Everyone is a winner in Wii bowling tournament

According to Nintendo, they named their game console “Wii” because it sounds like “we” — emphasizing that the game is for everyone. Residents at Holland Home’s Fulton Manor would agree — they have taken to Wii bowling with great enthusiasm. On Friday, January 22, they took on the Grand Rapids Senior Neighbors in the second game of a Wii bowling tournament. Fulton Manor was ahead going into the game, but lost by 189 pins. “But we will give them a run for their money when the tie breaker comes along,” said Nancy Venema, life enrichment coordinator for Fulton Manor.

Fulton Manor hosted their competitors for lunch following the game. And it hasn’t only been about winning — it’s been more about making new friends and getting to know new people.

The bowling tournament was covered by FOX 17 News including interviews with several bowlers. Check out the video here:

January 25th, 2010 | Posted in Fulton, General | Share this on Facebook or Twitter

Give the gift of help this Christmas

Not sure what to get a friend or loved one for Christmas? Give the gift of help from Holland Home’s In-Home Helpers. Our friendly, caring staff can help with light housework, meal preparation, errands or shopping as well as more skilled tasks like medication set-up, dressing changes and care coordination.

Your gift of an In-Home Helpers gift certificate can provide your loved one with transportation to an appointment or outing, assistance with bathing or dressing or just some one-on-one companionship. There’s no need to worry about size or color—the gift of help is always right and always appreciated.

To purchase your gift certificate for an In-Home Helper service, call 616-643-2525, or, for a free consultation, call 616-235-5113.

We’re on the web at in-homehelpers.org.

December 15th, 2009 | Posted in Breton, Fulton, General, HomeCare, Raybrook, Rehab Dimensions | Share this on Facebook or Twitter

ArtPrize – Fulton Manor style

As a follow-up to an earlier Holland Home blog, Tom Rademacher of the Grand Rapids Press wrote a wonderful story about Fulton Manor residents getting involved with their own version of Grand Rapids’ first annual ArtPrize competition.

You can read the Grand Rapids Press article here:
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/11/artprize_inspires_budding_arti.html

November 13th, 2009 | Posted in Fulton | Share this on Facebook or Twitter

ArtPrize Comes to Fulton Manor

Fulton Manor is holding their own version of ArtPrize 2009 with art work on display by residents, staff and volunteers. Residents and staff will place their votes between now and October 27th when the votes will be tallied and the top ten works announced. On October 29th, artists from the community will act as judges and make the final choices. The works are currently on display on the main floor and in the main dining room. Everyone is welcome to come and view the exhibition.

Fulton Manor
1450 East Fulton Street
Grand Rapids

October 16th, 2009 | Posted in Fulton, General | Share this on Facebook or Twitter

Remember Me Walk

Holland Home’s first annual Remember Me Walk was held on Saturday October 10th. Proceeds from the walk will benefit Holland Home’s memory care residents.

The week leading up to the walk was damp and rainy, but we were blessed with a window of sunshine Saturday morning. The walk kicked off at 10:00 am with approximately 125 people and 20 canine companions traversing the one-half mile to two mile trails in Stanaback Park. The changing autumn leaves created a perfect backdrop to this beautiful day!

A big thank you goes out to all the volunteers who made this event possible! Another big thank you goes to our donors who, even in this time of economic constraints, reached deep into their pockets and gave so generously to our cause.

A special thank you to our sponsors—Fifth Third Bank and Morrison Dining Services as well as our trail sponsors The Breton Group and Valley City Linen.

October 15th, 2009 | Posted in Breton, Fulton, General, Raybrook | Share this on Facebook or Twitter

Living Life to the Fullest—How Occupational Therapy Can Help

“Is the glass half full or half empty?”

Occupational therapists and assistants have the answer: It’s full when client and therapist work together in harmony to ensure that clients are doing their best no matter what challenges they face.

According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), “Occupational therapy enables people to achieve their goals, function at the highest possible level, concentrate on what matters most to them, maintain or rebuild their independence and participate in everyday activities that bring meaning to their lives.”

Occupational Therapy (OT) aids in maximizing function, including bathing, dressing, grooming, home management (cleaning, cooking, laundry), equipment use, upper extremity strength/range of motion, cardiac rehabilitation, client education and the reduction of pain. OT is not simply getting back to your occupation; instead it is getting back to your daily activities. Some areas of treatment in Occupational Therapy include:

• Enabling recovery after arm and wrist fractures

• Decreasing complaints of shoulder and elbow pain or decreased motion

• Addressing difficulty with self care or Activities of Daily Living

• Progressing cardiac rehab and energy conservation/joint protection

• Obtaining adaptive equipment for self care, dressing, or home modification

Holland Home provides Occupational Therapy (OT) services at all levels of the continuum. With 19 registered Occupational Therapists and Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants working at all Holland Home Campuses and throughout the community, the services can be brought to where you live. OT services are provided in skilled nursing facilities, in your home for homebound individuals, and at our three CORF accredited outpatient centers, at Breton Terrace, Raybrook and Fulton.

