Franklin Park Newsletter

Franklin ParkT h e C o m m u n i t y A t

In This Issue:

Constructing theNew Franklin ParkNew Memory CareUnit Opening SoonNew Wellness Programat Franklin Park

Fall 2014

n our last Community at FranklinPark newsletter we announced theconstruction a new Memory Care areaopening in late 2014. As that timeapproaches we are excited to say the

project is nearly complete. The newly designedmemory care area will feature amenities and servicesdesigned to meet the needs of those individuals withmemory concerns, yet still maintain a high quality ofliving within the safe, secure environment. The newresident rooms offer a beautiful view of the city and thecommon areas provide a comfortable setting forresidents and families alike.

Improvements continue throughout the communitywith refurbished dining areas and lounges that createmore intimate space to visit with family and friends.And, on your next visit to the Community at FranklinPark you will also see an entirely redesigned frontentrance and lobby that enhance the warm communityfeeling.

Finally, with all the recent changes and growth, wewant to extend a “Thank You”, to all of the residents,families, volunteers and staff for your patience duringthis time of transition. The Community at FranklinPark is a vital and growing part of downtown Denvertoday because of YOU, for whom we are so grateful!

Constructing the New

Franklin Park

Classic Senior Style

The Community At Franklin Park

I

Photographs of theCommunity at FranklinPark’s $3 million-plusredevelopment projectinclude a new dining areaon the second floor (above),a fireplace in the newMemory Care living room(top right), an additionalarea of the new MemoryCare living room (middleright), and a portion of thenew therapy gym (bottomright). Renovations are setto be completed by the endof 2015.

Classic Senior Style

The Community At Franklin Park

New Second Floor Dining Room

New Memory Care Living Room Fireplace

New Memory Care Living Room

New Therapy Gym

Classic Senior Style

The Community At Franklin Park

The Community at

Franklin Park is excited

to announce the creation

of a NEW Memory Care area to enhancethe services available to residents, families

and the seniors of downtown Denver.

We understand residents and families

affected by Alzheimer’s, dementia and

associated memory issues, face certain

challenges and often require specific care.

Rest assured The Community at Franklin

Park can be a resource to help you and your

family create a plan that is right for you.

This completely redeveloped memory care

setting offers residents and families the

ability to choose from one of our 11 private

or 5 semi-private resident rooms. The

new resident rooms, along with the

redesigned common areas and

specialized memory

care programs, create surroundings

that are safe, comfortable and

engaging, all of which are vital to

residents.

If you are interested in finding out more

about The Community at Franklin Park

memory care or our other living options,

affordable independent lining or health

care center, we invite you to call and set up

your personal tour of the Community.

For more information, visit our website

www.CommunityAtFranklinPark.net or call 303-832-9323 and we will answer anyquestions you may have or to make an

appointment to tour the community and

learn more about your specific needs.

New Memory Care Program To Be Offered at Franklin ParkNew Memory Care Program To Be Offered at Franklin Park

Classic Senior Style

The Community At Franklin Park

Dementia the Signs, Symptoms and Causes

Dementia is a general term used to designate a declinein mental ability severe enough to interfere with dailylife. Memory loss is an example. Alzheimer's is the mostcommon type of dementia.

Dementia is not a specific disease. It's an overall termthat describes a wide range ofsymptoms associated with a decline inmemory or other thinking skills severeenough to reduce a person's ability toperform everyday activities. Alzheimer'sdisease accounts for 60 to 80 percent ofcases. Vascular dementia, which occursafter a stroke, is the second mostcommon dementia type. But there aremany other conditions that can causesymptoms of dementia, including somethat are reversible, such as thyroidproblems and vitamin deficiencies.

