June 2011 - McLaren Health Care

Family TIES
A publication of the VitalCare Adult Day Center
Affiliated with Northern Michigan Regional Health System
June 2011
From the
Program Coodinator...
Warmer weather means outings for the
Adult Day Center! In June, clients will head
to Harbor Springs to visit the Deer Park and
have a picnic at Spring Lake Park. Once
concerts begin in Pennsylvania Park we
will attend those on occasion as well. Other
outings will offer clients the ability to enjoy
shopping at local yard sales too!
Ruth Eby is our puzzle gal. She works hard on very difficult
puzzles and we are all in awe of the finished product every time!
As most of you know, we are still in We are
still in the process of determining where our
new home will be. We have been looking at
several options and will let you know as soon
as the location has been selected.
The Adult Day Center is seeking volunteers
for our Community Advisory Committee. The
committee meets once or twice a year so
the commitment wouldn’t be burdensome.
The goal of this committee is to improve our
program and have greater outreach into the
community. Please call me directly if you’d
like to participate.
Upcoming Events
June 3 Doughnut making
June 6 Visit the Harbor Springs Deer Park
June 13 Music with Ruth Ann
June 14 Flag Day
June 16 Nurse’s Aide Day
June 20 Friendship Choir
June 24 Picnic at Spring Lake Park
June 28 Painting with Insects
Michelle Schwartz – Program Coordinator
231.348.0771· vitalcare.org
ADULT DAY CENTER
Affiliated with Northern Michigan Regional Health System

Understanding Your Skin
Brent LaFaive, VitalCare Wound, Ostomy, Continence Manager
Your skin is the largest organ of your body, covering approximately 21 square feet and providing
many vital functions often taken for granted. Skin regulates body temperature, provides basic
protection from the outside environment, and excretes oils and lubricants that help fight infection.
With age, skin changes and some of its defense mechanisms weaken or change. The collagen bundles
that give our skin cushion shrink and skin tends to dry out more easily due to the reduced activity of the
sebaceous glands. Age also results in erratic melanin production which causes age spots.
Here are some skin tips to keep your skin healthy:
• Individualize frequency of skin cleansing
– Do not shower every day as this can be very drying to skin
• Moisture balance
– Use emollients including petrolatum, mineral oil, and lanolin
– Use moisture barriers with Zinc oxide to protect the skin, especially for incontinence
• Lubricants
– Use oils, creams, etc. Apply to clean, slightly damp skin
• Protect skin from environmental factors
– Use tepid bath water
– Avoid sun, use sunscreen
• Maintain diet and hydration
• Minimize forces on the skin
– Shear pressure, friction, maceration
231.348.0771 · vitalcare.org

Maggie loves the kitties.
Visits from Our Furry Friends
Jane Balmer from the Little Traverse Bay
Humane Society brings pets in to visit clients
each Thursday afternoon. Clients love to cuddle
with a kitten or watch a puppy run from person to
person getting lots of love.
For the elderly and disabled, especially those
suffering from social isolation, low self-image,
poor functioning, and lack of purpose in life,
the care and contact with animals can have
tremendous impact. Pets can enhance an elderly
or disabled person’s connection to his or her
world. People with very advanced dementia will
sometimes respond to the comforting presence of
an animal even if they respond to little else.
Favorite Recipes
(Clip and enjoy!)
Peanut Butter
No-bake Cookies
Bring two cups of sugar, a half cup of
milk, and one stick (half cup) of oleo to a
medium boil stirring constantly.
Let boil for two minutes without stirring.
Remove from heat and add a heaping half
cup of Jif peanut butter, two teaspoons of
vanilla and three cups of oats.
Stir well and put heaping spoonfuls onto
aluminum foil.
Cool and enjoy!
A gentle pet is capable of putting the smile back
on the face of a lonely individual reminding him or
her that there is, after all, plenty to live for.
231.348.0771 · vitalcare.org
ADULT DAY CENTER
Affiliated with Northern Michigan Regional Health System

Adult Day Services
At a Glance
• Families share in the care of loved ones, but have daily
respite available.
• The Adult Day Center delays or avoids expensive
full-time institutional care by offering daytime
services to guests who continue to live at home.
• Services are especially designed for seniors and
younger adults with disabilities.
Adult Day Center
One MacDonald Drive
Petoskey, MI 49770
231.348.0771
vitalcare.org
Center Hours:
Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Services include basic health, medication, and nutrition
management.
• Participants engage in social and therapeutic activities
during the day.
Center Fees:
Daily Fee
$50
Transportation
$0.50 cents a mile
• Services enhance the quality of life of participants.
• More funding for Adult Day services decreases Medicaid
costs by reducing full-time institutional care while still
providing consistent medical monitoring.
231.348.0771 · vitalcare.org
ADULT DAY CENTER
Affiliated with Northern Michigan Regional Health System