Assisted Living Services, Inc.

74 South Broad Street

OCTOBER

Meriden CT 06450 www.assistedlivingct.com

203-634-8668
Quarterly Newsletter

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

2013

EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION AWARD

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS 2011-Hurricane Irene & the Halloween snowstorm 2012-Hurricane Sandy .... 2013-The Blizzard with 3-4 ft of snow
We have been blessed this August and September with a quiet hurricane season but we all remember the storms of the last 3 years. It is important to be sure you and your clients have what you need and remain safe. TIPS TO PREPARE

Moira Perkins has been with Assisted Living Services for 13 years. She has shown true dedication and caring for all of her clients. Recently, when she could not reach one of her clients, she took it upon herself to call the client's nurse who discovered the client on the floor and apparently had been there for several days. The client has since recovered and is back home. This shows how much Moira cares for her clients and their well being. She is an asset to this company.

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH AWARDS July - August - September

Emefa Fessi Rebecca Amanortey Joyce Brown Mike Nyame Moira Perkins Gloria Agyemang Genny Tetteh Naa Noi Theresa Asare PCA Live-In Live-In Live-In HMK PCA Live-In PCA Live-In

1. Pay attention to your local news. Advisories need to be taken seriously. Have a battery operated radio to use in the event you lose electricity. 2. Make sure you have batteries and flashlights (which are safer than candles.) You will need more than one flashlight and extra batteries. 3. Charge your cell phone! Notify your own family members you may not have service for awhile, then keep your phone charged and use only in an emergency. The home phone is often out when the electricity goes out. Do you have the cell phone number of your client's family? Do they have yours? 4. Store water for drinking or flushing toilets in case it is needed. Store the water in pans or jugs (NOT IN THE BATH TUB), and keep the pans on the counter away from the client. 5. Stay away from windows during a storm. If you have been advised of a hurricane, take shelter in an interior hallway or bathroom. 6. Be sure to keep yourself and your client warm if you lose electricity and heat during the cold weather. DO NOT HEAT THE HOME WITH THE STOVE OR FIREPLACE! 7. Notify your client's family immediately if you lose power. 8. Keep the freezer and refrigerator door closed as much as possible. Have available foods that can be eaten easily, are nutritious and do not need warming such as peanut butter, crackers, cereals, canned fruits and vegetables and tuna fish. If you have canned goods, you will need a manual can opener. 9. If we lose power in the office we will stay in touch through Facebook and you can call us using our emergency number: 203-809-3088. 10. If you need to leave your client's home, be sure you take a bag with all medications and necessary personal items for your client and yourself to last 2-3 days. If you have any questions, please contact Mary at the office203-634-8668.

HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE You will be receiving a separate mailing about the new Health Insurance Marketplace. Please read it carefully. Open enrollment begins 10/1/2013.

WELCOME MARIO D'AQUILA Client Comments 2nd Quarter 2013

* "My Homemaker (Cheryl B.) is friendly, helpful and her work is excellent." -Francis B. * "Very pleased with & appreciative of the service, interest and caring of all staff." -Alice L. * "(Debbie B.) is very nice and caring. She knows just what to do without being asked." -Sal & Edith R. * "(Beth C.) is the best help I've ever had!" -Evelyn J.

CONGRATULATIONS & BEST WISHES!

We are saddened to announce that Brian will be leaving Assisted Living Technologies the beginning of October but also happy for him as he pursues a new employment career. The owners of Assisted Living Services, Inc., Ron & Sharon D'Aquila, are pleased to announce that their son Mario D'Aquila has joined the company as Business Developer / Project Manager. Mario will be responsible for helping Assisted Living Services, Inc. and Assisted Living Technologies, Inc. look for and implement new ways to grow. According to Ron "the entire landscape for agencies who provide homecare services is about to change as a result of new legislation that will take effect late next year and we need to be forward thinking in how to adjust so that we can not only help people keep their jobs, but try to develop new ways to create jobs. "Mario has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Central CT State University, and is completing his Master's Degree in Business Administration from Southern CT State University.

SAFETY AWARENESS CONTEST

We would like to send out a big Thank You to all of our employees who participated in this month's Safety Awareness Contest. We had such an incredible response! As you know, most back related injuries happen on the job costing employers billions of dollars per year which can impact jobs. This year's contest brought awareness and attention to learn how to keep yourself safe and healthy while working, reducing the risk of injury. We sent out this contest to all of our field staff and asked them to answer 20 questions relating to safety, health, and hypothetical situations. We are proud to announce we have a WINNER!! Kathy MacGregor, a dedicated homemaker of 7 years had a score of 95% correct earning her a $50 bonus! Kathy was also selected a few months ago as Employee of the Month and continues to do an exceptional job! Assisted Living Services, Inc., will be awarding everyone who participated with a gift of appreciation! As always, we are very proud to have such an amazing staff who are dedicated, hard working and truly care for their clients. Fall arrived on Sunday, the weather is beautiful all day, but the nights are getting cool. Lynne, Director of Hourly Services, has shared a favorite soup of hers. It is easy, nutritious and she says delicious. Perfect for a cool fall or winter day. Healthy Chicken Soup 1 whole boneless chicken breast 2 cans reduced sodium chicken broth and 1/4 cup water 2 carrots peeled and sliced 1 celery stalk, sliced 1/4 cup chopped onion 1 teaspoon dried parsley 1 cup of cooked pasta, such as bowties or elbows Place chicken in medium saucepan and cover with water. Cook over medium heat, simmering 25 minutes. Remove from pan, rinse, and place in a bowl to cool. Rinse out pan and put broth and 1/4 cup water in pan. Add carrots, celery, onion and parsley and simmer 20-25 minutes until celery and carrots are tender. Cut the cooled chicken into bite size pieces, add to the broth and vegetable mixture, simmer 5 minutes. Then add cooked pasta.

New study shows Live-in's help keep people out of the hospital
We recently did our own study of all the Live-in clients in 2012 who we cared for upon recent discharge from a hospital or were admitted to a hospital while under our care. The results were very dramatic. Our clients with a Live-in staying with them were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days only 4% of the time versus the national average which is 18.4%. We feel strongly that our Live-in's keep people healthier by promoting medication compliance, good nutrition, safety, good hygiene, recognizing and reporting changes in their clients to health care personnel, and helping their clients adhere to a medical regimen. This is very important because hospitals are really trying to reduce their readmissions or face penalties. ~ Great job by all! ~

Great job everyone!!