Dear Family and Friends of Thief River Care Center,

This week we have no positive cases of COVID-19 in our care center.  We are currently testing residents and staff twice weekly due to county positivity. We are also unable to open to indoor visits at the time. We are following recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

We continue to receive questions on how and when family and friends will receive their vaccine. Health officials have created a Vaccine Connector tool found at https://vaccineconnector.mn.gov/. This tool helps Minnesotans find out when, where, and how to get a COVID-19 vaccine. After you fill out a simple form, the Vaccine Connector will alert you when you are eligible to receive a vaccine, connect you to resources to schedule a vaccine appointment, and notify you if there are vaccine opportunities in your area.

It is not necessary to sign up if: 

• You have already received your COVID-19 vaccine.
• You previously registered for the COVID-19 Vaccine Pilot Program or the COVID-19 Community Vaccination Program. You’re already on the Vaccine Connector list, and there is no need to re-submit your information.  
• You completed the Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Education and Child Care survey. You’re already on the Vaccine Connector list, and there is no need to re-submit your information. 
• You completed the Health Care Connection Form, you do not need to re-submit your information. The Minnesota Department of Health will work with health systems and local public health agencies to notify you about when and where you can get vaccinated. 

We look forward to the day we can throw our doors wide open to the community. Until then, there are multiple ways residents in our setting can interact with one another and with their loved ones. We have resumed socially distanced communal dining and small group activities. We are currently able to offer virtual visits, essential caregiver visits, and compassionate care visits.

Looking for ways to help? We have a variety of positions available with flexible scheduling and on the job training. For more information or to apply, visit www.jobswithus.org.

Don’t forget to get your flu shot this season to help protect our community. Please follow our Facebook page (@Thief River Care Center) or our website (www.trcc.sfhs.org) for all COVID updates and information on what is happening inside our care center. Please do not hesitate to reach out us.

We are pleased to announce

Emily Straw

Has Joined Our Team

As Pennington Health Services Administrator

Emily has lived in the Greenbush area since her childhood and attended college at the University of Minnesota – Moorhead obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in Health Services Administration and her Administrator’s license in 2008.  She comes to Thief River Care Center with over ten years of experience as a licensed Administrator.

Emily is a member of the Catholic faith and enjoys serving senior citizens and looks forward to meeting residents of Pennington Health Services.  Emily and her husband, Nick, have three children ages 11, 8 and 4.  Emily and her family enjoy summertime activities like camping, beach-going and swimming.  Emily enjoys reading, baking, and arts like painting.  

Emily will begin her duties with Pennington Health Services on February 22^nd, 2021.  Please help us in giving her a warm welcome.

Pennington Health Services, an affiliate of St. Francis Health Services of Morris (SFHS), is pleased to announce we were recently awarded a Minnesota Nursing Facility Performance-based Incentive Payment Program (PIPP) grant by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) focused on preventing falls.  The initiative for fall prevention and fall reduction began January 1, 2021 and will continue through December 31, 2022 within our care center and related SFHS’ skilled nursing care centers.

The Falls Prevention Project will provide our care center with additional resources to make positive system improvements to prevent falls for individuals receiving services that is focused on each individual’s preferences and needs.  This program will have three components; expanding falls prevention and person centered education, implementing Safe Being technology, and increasing exercise program opportunities.

The education component of the Falls Prevention Project comes to us with a new partnership with Pioneer Network to expand our work force knowledge of Person Centered/Directed care. Pioneer Network is the national leader for culture change that advocates and builds a culture of aging where individual choices are respected and fosters care that is directed by the person receiving it.  Staff will learn how to better address needs and lifestyle choices to reduce an individual receiving services’ risk for falls. 

In the second part of our Falls Prevention Project, we will be installing Safe Being technology in our care centers.  The Safe Being system provides the capability for real time remote monitoring while respecting the person’s privacy.  Safe Being uses a watch-like device that provides data on lifestyles and daily activities and interprets gestures identifying how/when a resident is moving, eating, drinking and sleeping.  Each person wearing the device will send an alert when there is a change in status or has been identified as being at risk for a potential fall or has fallen. 

The third component of the Falls Prevention Project will be increasing exercise program opportunities such as Bingocize and Otago to improve strength, flexibility, and balance to help reduce falls. 

The Falls Prevention Project is intended to build sustainable practices throughout our care center beyond the original two year grant period.  SFHS is a faith-based, not-for-profit healthcare organization.  In addition to their skilled nursing care centers, they offer a variety of services that include customized/assisted living, a full range of therapies, senior housing, transitional and skilled nursing care, and behavioral and residential programs throughout the State of Minnesota.

Thief River Care Center an affiliate of St. Francis Health Services of Morris (SFHS), is pleased to announce their Restorative Ambulation and Mobility Project (RAMP).  The RAMP Project is a result of SFHS’s long term care collaborative of 7 care centers being awarded a Minnesota Nursing Facility Performance-based Incentive Payment Program (PIPP) grant by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS).  Implementation of the RAMP Project began January 1, 2020 at TRCC and will continue through December 31, 2020. 

The goal of the RAMP project is to improve the quality of care and quality of life for our residents. The project will help each resident reach their highest attainable level of function in ambulation and mobility. A Walk to Dine and a Balance Exercise program will be integrated into our Restorative Program. The Walk to Dine program will assist the resident in maintaining functional ambulation abilities to support maximum level of independence for the highest quality of life. The Balance Exercise program is intended for a resident that had a recent fall. Many respond to a fear of falling by reducing activity levels, which results in loss of muscle strength and balance.   This evidence-based program would be designed and implemented to reduce fear of falling and increase activity levels.

The RAMP Project will provide us with additional resources to make positive system improvements to support good outcomes, focusing on our residents’ preferences and needs.  We want our residents to experience their highest quality of life, and feel this program promotes this by impacting their ability to achieve and/or maintain their optimal physical function.

This project is another way we are carrying out our mission of “Expressing Christ’s love by providing care that values every human life.” If you have any questions about the RAMP project or want more information, please contact our care center.

Thief River Care Center/Pennington Health Services provides education to all families, residents, staff, and community members regarding antibiotic stewardship.  Take a peak at our education board next time you stop in.