Residents and their family members came dressed in their favorite Irish green and were greeted with an Irish lei. The table centerpieces were festive green shamrocks.

The meal, prepared by Chef Raul Cicero and the dietary team, was made of traditional Irish fare, including corned beef, new potatoes, steamed cabbage with carrots, Irish scones, Bailey’s Irish Cream cheesecake and sparkling apple cider.

Residents enjoyed rock ‘n’ roll oldies performed by their favorite musician, Peter Seltser, who sings and plays guitar. Among the familiar tunes were “Sweet Caroline,” “Can’t Smile Without You” and “Love Potion No. 9.”

“It was beautiful, and the food was very good,” said resident Jeanne Shannon.

To conclude the evening, Lisa Dolengewicz, activity director, blessed the residents with an old Irish blessing:

May love and laughter light your days,

and warm your heart and home.

May good and faithful friends be yours,

wherever you may roam.

May peace and plenty bless your world

with joy that long endures.

May all life’s passing seasons

bring the best to you and yours!

By Dolly Solano, Business Development Director

Being well prepared to meet our community can make a huge difference in how a skilled nursing and rehab facility promotes its services and programs.

We have seen a lot of changes over the past few years, including a new medical director for our facility and new primary health care providers in the community. Over time, we see what information people want to know about us.

On Feb. 21, Life Care Center of Vista’s open house was the perfect opportunity to make connections among our community members, health care providers, new doctors and others. It was a chance for people to meet with our associates, make personal connections and ask questions about what we offer our residents. Several health care providers inquired how we can work together to serve our community’s population.

Guests took tours of the building and enjoyed hors d’oeuvres. Raul Cicero, dietary associate, impressed the visitors with edible carvings, and his dietary staff prepared an exotic, spring-themed spread with a chocolate fountain at the side.

We had the chance to highlight our private rooms, renovated shower area and dining rooms. We received many compliments during the event not only about the event itself but on the years we have served the community.

“I am very proud and thankful for all my staff who participated and took time to help out during our open house,” said Sharron Clark, executive director. “I toured some visitors, and I am very pleased with what they had to say about the cleanliness, the awesome job of Raul, who is very artistic with his fruit arrangements, and not to forget, our nursing and rehab care.”

Every month, Life Care Center of Vista recognizes someone who gives Whatever It Takes And Then Some as part of Life Care Centers of America’s commitment to being the premier provider of long-term and rehab care. Our programs, services and facilities are designed for great quality of care because we take pride in our commitment to our residents, their families and our associates.

Whatever It Takes And Then Some is a program we are proud of. We cherish our associates for the extra care they give our residents. For January 2013, we presented the award to Dalila Lopez, licensed vocational nurse, for seven years of service at Life Care Center of Vista.

Dalila – or Del, as some call her – enjoys what she does. “I have worked for Life Care Center of Vista for seven years, and this place seems to be my second home,” she said. “I love my co-workers, and teamwork is important to running a successful floor. Learning from my residents and listening to their stories is enough to know that each day I make someone smile. I love what I do! Our residents are my priority when I’m at work. Communication is vital to their care, and it helps them enjoy their stay at Life Care Center of Vista.”

Eloisa, RN, who supervises one of the nurses’ stations, states: “I rely on Dalila’s responsibility on all her tasks without being told. I describe her as a person who listens to her residents, never rushing or cutting off conversations so she can finish her shift. She coordinates with our doctors and families very well. She’s accountable for her actions and is well loved by our staff.”

This devoted wife and mother of two started at Life Care Center of Vista as a certified nursing assistant and worked her way up as she finished her LVN.

Dalila received kudos from everyone on her award!

Reading local Vista newspaper Good News, etc. keeps me informed. Publishers Rick and Colleen Monroe are frequent guests at our facility. When I started at Life Care Center of Vista two years ago, as Colleen interviewed me, we talked about why she takes pictures at the facility to post in their newspaper. I found out that her mom, Mabel, was a resident here. She was admitted for short-term rehab and nursing care. After Mabel’s graduation from rehab, Colleen happily devoted her time to visit our residents and associates and to get involved in a few events. She highlights our facility in their newspaper as a token of thanks for the care we gave her mother that resulted in a successful outcome. Here is what Colleen had to say:

“When my mom needed to find a skilled nursing facility, I knew I wanted her to stay at Life Care Center of Vista. My first reason of it being close to my house may seem selfish, but it later turned out to be unequally matched to their services concerning my mom, who would become a resident for 30 days.

“Our family is close so trips to see mom would be frequent, and not just once a day or two; three visits a day was more accurate. My dad and I governed her carefully, and to this day, we are so happy we chose Life Care. Her therapists for speech, physical and occupational therapies were outstanding. My mom had some challenges to conquer, but with the acute care offered there, she met every one and overcame them. Because my mom stayed there for 30 days and I was a frequent guest, I got to know faces pretty well. Still today, if I see her therapists in town, they will ask me, ‘How is your mom?’ What is amazing is that it’s been a while since my mom was a resident. Now that’s what I call care!

“I have included a letter my dad wrote about the care given to his bride of 57 years, at the time she received it. This year, they celebrate 63 years of marriage!

“Thank you, Life Care Center of Vista. Our whole family thanks you!”

“My wife was admitted to Life Care Center of Vista, and for 30 days the facility became our home. In turn, we were so pleased with her stay. The staff was very attentive to my wife’s personal care and medical needs. We witnessed a caring atmosphere and cohesiveness within the staff to make Life Care Center of Vista a home to my wife and its residents. My wife had speech, physical and occupational therapy, and they were all fantastic! The therapists diligently assisted in the progression of her rehabilitation. When it came time to leave and go to our home, my wife left much, much better than when she arrived. We have a lot to be thankful for these days. Life Care Center of Vista is one of them!”

