By DON PITTMAN
(RIGHT) - Peggy Guffey, left, Mattie Chandler, and Rep. Martin Scott talk during the Nursing Home Week celebration at Dade Health and Rehab. Chandler is a volunteer that comes up once a week to help out at Dade Health and Rehab.
Dade Health and Rehab takes holiday the extra mile
Everyone knows that Mother’s Day was last Sunday, but few realize that there is another occasion to celebrate this time of year.
National Nursing Home Week, which began on Mother’s Day and will end May 18, is a special week according to the American Health Care Association. The AHCA say this is the week where residents, caregivers, families, staff and volunteers honor and celebrate nursing facility life.
This year’s theme is “Love is Ageless” and is a perfect time to visit your loved ones, friends, and neighbors as many facilities will be holding special events.
AHCA established the week long celebration in 1967. Activities are designed to foster intergenerational relationships, collect and preserve patient’s reminiscences, strengthen relationships with family members, celebrate quality, and recognize all staff members who demonstrate excellent care giving.
Reliable Health Care Management, LLC, a well–known owner and operator of nursing homes across the state of Georgia, says it is raising the bar for celebrating National Nursing Home Week.
For almost a year now Reliable Health Care has been holding weekly gas drawings for employees in all skilled nursing home operations.
“The weekly $50 drawing has been a great success across the company and everyone looks forward to the weekly event”, Andy Morris, CEO said.
The organization is doing even more than the weekly drawing in Dade County.
“National Nursing Home Week is especially important to Dade Health and Rehab as all our employees will automatically win the drawing for that week,” said Peggy Guffey, Dade Health and Rehab’s head administrator.
Last year Reliable sponsored a Smoke No More program that helped 60 percent of eligible employees quit smoking. Reliable Health Care paid for the multiple doctor office visits and medication so there were no out–of–pocket expenses for the future non-smokers.
Representative Martin Scott met with the staff and residents at Dade Health and Rehab, and reminded them that they are engaged in a noble relationship of support and love.
Scott called the organization a ‘shining star’ in Dade County, and said that he had the utmost respect for the workers who served at the home. He said his relationship with Guffey was bound in faith and he came out to support her whenever she called.
The American Health Care Association represents nearly 11,000 non-profit and proprietary facilities dedicated to continuous improvement in the delivery of professional and compassionate care provided daily by millions of caring employees to 1.5 million of our nation’s frail, elderly and disabled citizens who live in nursing facilities, assisted living residences, sub-acute centers and homes for persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities.
Scott said he was very thankful for the people who sacrificed so much to care for the aged and helpless, and said that they were real heroes.
For more information about National Nursing Home Week, please contact Dade Health and Rehab at (706)-657-3221.
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