MIDDLESEX TERRACE TV CHANNELS

Channel Station

2 CBC - Ottawa

3 Global

4 Sports Net Ontario

5 ABC

6 CBS

7 FOX

8 NBC

9 CMT

10 CTV – London

11 HGTV

12 TCM– Turner Classic Movies

13 CTV - Toronto

“It’s a Wonderful Life” Crossword Puzzle

ACROSS

1. George wishes that he had

never been what?

5. Uncle Billy misplaces _____ thousand dollars.

6. George inherits his business

from his _____.

8. George's hometown 9. It's a Wonderful Life was released in

nineteen _____- six.

10. What an angel gets when a

bell rings

11. The angel’s name

12. Actress who plays Mary Bailey 13. Policeman and cab driver: Bert

and ______

DOWN

1. James Stewart's character,

George ______

2. Who gets awarded the Medal of Honor?

_____ Bailey

3. Number of children that the

Baileys have

4. Holiday when the main events

take place

7. Last name of the rich banker

8. George contemplates jumping

off a _____.

Tuesday December 2nd– Family Christmas Party- 6:30pm-8:00pm. Please join us for Music, Goodies and Christmas Cheer!

This year we are asking resident’s Family and Friends to please bring in a wrapped and labeled gift for your loved one to open on Christmas Morning. Please drop your gift off to the Life Enrichment Department by Wednesday, December 17th. Wednesday December 24th– Christmas Eve Service at 10:30am in the Lower Dining Room with our Chaplain Paul. Thursday December 25th– Christmas Drop-In Social for Residents and Family to attend in the Activity Room– 2:30pm-3:30pm

RESIDENTS CORNER

FUN FACTS ABOUT December Happy Birthday to everyone celebrating their birthday this month Birthstone— Turquoise For thousands of years, the turquoise has been considered a lucky gemstone. Sup-posedly, it will bring material wealth to the wearer. The Persian scholar Al-Qazwini wrote: “The hand that wears a turquoise and seals with it will never see poverty.” Tur-quoise was often worn on the turban to protect the wearer against the “evil eye.” As talismans, they adorned daggers, sabers, and the bridles of horses. In ancient Persia, the sky-blue gemstones were worn around the neck or wrist as protection against un-natural death. If the gems changed color, the wearer feared the approach of doom. Today, we know that the turquoise certainly can change color, but it is not necessarily a sign of impending danger. The change can be caused by light or by a chemical reaction brought about by cosmetics, dust, or the acidity of the skin.

Flower– Narcissus The narcissus is the name of a genus of plants that includes daffodils, jonquils, and paper whites. The flower symbolizes self-love, self-esteem, and vanity. According to Greek mythology, a youth named Narcissus was gazing down at himself in a pond of water and fell in love with his own reflection. While kneeling beside the pond, he fell into the water and drowned. The narcissus plant sprang up from the place where he died. Although it may seem odd that the winter month of December has a spring-bloomer for its flower, it makes a lot of sense when you consider that the daffodil symbolizes rebirth—in this case, the birth of the new year. The Chinese be-lieve that if you succeed in forcing a narcissus to bloom on New Year’s Day, you have secured good fortune for the whole year ahead.

Some famous people born during this month include: Bette Midler (singer) – Dec. 1, 1945 Lucy Liu (actress) – Dec. 2, 1968 Walt Disney (entrepreneur) – Dec. 5, 1901 Ira Gershwin (composer) – Dec. 6, 1896 Harry Chapin (songwriter) – Dec. 7 1942 Donny Osmond (entertainer) – Dec. 9, 1957 Mary Todd Lincoln (First Lady) – Dec. 13, 1818 Dick Van Dyke (actor) – Dec. 13, 1925 Patty Duke (actress) – Dec. 14, 1946 Phil Donahue (TV host) – Dec. 21, 1935 Diane Sawyer (journalist) – Dec. 22, 1945

DID YOU KNOW?

