Park Springs to Expand Health Care Center at Retirement Community

Cobblestone to add two memory care rooms, 18 skilled nursing rooms, two prep kitchens

Park Springs, the Southeast’s premier continuing care retirement community announces that it is renovating Cobblestone, the community’s health care center, expanding the facility by 12 rooms. The expansion will include two phases of construction. Phase one is slated to begin in early January, while phase two is scheduled to begin in mid-February.

Renovations during phase one construction will include adjusting eight assisted living suites into 14 memory care suites. A new memory care dining area with a new warming and preparation kitchen will also be added. A new wandering control system is also planned to increase Members safety. Updated finishes in the new common area will also occur at this time.

Phase two will consist of renovating 12 memory suites into 18 skilled nursing rooms. Construction will also include the addition of a new preparation kitchen as well as upgrades to the existing skilled nursing preparation kitchen. Renovations to the common areas, a new skilled family area, and offices for the community’s physician and assistant director of nursing will also be added at this time.

“We are excited about expanding Cobblestone,” said Joan Carlson, Park Springs’ vice president of quality, innovation and culture. “We currently offer the highest quality services, medical care, nursing and rehabilitative care in a residential environment in the Southeast and our expansion will allow us to increase the level of care we provide. It will also allow us to provide outside short term admission to our Medicare skilled unit.”

Cobblestone’s Resident Centered model provides Members flexibility in their daily activities embracing individuality while focusing on all aspects of wellness. Staffing ratios are approximately two times greater than the state average. A full time doctor trained as a geriatrician whose sole responsibility is the health of our Members is employed on site. A clinic staffed by a full time Licensed Nurse Practitioner performs routine check ups, tests and lab work. The community doctor, clinic and skilled care are all Medicare certified. Home care services are provided by trained staff employed directly by the Park Springs and are licensed by the state, bonded and insured only after undergoing a strict screening process.

About Park Springs
The Southeast's premier CCRC, Park Springs enhances life for active seniors by providing independent residences alongside extensive amenities and on-site wellness and private health care facilities. The 398-home campus-style community is situated on 54 acres surrounded by Stone Mountain Park. A 64-suite health center provides assisted living, skilled nursing and dementia/Alzheimer's care. The campus style community boasts a 50,000 square foot Clubhouse serving meals in four themed dining rooms daily and a 12,000 square foot fitness center with an indoor swimming pool. The Seniors Housing Council of the National Association of Home Builders named Park Springs a Platinum winner. Park Springs is developed by Isakson Living and managed by Life Care Services LLC (LCS), a leader in senior living communities. LCS today serves more than 23,000 residents daily in over 80 communities nationwide. For more information on Park Springs, call 678-684-3300 or visit www.parkspringscommunities.com.
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Beneficiaries Should Get Vaccinated against Flu and Pneumococcal Disease

October through May is flu season and the Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services (DAS) Georgia Cares program is reminding Medicare beneficiaries to talk to their healthcare providers about getting vaccinated to prevent getting the flu and the pneumococcal disease, which is the cause of the most common form of pneumonia. The flu and pneumococcal vaccines are both covered by Medicare, so beneficiaries are not required to make a co-payment.

"One of the best ways to prevent getting the flu is to receive a flu vaccine," said Maria Greene, director of the Division of Aging Services. "Seniors who are on Medicare do not have to pay for the vaccine; Medicare should be billed for it. We encourage all Medicare beneficiaries to call GeorgiaCares toll-free at 1-800-669-8387 if anyone bills Medicare and attempts to charge them for a flu vaccine."

The flu, a contagious respiratory illness, can cause mild to severe illness and may at times lead to death. Getting a flu vaccination is the best way to prevent the flu. Older adults, young children, and people with certain health conditions such as diabetes, asthma, and heart disease are at high risk for serious flu complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Medicare beneficiaries should take the following precautions: avoid close contact with people who are sick; stay home when you are sick; frequently wash your hands; cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing; and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

For information on the flu, visit the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm. For information on Medicare coverage of flu vaccines for beneficiaries, contact GeorgiaCares at 1-800-669-8387.

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Traumatic Brain Injuries Can Result From Senior Falls

PRNewswire- -- Traumatic brain injuries due to falls caused nearly 8,000 deaths and 56,000 hospitalizations in 2005 among Americans 65 and older, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released in the June issue of the Journal of Safety Research.

Traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, are caused by a bump or blow to the head; however, they maybe missed or misdiagnosed among older adults. TBI often results in long-term cognitive, emotional, and/or functional impairments. In 2005, TBIs accounted for 50 percent of unintentional fall deaths and 8 percent of nonfatal fall-related hospitalizations among older adults.

Falls are not an inevitable consequence of aging, but they do occur more often among older adults because risk factors for falls are usually associated with health and aging conditions. Some of these conditions include mobility problems due to muscle weakness or poor balance, loss of sensation in feet, chronic health conditions, vision changes or loss, medication side effects or drug interactions, and home and environmental hazards such as clutter or poor lighting.

"Most people think older adults may only break their hip when they fall, but our research shows that traumatic brain injuries can also be a serious consequence," said Dr. Ileana Arias, director of CDC′s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. "These injuries can cause long-term problems and affect how someone thinks or functions. They can also impact a person's emotional well-being."

Each year, one in three older Americans (65 and older) falls, and 30 percent of falls cause injuries requiring medical treatment. In 2005, nearly 16,000 older adults died from falls, 1.8 million older adults were treated in emergency departments, and 433,000 of these patients were hospitalized. Falls are the leading cause of injury deaths and nonfatal injuries for those 65 and over.

This study analyzed 2005 data from the National Center for Health Statistics' National Vital Statistics System and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Key findings are:

  --  Death rates for fall-related TBIs were higher among men than women
     (26.9 per 100,000 and 17.8 per 100,000, respectively).
 --  Rates for fall-related TBI hospitalizations were similar      Hidden
     among men and women (146.3 per 100,000 and 158.3 per
     100,000, respectively).
 --  Death and hospitalization rates for fall-related TBIs generally
     increased with age.      

 Additional findings:

 --  The majority of men and women hospitalized with a fall-related TBI
     spent two to six days in the hospital (54.9 percent of men; 61.5
     percent of women).
 --  The median total charges for these hospitalizations were $19,191 for
     men and $16,006 for women.

Arias also points out that as more baby boomers reach retirement age, these types of injuries will increase demands on the health care system unless action is taken to prevent the injuries. "CDC has developed tips and suggestions for older adults, their caregivers, health care providers, and communities to help prevent falls," Arias said.

For older adults, their children, caregivers, and health care providers, CDC recently developed the 'Help Seniors Live Better, Longer: Prevent Brain Injury' initiative. Developed in collaboration with 26 organizations, it features easy-to-use English- and Spanish-language materials in a concise question-and-answer format to help prevent, recognize, and respond to TBI. For more information and materials, visit www.cdc.gov/BrainInjuryInSeniors.

CDC has also created resources for practitioners and community-based organizations. Preventing Falls: What Works A CDC Compendium of Effective Community-based Interventions from Around the World and Preventing Falls: How to Develop Community Based Fall Prevention Programs for Older Adults can be downloaded or ordered at www.cdc.gov/ncipc/preventingfalls.