It can be hard to feel connected while staying apart…these tips can help!

Keeping apart from friends and family is important for staying healthy during this pandemic. But it’s not easy to do and can lead to feeling isolated. Isolation can be detrimental to your mental and physical well-being, so it’s even more important to stay connected with others right now.

Whether you’re sheltering in place in your house or a senior living community, we’ve put together some simple ways you can reach out to others and keep the connections strong with a helpful, downloadable guide.

Click this link for your copy!

Getting real value of out a virtual visit.

Congratulations! You’ve scheduled a virtual visit to one or more of the senior living communities you’re interested in. Now what? Visiting a community virtually is definitely different than doing so in person. So how should you be preparing so you’ll get a lot out of your visit?

We’ve put together some helpful tips as you get ready to go on your virtual journeys. From what you’ll need, to what to expect and, finally, great questions to have on hand, this guide will give you the confidence you need to get the most out of your virtual visits.

Click here to download your free guide now!

Five Key Questions About Short-term Rehab, Answered.

Each year thousands of people are directed to enter short-term rehabilitation facilities after a stay in the hospital as a way to help them recover from a serious illness or surgery. One of those people may be you or someone you love, and if you’ve had no prior experience, there’s a good chance you have lots of questions.  Below, we’ll take a look at five of the most common questions people have about short-term rehab.

What is short-term rehabilitation?

Let’s take care of the most basic question first. Short-term rehab provides around-the-clock medical care (including pain management and wound care) and consistent, continual access to professional therapy services to help patients recover and transition back to their homes and familiar routines as quickly as possible. When you’re in a short-term rehab center, you’ll typically be under the care of a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, nutritionists, therapists in various specialties of recovery, and social services team members.

What types of rehabilitation services do short-term rehab centers typically offer?

The five main services provided by short-term rehab facilities are occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and language therapy, orthopedic rehabilitation, and neurological rehabilitation. Let’s take a brief look at each one.

Occupational Therapy: Focuses on improving basic self-care independence and restoring functional living skills.

Physical Therapy: Focuses on restoring movement capabilities and improving posture, balance, range of motion and strength.

Speech and Language Therapy: Focuses on improving communication, swallowing liquids and food, and oral and motor skills.

Orthopedic Rehabilitation: Includes therapies after treatment for disease, injury and surgical procedures to bones, joints, muscles, and tendons, including joint replacements.

Neurological Rehabilitation: Many rehab facilities may also offer therapies for treatment of conditions affecting the central nervous system, including stroke, paralysis, Parkinson’s, etc.

How long will I be in short-term rehab?

The goal is to get patients home as soon as possible, but there’s no fixed time limit and the length of any given stay is driven by a patient’s progress as evaluated by his or her rehab team. That being said, the average stay is about 20 days, and many patients are headed home in as little 7 to 14 days.

Is being in a short-term rehab facility like being in a hospital?

In short, no, being in a short-term rehab facility is a considerably different experience. Typically, the design of the center is far more comfortable and residential in style, and you’ll certainly have a greater sense of freedom. You can wear your own clothes and may have the option of having your own food brought in to you. With this freedom, however, comes an added responsibility. In a typical hospital setting, you’re passively receiving care for an acute condition, but in short-term rehab, you’re expected to take a much more active role in facilitating your own recovery. You’ll take part in formulating your rehab plan and will be expected to participate in therapy sessions up to three hours a day, as well as perform activities on your own in between those sessions.

Will Medicare cover my short-term rehab stay?

There are a couple of determining prerequisites. First, you are required to have experienced a “qualifying hospital event,” which is a stay of at least three nights in a hospital in the last 30 days. Second, the rehab center you’re considering must be Medicare certified. Assuming those qualifications are met, you’ll be eligible for Medicare coverage for up to 100 days. However, only the first 20 days are covered at 100 percent. The remaining 80 inpatient days require a copay.

If you would like to know more about short-term rehab and how Westminster Village Terre Haute might help in facilitating your recovery or that of a loved one, please contact us at (812)-242-4600.

Westminster Village Senior Wellness Powered by NIFS

The Oslo University Hospital in Norway recently studied 5,700 men, age 68-77, who exercised 30 minutes a day, six days a week. The study concluded that, on average, this exercise regimen helped add more than five years to the lives of the participants. Yet, according to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition, only about 1/3 of American adults get 150 minutes of exercise per week−and the level of activity typically decreases even more among seniors. By age 75, about one in three men and one in two women engage in no physical activity at all. That’s why, here at Westminster Village Terre Haute, we’re so committed to providing opportunities for residents to get the exercise they need to stay well.

Partners in Fitness

One example of our commitment to senior wellness is our partnership with the National Institute for Fitness and Sport (NIFS). NIFS is a non-profit organization that provides management services, senior fitness programs, and facility layout and design services for the fitness centers of senior living communities all across the country. Our community’s state-of-the-art fitness center, the Westminster Athletic Club, is overseen by a full-time, NIFS-certified fitness manager. NIFS-certified managers are some of the most rigorously trained and vetted professionals in the fitness industry today. Most NIFS managers have earned specialty certifications for personal training, group exercise, and other related areas, and the organization provides numerous opportunities for continuing education through workshops and training, online resources and leadership support.