BookHut— Middlesex Terrace has a book exchange with the Middlesex County Library six times per year. Large print books, movies and books on tape/CD can be borrowed for any length of time. These items are located in a locked cupboard in the Activity room. If you are interested in borrowing any books or movies please ask an Activity Staff Member for assistance. Resident Use Computer - A computer is located in the Activity room for resident use; it is internet accessible as well as equipped with a touch screen. For assistance with or for more information on the computer please ask an Activity Staff Member. Email - Residents are welcome to receive emails at the following email address middlesexterracenursinghome@outlook.com, if they do not wish to have one of their own. Emails will be printed and handed out like mail. Mail - Mail is delivered to the home in the afternoon and handed out by the Activity Staff each day. Please see the Life Enrichment Director if you have any mail to go out. Hairdresser - Barb, the hairdresser is available on the lower level salon. If you wish to have hair care done please contact Barb directly or speak with a Registered staff member. Newspaper - Middlesex Terrace subscribes to the London Free Press everyday, the paper can be found in the main floor front lounge for all to read. Residents who wish to receive their own paper must contact the London Free Press directly to arrange this. Papers are delivered in the morning by activity staff. Please let activity staff know if you will be receiving or cancelling a paper, so that we can ensure correct distribution of papers.

WE HAVE A REQUEST– We are Looking for Gently Used

Ipods/MP3 Players to use with our residents! If you have one you would like to donate please drop it by the

Recreation Department!

COUNCILS IN THE HOME

ALL residents are welcome and encouraged to attend the following meetings held monthly. RESIDENT COUNCIL - The purpose being to freely voice any concerns or suggestions in regards to decisions and tasks which affect your everyday life within the home. The meetings encourage regular communication as a group between Residents, the Administrator, and Staff. This meeting is chaired by the Life Enrichment Director unless a resident wishes to take over this position. FOOD COMMITTEE - This meeting follows Residents Council and allows the Nutrition Manager to communicate with residents as a group for such things as input into menus, snacks and special events. All Menus are reviewed and approved by this group before they are put into place. Those residents who are unable to attend the monthly meetings can pass their items for the council to the Life Enrichment Director or a fellow resident. FAMILY COUNCIL Family council is a great opportunity for family/friends of their loved one to come together and share ideas/suggestions and find out more how the home runs. It is a not a huge time commitment– we meet approx 4 x a year. Meeting minutes for both Resident Council/Food Committee and Family Council are located in binders across from both Nursing Stations. Sunday Church Service - All residents are welcome to attend the services at 2:30pm in the Chapel. Each month different ministers/ lay people from local churches conduct the services. This month the following ministers/lay people will be running the services. December 7th– Salvation Army December 14th– Village Green December 21st– Hilk Bakker December 28th– Harvester Baptist

FROM THE DESK OF THE ADMINISTRATOR— Jan Shkilnyk

The holiday season is upon us and I would like to wish everyone a happy

holiday season. For many this is a time of family and togetherness, for

others it can be a difficult time as we miss those far from us. Please

know that the staff here try to make this festive season just that! This

month will be filled with Christmas music and events. I would also like to

take this opportunity to Thank the dietary staff and nursing staff that

work together for meal service. We recently had a dietary audit of our

procedures and the home did very well. Join me in thanking the

staff. The elevator installation will likely be occurring after the new

year. Please note that the home has created a “sitting” area on main

floor-formerly the conference room. If you are looking for a place to visit

with family or friends this is a good place that is private and more home

like.

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. Wishing you happiness in this holiday touched. They must be felt with the heart. Wishing you happiness in this holiday touched. They must be felt with the heart. Wishing you happiness in this holiday touched. They must be felt with the heart. Wishing you happiness in this holiday

season” season” season” season” Helen Keller

Jan

Dear Family,

This letter is to inform everyone that Arlene MacDonald, Direc-tor of Nursing has decided to resign from her position at Mid-dlesex Terrace Nursing Home effective Monday, Nov 24/14. This decision is for personal and health reasons. We thank her for her contributions and wish her the best in her future endeavours. We are currently in the process of recruitment for this posi-

tion. We will update you as soon as possible with a successful

applicant.

