifts for people we love generally fills us with joy, but it’s not without challenges. How do you buy something meaningful, unique, and useful, but also stay within a reasonable budget? And if you’re the kind of person who buys for everyone in the family–children, grandchildren, in-laws, neighbors, pets, etc.–the challenge deepens. You may realize that the gift-giving that used to bring you such fulfillment actually feels like a chore. Don’t throw in the towel yet! There are plenty of ways to get gifts that will be loved and cherished without cashing in your retirement fund. Talk to your family and discuss how you want to approach the gift-giving season, possibly using one of the following themes. Homemade Gifts Decide as a family that you will all exchange gifts you make yourself. When you give a homemade gift, what you are really giving is a gift of your time. Making something homemade takes longer than putting something in an online shopping basket. And before you say that you’re not an artist, keep in mind that giving something homemade does not have to be something tangible–although artwork is a special gift as well. For a teenager, a homemade gift can […]

Bereavement support from licensed counselor volunteer at Providence Hospice

As a professional, Heather Lane is a licensed counselor that works with families in both private practice and non-profit settings. But as a Providence Hospice volunteer, Heather offers the bereavement support that is needed by families who have lost someone they love. And the help she provides is centered on what each person needs, when they need it. She’s been volunteering at Providence Hospice once a week for over a year. “The spiritual realm must have had something to do with it,” Heather says. “I was randomly looking through emails and saw a volunteer opportunity for bereavement support. I filled out a form, got a call from Annette [McClain, Providence Hospice Volunteer Coordinator], and that was it.” Heather loves the work. “It’s a wonderful way to serve people,” she says. “It’s an opportunity for me to give back to the community by donating what I’ve learned.” “It’s really about normalizing the grief experience by offering love, compassion, and kindness,” Heather says of bereavement counseling. That donation is her ear to listen to expressions of grief, her words that validate the feelings of loss, and sometimes even her physical presence to comfort the heartbroken families. She says that instead of the […]

Power of Attorney v. Guardianship: What’s the Difference?

Power of Attorney or Guardianship? What’s the difference, and do I really need to know? The short answer to the second question is YES. Having a Power of Attorney is one of the most important aspects of your aging plan. It can mean the difference between having your wishes honored and having your wishes ignored, or simply unknown. The first question will take some time to unpack, so let’s look at it slowly. But before we begin, keep in mind that the best way to get these questions answered is by consulting a lawyer who specializes in this field. However, we can share some basic information that may help get you started. What is a Power of Attorney? A power of attorney (POA) is a document that gives someone the legal authority to make decisions on someone’s behalf. Generally, the POA is written to go into effect only after a person is incapacitated and unable to make his or her own decisions. The person who chooses a POA must have the mental capacity to do so at the time of signing; a POA cannot be chosen for you by someone else once the capacity is gone. Often, people choose two […]