At Westminster Village, our NIFS fitness manager will work with you to develop a fitness plan that includes suggestions for nutrition, functional movement and exercise and is also available for personalized, one-on-one sessions. Our instructor-led group classes feature a variety of fun and effective activities that meet virtually any level of ability or fitness goals.

A Healthy Lifestyle

By partnering with NIFS and promoting physical exercise, Westminster Village is following through on its mission to create an environment that fosters a vibrant, engaged and healthy senior lifestyle.  According to a report from the U.S. Surgeon General, physical activity helps aging adults maintain the ability to live independently, reduces the risk of falling and fracturing bones, and reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression while fostering improvements in mood and feelings of well-being.

To learn more about our NIFS-powered senior fitness program, contact Westminster Village Terre Haute at (812)-645-7246.

Ivy Tech Community College Terre Haute Agriculture and Precision Agriculture programs began harvesting six acres of sweet corn this week, and donated the corn to several local restaurants to help support our local economy. In keeping with tradition, all six acres of corn will be donated to local organizations, including Catholic Charities Foodbank, Westminster Village, and Master Gardeners. Thanks to the generosity of Westminster Village, Ivy Tech students and faculty have planted sweet corn on the Davis Avenue plot for the past seven years.

“We are proud that the labor of our students and faculty will directly benefit our local community,” said Lea Anne Crooks, Ivy Tech Terre Haute chancellor. “The donation of sweet corn, along with the Ivy Tech Community & College Benefit Series, are a few ways we have been able to offer assistance to industries hit especially hard during the Coronavirus pandemic.”

Ivy Tech sweet corn can be enjoyed in local menus at the Butler’s Pantry, Delish Café, Fifi’s Lunch Box, J. Ford’s Black Angus, Rick’s Smokehouse and The Saratoga.

Chef Kris Kraut from the Butler’s Pantry will use the corn for the first time this week during Ivy Tech’s monthly ‘Cooking with Kris’ virtual event, as part of the Community & College Benefit Series. To learn more or sign up for the next event in September, visit ivytech.edu/ccbenefit.

Westminster Village’s very own Fitness Manager, Lauren Kelsheimer, was featured on Good Day Live!

Westminster Village recently received the results of its resident satisfaction survey and are pleased to announce and overall satisfaction rate among residents of 92%. The survey included a variety of service areas including residents’ thoughts on staff, services, feelings of security and community life.

Ninety-three percent (93%) of residents responded they were “very satisfied with Westminster Village as a place to live,” and 93% stated they “would recommend Westminster Village to friends and family.”

“We are thrilled with the results of the resident satisfaction survey,” says Dan Smith, Executive Director at Westminster Village. “Our team works tirelessly to provide an outstanding senior living experience for residents, and seeing these responses validates the staff’s level of investment and care.”

You can also view some great videos of our residents telling their stories of life at Westminster Village at our brand-new You Tube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCylqBXJPNfTOMSLfnfwW0wQ

The health, safety and well-being of our residents, employees and families is always a priority at our community.  With the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the news and in the minds of many, we want to address actions, which are taking place related to this concern.

Some of the actions we are addressing include:

• Consistent updates and communication to those who live and work at the community.
• Evidence-based precautions that align with guidelines provided by the CDC.
• Reviewing emergency preparedness and response measures in the event that a virus impacts our community or the surrounding area.
• Changes to our travel and visitation guidelines for all employees, partners and guests.

We are closely monitoring local, state and federal health agencies to ensure we can respond quickly and effectively to protect our community and mitigate risks of an outbreak.

We will continue to remain vigilant in our efforts to preserve the health and safety of our community.

If you have questions, concerns or need more information, please contact (812) 242-4600.

Helpful Resources

• Centers for Disease Control

• World Health Organization

• Indiana State Health Department 

The residents and fitness manager of Westminster Village Terre Haute traveled to Indianapolis to participate in the highly anticipated, semi-annual Corn Toss Tournament.  They were joined by the corn toss teams of Greenwood Village South, Marquette and Westminster Village West Lafayette.    Seventeen teams of 2 tossed their hearts out with the hopes of taking home the title.   They broke at noon to enjoy the lovely spring weather and a picnic lunch prepared by the community’s Dining Services team of culinary experts.

Teams were placed in an East vs. West double elimination bracket giving everyone a fighting chance and a complete workout.    “Corn toss is a great physical wellness activity improving one’s balance and core strength.  But it also has tremendous social benefits” says Lauren Kelsheimer, Fitness Manager at Westminster Village Terre Haute.  “I’ve seen so many of our new residents create wonderful friendships through their participation in corn toss.”

The competition is a group effort supported by our friends at NIFS and coordinated by the on-site Fitness Managers: Lauren Kelsheimer of Westminster Village Terre Haute, Lindsay Knox of Marquette, Nate Woodard of Greenwood Village South and Kelsey Vance of Westminster Village West Lafayette.

This year the traveling trophy will go home with “The Holistics” comprised of Jim Hebden and Randy Trowbridge of Marquette (Indianapolis, IN).  Teams will continue to recruit, practice and prepare for the next competition set to take place in the Spring at Greenwood Village South.