Please feel free to contact myself, or Diane Wolfe Nurse Man-

ager with any concerns related to Nursing at this time.

Jan Shkilnyk Administrator

FROM THE DESK OF THE NURSE MANAGER– Diane Wolfe

As I sit at my desk, looking outside at the blowing snow, I thought it might be a good time to talk about the importance of hand care during the winter months.

Winter can wreak havoc on your hands- soft supple hands in the summer can become red, chapped and rough during the winter months.

The humidity during the winter plunges while inside, the air is drier due to the heating systems in our homes. When you wash your hands often, you could be losing natural oils from your skin. When this happens, your hands become dehydrated and crack, peel etc.

The key to soft hands in the winter??

MOISTERIZE, MOISTERIZE, MOISTERIZE !!

It is important to remember to replace the moisture that your hands have lost .

Moisturizer that is applied directly to the skin will keep water from evaporating and will give your skin a healthy appearance. Remember to start moisturizing before there is a problem.

With so many different hand lotions out there it may be hard to decide which product is the best for you. For the case of dry chapped hands, you need to make sure they are designed to replace lost moisture as well as maintain a proper balance of moisture.

FROM THE DESK OF THE NUTRITIONAL MANAGER– Eileen Murray

Wishing everyone a joyous Holiday Season 2014/15

Christmas Brings much excitement and anticipation.

For those of you new to the home and wondering about out Christmas Day

meals, this year we will be offering the Traditional Turkey, gravy, stuffing,

mashed Potato and Turnip meal at noon on Christmas Day. Our Am snack cart

this day will consist of a variety of brunch items eg fruit, croissants, cheese etc.

The dinner entrée this day will be a lighter Soup Sandwich, Veggie and dip op-

tion.

For those wishing to visit the Life Enrichment Department will offer an after-

noon open house. From 2-3:30pm (as always visits are welcome any time as

well)

We realize that many residents will be going out this day and if possible encour-

age families to notify the nursing staff or myself so that we can plan accordingly.

I can be reached at ext. 23 or emurray@middlesxterrace.ca

Likewise for New Year’s Day we will offer the Larger Ham and scalloped Potato

Entrée at Noon followed by a lighter evening meal with assorted holiday treats

offered in between.

Wishing everyone a Joyous and Safe Holiday Season!!

Resident and Family Surveys It is that time of year again when we will be sending out to families and having residents who can complete a survey for us. What do we do with these? As you might be aware the Ministry has a website where they release quality indicators for each long term care home. These are gathered from the RAI-MDS assessment we complete on each resident quarterly. We are able to compare ourselves to the provincial average and see areas where we can improve. This gives us a baseline to set goals for improving so we can come into line with or better than the provincial average. We are now also required to develop a quality improvement plan that is submitted to the Health Quality Ontario where we will set goals for improving resident experience as well as for some of the indicators re-ported publicly from the RAI MDS. We will use previous surveys to set our targets for improvement and this year’s survey will help us to see if we are on the right path and to improving resident and family experience. What do we need from you? Families will receive their survey in early January and when you receive your survey please complete it as soon as possible and return it in the self-addressed stamped envelope to the home. Residents will be asked by a volunteer during January to complete a sur-vey if they are able.

FROM THE DESK OF The Manager of Resident/ Community Services- Shelby Bentley

PERMITTED LENGTHS OF ABSENCES

CAN I GO ON VACATION? YES - We ask that you notify the Charge Nurse prior to leaving and on your return so medication can be organized as needed. Please also fill out the Leave of Absence sheet located at each Nursing Station with the date and time of departure and expected return. Accommodation charges con-tinue while on leave. The following is a summary of Ministry regulations in regards to a resident’s leave of absence: * Casual Leave - 48 hours per week – A week is midnight on Saturday till midnight on the following Saturday. - Please Note: If a casual leave is longer than 48 hours it will be deemed as a Vacation leave. * Vacation Leave - 21 days in a calendar year - the total length of ab-sences during the calendar year can not exceed 21 days. - Please Note: Such leaves must be authorized by the resident’s attending physician.