While symptoms of dementia can varygreatly, at least two of the following coremental functions must be significantlyimpaired to be considered dementia:

• Memory • Communication and language • Ability to focus and pay attention • Reasoning and judgment • Visual perception

Many dementias are progressive, meaning symptomsstart out slowly and gradually get worse. If you or aloved one is experiencing memory difficulties or otherchanges in thinking skills, don't ignore them. See adoctor soon to determine the cause. Professionalevaluation may detect a treatable condition. And even ifsymptoms suggest dementia, early diagnosis allows aperson to get the maximum benefit from available

treatments. It also provides time to plan for the future.

Different types of dementia are associated withparticular types of brain cell damage in particularregions of the brain. For example, in Alzheimer'sdisease, high levels of certain proteins inside and

outside brain cells make it hard for braincells to stay healthy and to communicatewith each other. The brain region calledthe hippocampus is the center of learningand memory in the brain, and the braincells in this region are often the first to bedamaged. That's why memory loss is oftenone of the earliest symptoms ofAlzheimer's.

There is no one test to determine ifsomeone has dementia. Doctors diagnoseAlzheimer's and other types of dementiabased on a careful medical history, aphysical examination, laboratory tests, andthe characteristic changes in thinking,day-to-day function and behavior

associated with each type. Doctors can determine that aperson has dementia with a high level of certainty. Butit's harder to determine the exact type of dementiabecause the symptoms and brain changes of differentdementias can overlap. In some cases, a doctor maysimply diagnose "dementia" and not specify a type.

Treatment of dementia depends on its cause. In the caseof most progressive dementias, including Alzheimer'sdisease, there is no cure and no treatment that slows orstops its progression. But there are drug treatments thatmay temporarily improve symptoms. The samemedications used to treat Alzheimer's are among thedrugs sometimes prescribed to help with symptoms ofother types of dementias. Non-drug therapies can alsoalleviate some symptoms of dementia.

At Franklin Park we will provide a positive, encouraging lifestyle for those with dementia. Our separatedementia floor will have a variety of private rooms for residents, a number of engaging activities and adedicated staff to create an atmosphere where residents can enjoy quality of life regardless of their diagnosis.

Classic Senior Style

The Health Center at Franklin Park’s newWellness Program provides resident’s with aphysical exercise program to measure,

maintain, build and gain strength, maintainindependence and enjoy everyday activities of dailyliving. Each resident undergoes an initial assessmentto find their baseline. Our Wellness Director, T.J.Sherley, completes the assessment and captures eachindividual’s strength in order to create a properexercise program and set realistic goals.

Franklin Park Wellness classes take place six times aweek, Monday through Saturday, and last 30 minutes.Monday, Wednesday and Friday the classes focuseson strength and transfer training; exercises like sit-to-stands and strength training for quad and hamstringsand stretching, help maintain mobility. OnTuesday, Thursday, and Saturday the classfocuses on stretching and additionalstrength training. During class, eachresident is assigned equipment to work with;such as barbells and ankle weights to work the

triceps, bicep,shoulder exercises aswell as hips and legs.

For residents unableparticipate due to their cognition issues, 1:1 programsupport is provided with Passive and Active Range ofMotion. This type of activity helps these residentsmaintain a certain level function control in their lives.

Wellness assessments are performed on a quarterlybasis along with a resident Material Data Set (MDS),to identify functional or physical changes. If changesare noted, program modifications can be made toensure to residents stay on track. If larger concernsare identified the Franklin Park physical, occupationaland or speech therapy rehab team can be engaged toassist with the residents’ recovery or recuperation.

At Franklin Park we want residents to live lifeto the best of their abilities, and remain asindependent as possible, and a completewellness program is a vital step in thatprocess.

The Community At Franklin Park

The Community at Franklin Park would like to wel-come our new Regional Director of Wellness, TJ

Sherley.