If you have questions about whether you might benefit from Occupational Therapy services, call the Holland Home Intake Department at (616)235-5113. We can give you more information and arrange for a free in-home screening by one of our occupational therapy clinicians. Occupational Therapy services are covered by Medicare, Medicare HMOs and most private insurances.

“Living Life To Its Fullest”™ is what occupational therapy is truly all about.

October 1st, 2009 | Posted in Breton, Fulton, General, HomeCare, Raybrook, Rehab Dimensions | Share this on Facebook or Twitter

The Wellness Series Presents: Staying Healthy This Winter

HomeCare of Holland Home is proud to present Marilyn Schutter, RCN on “Staying Healthy This Winter.”  Marilyn will present tips on staying healthy during the cold winter months ahead along with everything you ever wanted to know about the ‘flu!

Tuesday, October 13 at 2:00 p.m.
Breton Terrace – Centre Place
2500 Breton Woods Drive
Grand Rapids

RSVP:  616-235-5112

September 29th, 2009 | Posted in Breton, Fulton, General, HomeCare, Raybrook, Rehab Dimensions | Share this on Facebook or Twitter

Raybrook and Fulton Manors Receive Four Star Ranking

Holland Home is very proud to announce that its Raybrook and Fulton Manors have received  four star rankings in U.S. News & World Report Magazine’s latest quarterly listing of “America’s Best Nursing Homes.”  Nursing homes are ranked by the magazine according to scores in three different categories-health inspections, nurse staffing and individual quality measures.

“I think part of our success can be traced to our mission statement which encourages us to ‘commit to excellence,’” said Mina Breuker, executive vice president for residential services.  “We believe in going above and beyond for our residents.”

April 3rd, 2009 | Posted in Fulton, General, Raybrook | Share this on Facebook or Twitter

When Are Memory Problems Serious?

We all forget things occasionally, but when do lapses in memory signify something more serious?

Basically, a memory problem is serious if it affects your daily living. Also, normal memory loss doesn’t get worse over time. Memory loss caused by disease, such as Alzheimer’s, gets progressively worse over months or years.

Alzheimer’s disease starts by changing recent memory and progresses to the point where it affects all memory as well as the ability to learn and communicate.

Following are the ten common signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

1. Recent memory loss. People with dementia may repeatedly ask the same question, forgetting not only the answer, but the fact that they’ve already asked the question.
2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks. People with Alzheimer’s may have trouble doing something they’ve done all their life-like preparing a meal.
3. Problems with language. Someone with Alzheimer’s may forget words or substitute inappropriate words, making them difficult to understand.
4. Disorientation to time and place. People with Alzheimer’s can become lost on their own street, not knowing how they got there or how to get back home. They may not know or understand what day of the week it is.
5. Poor or decreased judgment. Someone with Alzheimer’s shows decreased judgment such as wearing a heavy, winter coat on a summer day or going out in cold weather in nothing but shorts and a t-shirt.
6. Difficulty with abstract thinking. Alzheimer’s makes it difficult for people to perform tasks such as balancing their checkbook or doing simple math problems.
7. Misplacing things. Alzheimer’s patients not only misplace things, they put things in inappropriate places such as their wallet in the refrigerator or their car keys in the sugar bowl.
8. Changes in mood. Alzheimer’s can cause rapid and wide swings in mood-going from smiles to tears and back again for no apparent reason.
9. Personality changes. Alzheimer’s can cause dramatic changes in personality making a person withdraw, suspicious, fearful or irritable.
10. Loss of initiative. A person with Alzheimer’s may become very passive, refusing to do even the things they used to enjoy.

Fulton Manor offers immediate admissions to its memory care centers. Call 616-643-2639 for assistance or more information.

March 27th, 2009 | Posted in Fulton | Share this on Facebook or Twitter

Seniors at Fulton Manor try their hand at virtual sports

According to Nintendo, they chose the name “Wii” for their popular video game console because it sounds like “we” which emphasizes that the console is for everyone.

Seniors at Holland Home’s Fulton Manor would have to agree. They have taken to the world of virtual sports with a passion thanks to the gift of a Wii system by the youth group of the Woodlawn Christian Reformed Church. “It’s turned out to be way beyond what I’d hoped for,” said Nancy Venema, life enrichment coordinator at Fulton Manor. “It’s great to see the excitement and the cheering. It’s such a positive thing.”

“Boys against the girls,” and “residents against staff,” were suggestions at a recent game session as players cheered each other on. The game has been shown to improve hand-eye coordination, balance and flexibility in the elderly.  Even less mobile residents were able to participate—some parking their walkers temporarily to step up to the game, others wielding the controller while seated or in their wheelchair.

The Woodlawn youth group spent over a month performing chores, running errands and doing yard work to earn the money for the system. It took another few months to locate an available unit.

February 25th, 2008 | Posted in Fulton | Share this on Facebook or Twitter