Some Interesting Facts About Christmas… All the gifts in the Twelve Days of Christmas would equal 364 gifts

The first artificial Christmas Tree wasn’t a tree at all. It was created out

of goose feathers that were dyed

Most of Santa’s reindeer have male-sounding names, such as Blitzen,

Comet, and Cupid. However, male reindeers shed their antlers around

Christmas, so the reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh are likely female.

The tallest Christmas tree ever displayed was in Seattle Washington in

1950. The Christmas tree was 221 feet tall

The tradition of naughty children getting a lump of coal in their stocking

comes from Italy

“Xmas” stems from Greece. The Greek “X” is a symbol for Christ

FROM THE DESK OF The Social Worker NOORJHAN RAVJI

What is a Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)? Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression which tends to occur as the days grow shorter during fall and winter months. It is be-lieved that people affected with SAD react adversely to the decreasing amounts of sunlight and the colder temperatures as the fall and winter progress. It is important to note that although Seasonal Affective Disor-der usually presents in the fall and winter months, there are those who suffer from this condition during the summer instead of, or in addition to, during the fall or winter seasons. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is also sometimes called as winter depression or winter blues. What are the signs and symptoms of SAD? There are a wide range of symptoms which include depression, mood swings, irritability, lethargy, cravings for sweet foods, and a general feel-ing of being ‘down in the dumps’. For some people the effect can even stretch throughout the autumn, winter and spring. Although there is no specific diagnostic test for the illness, it is under-stood that symptoms of seasonal affective disorder include tiredness, crying spells, irritability, trouble concentrating, body aches, poor sleep, and decreased activity level, overeating, craving especially, of carbohy-drates resulting in weight gain. When the condition presents in the sum-mer, the symptoms are more commonly associated with insomnia or lack of sleep, poor appetite, and weight loss in addition to irritability and diffi-culty concentrating. Symptoms are more intense during the darkest months as the days are shorter and there is less sunlight available to boost one’s mood.

Helpful Coping Strategies for Managing SAD: • Sleep less; get recommended hours of sleep (usually 7-8 hours). Try

not to oversleep • Turn the lights on as SAD occurs due to ‘lack of sunlight or daylight.’

Light Therapy also seems to work. • Eat regularly; meals high in protein and low in carbohydrates (white

flour sugars etc.) seem to help. Limit drinking alcohol and drinks high in caffeine. Drinking extra water can be beneficial

• Exercise regularly; stay with simple routines – do not over exert yourself

• Stay connected; socialize with other residents, friends and family members. Engage in activities and programs

• Recognize that you have a condition which may require professional help. Talk to your doctor, nurses, support staff, Chaplain or Social Worker to relieve some of the stress and anxiety associated with de-pression

Sources:

http://psychcentral.com/lib/are-you-sad-this-winter-coping-with-seasonal-affective-disorder/00010241 http://www.psybersquare.com/depression/dep_SAD_cope.html http://www.medicinenet.com/seasonal_affective_disorder_sad/article.htm

WE NEED YOU !!!!

Miiddlesex Terrace is looking for Volunteers of all ages to assist with vari-ous programming such as socials, outings, meal clubs, special events, one to one visits and decorating of the home. The volunteer opportunities at Middlesex are endless and are geared towards each volunteer’s interests, talents and availability. Your time be it a few hours a week or month can have a meaningful impact on the lives of a senior living in Long Term Care.

Join the Middlesex Terrace Team Today! For more information please contact myself, Shelby Bentley by phone 519-652-3483 or email sbentley@middlesexterrace.ca