By Dolly Solano, Business Development Director

It’s hard to believe that 2012 is already gone. Last year was quite a busy one thanks to our chores and running around.

Now we’re reflecting back on the events and activities we’ve done. It’s so easy to waste time and take it for granted. It is so easy to exist instead of live. It is so easy to look back, but have we learned to look at all the good in our surroundings and try to give some of it back?

Professor and inspirational speaker and author Leo F. Buscalgia, once said: “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which has the potential to turn a life around.”

So this year, when you see our residents, associates, guests and even people on the street, consider smiling at them and getting to know them better. Read their faces and listen to what they are telling us, so we can better understand them and their needs. That’s when true customer service happens.

Let’s make 2013 a time to smile and to tap into the customer service that lives inside of us.

But really, my main claim to fame seems to be the visitors I have been bringing with me on visits since 1994 – my dogs. Currently Tessa, a 7-year-old cockapoo who tips the scales at 40 pounds, is my nursing home companion and therapy dog.

I got my undergraduate degree in biochemistry from Harvard, went to Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, for medical school, and trained as a family physician at the University of California, San Diego, finishing in 1990. Since the mid-1990s, I’ve spent a majority of my time in long-term care geriatrics. I am board-certified in family medicine, hospice and palliative medicine and am a certified medical director under the auspices of the American Medical Directors Association. I was a president of the California Association of Long Term Care Medicine, the California chapter of AMDA. I am on several boards and committees relating to long-term care, including the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California. I am also the editor of AMDA’s monthly periodical called Caring for the Ages, which you can view online at www.caringfortheages.com.

A passion of mine is educating patients, families and health care professionals about defining goals of care, advance care planning and understanding prognosis. I have also worked with Hospice by the Sea since 1995, and I love the opportunity to help maximize comfort and dignity for people in the final stages of life. But mainly, I think it’s critically important for people to understand their choices and make informed decisions about their wishes for medical care. That is an individual choice for each patient and family, and the choices can be very different, depending on the beliefs, goals and background of every person. At Life Care Center of Vista, we strive for person-centered care. We try our best to respect our residents’ individual preferences, quirks and habits – to the extent we can. This also means I want our residents to get the care they want, and not get the care that they don’t want.

Sincerely,

Karl Steinberg, M.D., CMD

Therapists worked with Waddell on exercises to regain her strength, mobility, gait, balance, range of motion and ability to transfer. In addition, the care team took care to make sure her wound graft healed.

“I am very grateful for the rehab team,” said Waddell. “I have been in other facilities and thought I couldn’t stand again, but Life Care has proved me wrong. Everyone was very pleasant during my stay. My wound has healed with the help of their treatment nurse.”

Waddell also credited Dinah Feliciano, assistant rehab services manager, and Carlo Silva, with helping her overcome her fear.

Participating in the Ready… Set… Go! return-to-home program, Waddell had to practice and successfully perform self-care tasks and other activities of daily life, like meal preparation and medication management.

On Nov. 29, 2012, Waddell graduated from rehab and went home fully independent.

For more rehabilitation success stories, please see our newsletter on our home page.

Residents and their family members came dressed in their favorite sports team jerseys and fan gear. The fabulous menu, made by the dietary team, included tributes to a variety of different sports teams. Residents and their families enjoyed San Diego Chargers barbecue beef on a bun, Oakland Raiders onion rings, San Diego Padres corn on the cob, Los Angeles Dodgers hot apple crisp a la mode. Of course, they could also wash down their dinner with Los Angeles Lakers root beer floats, Los Angeles Clippers O’Doul’s non-alcoholic beer and sparkling apple cider.

The residents’ favorite musician, Peter Seltser, sang songs like “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” and the national anthem, and throughout the evening, residents answered sports trivia questions to win prizes.

“I had a great time tonight,” said resident Chuy Morones. “The food was good, and I won a Padres yearbook and Angels notebook.”

The local Vista High School ROTC Color Guard came and presented the colors for the veterans.

“The smiles on our veterans’ faces said it all,” said Lisa Dolengewicz, activity director at the facility. “Each one sat up a little taller as we thanked them for fearlessly serving our country to preserve the freedom we have today.”

Each veteran was presented with a framed certificate that stated: “Thank you. As we celebrate Veterans Day, you need to know we admire your courage and appreciate your sacrifices. You are an American hero – brave and humble. We honor you on Veterans Day and thank you for serving America!”

Dolengewicz read the certificates and presented them to each veteran.

“I am so blessed to shake the hands of these American heroes,” she said. “I appreciate each of them and their many sacrifices.”

Twenty-seven local health care providers sponsored the event, setting up tables where representatives could share about their services. Other local businesses donated food, including hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza and gift baskets.

The blood drive collected 63 pints to help stock the San Diego Blood Bank.

“Our goal was to partner with local organizations and health care providers to encourage healthy bodies and healthy lifestyles,” said Dolly Solano, business development director at Life Care Center of Vista. “We promoted health to our community through free screenings, education on health topics, motivation, networking and fun family activities.”

While Life Care’s department heads served food to all vendors and visitors, children stopped by and enjoyed the bounce house outside the facility. A disc jockey played a little country music, encouraging vendors, kids and visitors alike to square dance.

“It was an awesome event,” said Nadine Kaina, coordinator of Project CARE and participant.