From the Desk of the CEO Rod Burkett

When I write this column, it’s usually 2-3 weeks before it appears in the newsletter. As I write this specific edition, our whole team is neck-deep in the daily management of all the proactive measures and extra communication efforts that are being implemented in minimizing the risk of the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Not knowing what may be

happening with the COVID scenario when this is printed, I felt compelled to share a poem by an early 1900’s Austrian poet, Rainer Marie Rilke:

“Let everything happen to you

Beauty and terror

Just keep going

No feeling is final.”

Our whole world has been impacted. It’s natural to feel the extremes of human emotions during challenging times… but there’s usually relief around the corner. You may feel, at times, helpless, lost or even isolated, but nothing is permanent.

God bless our residents, our families and our entire staff of heroic caregivers!

4882 N. Convent Street Bourbonnais, IL 60914

815-935-1992www.gardant.com

At A Glance

Managed by

APRIL 2020

Coronavirus Precuations

Broken Glass Recipe

1 Meadow St., Berlin, MD 21811

410-641-3171 | www.gullcreek.com

GULL CREEK GAZETTE

LIFESTYLE

Birthdays/Anniversaries

Resident Birthdays:

8th—Frances M.

14th—Betty B.

14th—Geri B.

24th—Marguerite W.

28th—Connie M.

Staff Work Anniversaries:

2 years—Rhonda Harmon

3 years—Michelle Chaney

7 years—Wanda Clinkscale

1 year—Kim Hinman

4 years—Cassandra Leggett-

Coulborne

4 years– Jackie Leggett-

Coulborne

1 year—Jay McCaulley

1 year—Kim Morris

3 years—Doloris Ward

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Don’t forget to keep an eye out for our upcoming

events to help raise money for our Alzheimer's

walk team.

Register to walk with us!

Visit https://bit.ly/2xcZBol to register for Team

Gull Creek!

We will be rescheduling our Operation We Care

Packing Party that was scheduled for March 28th.

Keep an eye our for the new date!

As always, we will still be collecting donations.

Most needed items are men’s body wash, men’s

disposable razors, Pop Tarts, lip balm, granola

bars, hot chocolate packets and deodorant.

Horoscope

Aquarius (1/20-2/18) Avoid confrontations, as your emotions will get in the way. Pisces (2/19-3/20) Keep your mind open to suggestions that could be beneficial to you. Aries (3/21-4/19) Optimism connected to changes have been occurring in your area of shared resources. Taurus (4/20-5/20) Adaption should be key as changes are hard for you to take this month. Gemini (5/21-6/20) Your month will be filled with friends and charitable activities. Cancer (6/21-7/22) Trust yourself and what you know before you make decisions. Leo (7/23-8/22) You’ll be getting a philosophical outlook on life - where you are going Virgo (8/23-9/22) Inclination to act rashly should be curtailed. Call for prudence. Libra (9/23-10/21) Iron out disagreements early Scorpio (10/22-11/21) Seek clarification in poor communication of needs. Sagittarius (11/22-12/21) Remember that promises are only promises. Follow up. Capricorn (12/22-1/19) The spotlight is on your home base this month. Communication is key to sort out responsibilities.

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LIFESTYLE

April 2020

Kristina Sachs

Kristina joined the Gull

Creek team in March of

2017 as a Licensed

Practical Nurse. She is

our full time nurse on

the floor. She is excel-

lent with our residents

and has been a rock star

through our preventa-

tive care for Covid-19.

If you happened to see

Kristina, make sure you

tell her congrats for be-

ing our April Employee

of the Month!

LIFESTYLE

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In times like these, it is important we pull

together as a community. We heard

some local police stations were short or

completely out of hand sanitizer. Thanks

to a local distillery for producing hand

sanitizer, we had more than enough to

share! We were able to provide the Ber-

lin Police Department, Worcester County

Sheriff’s Office, Ocean Pines Police De-

partment, Cambridge Police Department

and the Berlin State Trooper Barrack's

with hand sanitizer's for their officers as

well as a few refills!

WELLNESS Recipe Corner

Broken Glass

Ingredients:

One 3oz package cherry jell-o

One 3oz package lime jell-o

One 3oz package orange jell-o

One 3oz package lemon jell-o

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup syrup from canned pineapple

3 tbsp butter

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

Directions:

Dissolve cherry jell-o in 1 cup boiling water. When dissolved, stir in 1/2 cup cold water and pour into a square pan. Refrigerate until firm. Repeat this process with the lime and orange jell-o.

Mix lemon jell-o with the pineapple syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly. Set aside to cool until thick.