TJ is a Montrose, Colorado native, and attended Col-orado State University in Fort Collins, where he re-ceived a Bachelors of Science degree in Health andExercise Science with and emphasis in Health Promo-tion. After graduation he and his wife moved to AnnArbor Michigan where he worked for the University ofMichigan in the M-Healthy division as a Fitness Spe-cialist and personal trainer. He was also involved with aprogram called Fit Script which gave him the opportu-

nity to work with medically complexcases involving exercise and mobil-ity. He has held various other posi-tions in the seven years he was inMichigan that included Anatomyand Physiology instructor and themanager of the fitness center at theChrysler Proving grounds.

TJ is also certified by the American Council on Exerciseas a Personal Trainer and Group Fitness instructor,Silver Sneakers Classic and TRX suspension trainerlevel one.

Franklin Park Names New Wellness Director

TJ SherelyComm. at Franklin Park Wellness Director

Franklin Park Introduces New Wellness ProgramAccredited through Best Age Physio-Logic. Restorative Long

Term Care continuum exercise physiology programming.

Classic Senior Style

The Health Center at Franklin Park and TheDenver Health Medical Center have joinedtogether through a Denver Health Medicare

contract as of July 01, 2014. This allows both theHealth Center at Franklin Park and Denver Health tooffer a continuum of care from the acute care hospitalsetting to a sub acute rehabilitation program at theHCFP.

The Denver Health Medical Center is the onlyacademic level 1 adult and pediatric level 2 verifiedTrauma Center in Colorado, verified by the AmericanCollege of Surgeons. Denver Health is acomprehensive, integrated health care systemtouching the lives of so many in our community. Over25% of all Denver residents, or approximately 150,000individuals, receive their health care at Denver Health.Yet, as a true health care delivery system and the city’ssafety net hospital, Denver Health is so much more.It’s the backbone of Denver’s health care. “Our

residents whochoose DenverHealth as their primary hospital for health care safelysay that Denver Health is the best hospital in Denver.”

Denver Health also, has their own Managed Medicareprogram which only certain skilled nursing facilities inthe area are lucky to be apart of. HCFP recentlyreceived approval from Denver Health to provide postacute rehabilitation care for the residents of DenverHealth Medicare program. We are proud to be apart ofthe bigger picture with providing exceptional care tothe residents associated with Denver Health andstriving to get our residents better and back into thecommunity faster of which they live and love in theheart of Denver, Colorado.

The Community At Franklin ParkNew Care Collaboration With

Denver Health Medical Center

The Health Center at Franklin Parkwould like to introduce our new Busi-

ness Office Manager, Roseanne Dollen.Roseanne is not new to the American Bap-tist Homes of the Midwest family; however she has joinedus from our Iowa location, Elm Crest, where she was thebusiness office assistant. Roseanne offers Franklin Parkknowledge and expertise in the business realm.

Roseanne, was born in Iowa, but has lived in Colorado offand on throughout her life. She met her husband in Col-orado, but interestingly enough he was also from thesame part of Iowa where she grew up. They had movedback to Iowa, but now find themselves back in Colorado.

We are please to have Roseanne, join our team at TheHealth center at Franklin Park. We look forward for herbeing apart of our future and our family.

Franklin Park Introduces New Business Office Manager

Roseanne Dollen

The Community at Frankllin Park

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The Community at Franklin Park is owned and operated by American Baptist Homes of the Midwest,a not-for-profit provider of senior housing and healthcare since 1930.

The Community at Franklin Park 1535 Park AvenueDenver, CO 80218303-832-9323www.CommunityAtFranklinPark.net

We hope that you have had an opportunity to check out the new “Community at Franklin Park” websiteand Facebook pages. Today we are excited to announce the third part of our new expanded online

presence, the new Community at Franklin Park Foundation web page. You can find the new page underthe “Community Information” tab on the main “CommunityAtFranklinPark.net” web page. Here you will

find information about the many ways you can contribute and become part of our tradition of quality care

and service. Please visit us one line and learn how you can donate today.

Now You Can Support The Community at

Franklin Park Online

The Community at Franklin Park is owned and operated by American Baptist Homes of the Midwest, a not for profit provider of senior health care since 1930.