Once the cherry, lime and orange jell-o is firm, cut into cubes. Beat the whip cream into stiff peaks, and fold it into the lemon pineapple mixture. Fold the jell-o cubes into the mixture.

Pour the mixture into a buttered and graham cracker crumb dusted 9-inch pan. Chill for several hours before unmolding.

Community Precautions Amid COVID-19 Concerns Rod Burkett

In our ongoing efforts to be proactive during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) spread throughout the United States, we are doing everything we can to keep the residents at our community safe.

To ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of residents, family members and employees at our community, we are taking additional measures.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) have recommended a variety of steps that we have implemented to help minimize the potential for the virus to enter our building.

We are posting signs on our entryway doors to notify of the visitation policy and actively screening individuals, including staff, who need to come into our building. Individuals authorized to enter will need to be free of respiratory symptoms, such as fever, sore throat, cough and new shortness of breath; not have a history within the last 14 days of travel to areas, including here in the United States, where a COVID-19 outbreak has been confirmed; and not have worked in another healthcare setting with a confirmed coronavirus exposure. Anyone entering the building will need to wash their hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitizing gel and frequently wash their hands while in the building.

We understand that connecting with loved ones is incredibly important, and there are a variety of other ways you might consider communicating with them during this time. Caremerge, our family engagement app, is a great tool that our community uses to provide general and individualized updates regarding your loved one. Other methods include phone, email, text message, video chat or social media. Our team has a variety of resources available and is prepared to assist in helping you connect with your family member in any way we can.

We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we continue monitoring the situation and working to keep everyone at our community as safe as we possibly can.

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IN THE NEWS Did You Know? Rick Banas

William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 and died 52 years later on April 23.

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and William Dawes occurred on April 18, 1775. Fourteen years later, on April 30, 1789, George Washington became the first President of the United States.

The first train crossed the Mississippi River on April 21, 1855.

By an Act of Congress, “In God We Trust” was added to all newly minted U.S. coins in April 1864.

Despite a veto by President Andrew Johnson, the Civil Rights Bill of 1866 was passed by Congress on April 9. The law granted blacks the rights and privileges of citizenship. Nearly 100 years later, on April 11, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law. The law prohibits discrimination in housing, provides protections for civil rights workers, and expanded the rights of Native Americans.

A catcher’s mask was used for the first time in a baseball game in April 1877. Jackie Robinson entered Major League Baseball on April 11, 1947. On April 4, 1974, Hank Aaron tied Babe Ruth’s record of 714 home runs. On April 8, he hit number 715.

On April 4, 1887, Susanna Salter became the first woman in the United States to be elected Mayor. She was elected Mayor of Argonia, Kansas. The town reportedly is named after the Argonauts, a group in Greek mythology whose mission was to find the legendary Golden Fleece. On April 11, 1983, Harold Washington became the first African American to the elected Mayor of Chicago.

The first public showing of a motion picture occurred in April 1894. The musical “South Pacific” opened on Broadway in April 1949. General Hospital premiered on ABC-TV in April 1963.

After a break of 1,500 years, the Olympics were held in April 1896 in Athens, Greece.

The first Social Security checks were issued on April 27, 1937.

In April 1964, the Ford Motor Company unveiled the Mustang.

April is designated National Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Parkinson’s Disease is a degenerative brain disorder. Tremors, slowness, stiffness, and walking and balance problems are common. Symptoms generally develop slowly over years. Treatment options vary and can include medications and surgery.

More information on Parkinson’s disease can be found on the Parkinson’s Foundation website at https://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons or the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research website at https://www.michaeljfox.org/parkinsons-101

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CAREMERGE 3 Simple Steps to Get Started With Caremerge:

To register for caremerge, contact our helpful staff and be prepared to share the following information with us:

1. Your First Name and Last Name

2. Your Loved One’s Name(s)

3. Your Relationship to Your Loved One(s)

4. Your E-mail Address(es)

Please note, an authorization form must be completed for all interested family members and must be signed by the POA and/or resident to participate. This step must be completed so that our community can send you an e-mail invitation to participate.

Caremerge is a secure, HIPAA-compliant communication platform that will give you a window into the exciting life of your loved one at our community. You can use it to:

Receive updates about your loved one’s activities and involvement.

Send and receive real-time messages from our community staff. Staff can share photos too!

Access key care location information for your loved one, such as physician contact information.

Peer into your loved one’s monthly schedule and see all the exciting activities they’re involved in.

For more questions, reach out to our Resident Services Coordinator.

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