Celebrate

By Dennis Baloy, OT/DOR, St. Elizabeth Healthcare and Rehabilitation, Fullerton, CA

The acquisition of St. Elizabeth Healthcare and Rehabilitation happened in May 2019. The transition was remarkably successful, but it did not come without challenges. Equipped with knowledge and guidance from our resources, we were ready for the speed bumps ahead — from changing guidelines of our managed care partners, new state and federal regulations to the Star Rating Data, onset of PDPM and many more. Our relentless, action-oriented and fearless yet compassionate leaders, Rand (Administrator) and Mady (Director of Nursing), knew that the only way to achieve these things is staying the course toward our true north — that of providing the best individualized care to all our residents while continuing to embody the CAPLICO values toward one another.

Fast forward to January 2020, when the Department Heads of St. Elizabeth decided to jumpstart the year with a team-building/planning event. In this meeting, they picked the brains of all the adroit minds (fueled with everyone’s genuine love and compassion), and the best ideas in each department were laid down on the table to create a blueprint for “greatness” of St. Elizabeth.

From St. Elizabeth to St. E! Yes, plain and simple St. E!

Why the “E”s? We have narrowed down the core values that each St. Elizabeth employee embodies. They serve as our cornerstones and foundations for each intention and action we make when we go to this second home we call “St. E”!

Excellence. Empathy. Extraordinary. Engaged. Empowered …

Our building was undergoing a considerable renovation (front yard, room renovation, repainting) — an extensive overhaul. We also had a series of fun and educational inservices for all the staff. Keeping the blinders on and riding on this momentum, we were set to relaunch “St. E” to the community this May 2020.

Then COVID-19 came, and the world was shaken.

We paused.

It took only a few moments of realization that all our plans and efforts for our big relaunch were perhaps meant for this. Our facility is more prepared, more reinforced and better structured. The staff’s culture and morale are at an all-time high — bonded tighter than ever.

Yes, it is a different calling now, and everyone is well aware of it. The next few days and weeks will be a grueling test of the core values that is St. E. To say it will be a hard battle is an understatement, but united together we will succeed.

Bottom line is, surely now more than ever, nothing can replace the E’s that all the employees of St. Elizabeth/St. E embody: Excellence, Empathy, Extraordinary, Engaged, Empowered.

Congratulations to Jarrett Henderson, First Place SPARC Winner, and Primo Arredondo, Runner Up! Read their awesome essays below:

Jarrett Henderson, OT (have photo)

Grad Date May 2020, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

While contemplating the “SPARC” program, I started thinking about the origination and culmination of a spark. A high energy source initiates a spark. They can produce a light that can be seen by many, but it also can ignite a flame that can burn bright, providing light, warmth, and means to perform tasks of everyday living. As a future Occupational Therapy (OT) provider, I want to be that energy needed to spark clients to overcome barriers and ignite the fire within to achieve their rehabilitation goals.

When thinking about how I can become this energy source, I realized much of my school experience has already prepared me. If you had the opportunity to sit in my OT classes, you would see my hand regularly raised. I would be asking questions about theories, evaluations, treatments, and current evidence for OT practice. My consistent inquiry for clarification has not only helped me academically but has inspired my work in research, as noted on this application. Whether it is in a classroom, doing research, or with a client, I like to know the “whys.” Wanting to know about the “Whys” helps me better understand and utilize client factors to develop more efficient interventions that will result in better outcomes. For example, when you ask why someone is experiencing paralysis, you get the information needed to select the appropriate evidence-based treatment. If the “why” was not addressed, someone could mistakenly use the theory of motor control to guide the treatment of a peripheral nerve injury. Doing so would lead to disappointment and unmet goals. This kind of defeat is something that cannot be afforded by patients or therapy specialists. I want to help avoid this defeat by continuing to ask the whys in my practice and push a little deeper to help come up with answers to the “hows.” How can this be fixed? How can we do better? How can therapy be more efficient? Below are some of the ways I plan to contribute to this movement.

CONTINUAL LEARNING:

Through fieldwork, I have developed the understanding that education is not only in a classroom, but opportunities to learn are everywhere. Becoming a valuable therapist means I will use patient homes, clinics, and other work environments to continue to develop an understanding of individuals, groups, and the community’s needs. Allowing the world to be my classroom will allow me to cater my skilled therapy services in any setting.

BEING A TEAM PLAYER:

As is commonly stated, Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor was it made by one person. Significant accomplishments are a result of the combined effort of many. During my second year of OT school, I found value in an interdisciplinary approach while participating in the Hotspotting program. This program identified individuals in a specific geographical area that utilized healthcare services more than normal. Once a patient was detected, we created targeted interventions that addressed all client factors with the goal of better health, well-being and reduced healthcare costs. Team members included OTs, SLPs, NPs, RNs, and other health professions; by collaborating with these clinicians, we developed more effective and efficient client-centered interventions that resulted in quantifiable positive outcomes. As I reflect on those outcomes, I have started to interact more with other health professionals. I have come to the belief that I must be an active interdisciplinary team member if I hope to create dynamic approaches to patient care.

ADVOCACY:

I have seen the value therapy brings to rehabilitation and general well-being. Unfortunately, this value is not always recognized, resulting in policy changes that decrease coverage for therapy services like OT. These changes affect patient outcomes and increase medical charges due to such things as hospital readmission. As a future OT practitioner, I will stay current on evidence-based practice and advocate when legislative action is needed. My documentation of patient outcomes will support the need for skilled therapy service and ensure patients’ well-being.

SEARCH OUT NEW TECHNOLOGY:

In the last few years, I have seen the development of 3D printing, AI, biometrics, and now NASA just announced the creation of a supersonic aircraft. Growth with technology is constant. If complacent with incorporating it, rehab treatments will quickly become outdated, resulting in decreased return on client performance and satisfaction. Decreased performance is not why I decided to become an OT. To prevent this, I will be actively engaged in learning about new technology through conferences, expos, and other continuing education courses.

While attending the 2018 and 2019 annual American Occupational Therapy Association conference, I learned about new technology. I had conversations with OTs about how client needs could be met with such technology. By continuing to search out and learn about new technology, I will provide the needed resources to spark change in patients’ lives. These actions are all a part of my drafted professional development plan. I plan to continue to add to this list so I can produce the needed energy to create that “SPARC” and ignite positive change in my patients and future team members. As an upcoming OT, I look forward to creating evidence-based resources, and toolkits, that will support therapy practitioners and patients with a way to reach their goals. If chosen for this award, I would be honored by your support in helping me work towards excellence as an OT, allowing me to continue to provide the needed “SPARC” in our field.

 

Primo Arredondo, PTA

Grad Date: December 2020, Navarro College, Midlothian, TX

My motivation to attend college is to attain the skills necessary to help improve a person’s quality of life. I graduated from Texas Woman’s University with a Bachelor of Science degree and a major in Kinesiology. My plans were to continue with school and earn a master’s degree to become a Physical Therapist. However, after graduating college, I held a job as a Cardiac Tech at a Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Center in Lewisville, TX. Shortly after that, I was fortunate enough to land a job at Lake Village Nursing and Rehabilitation Center as a Rehabilitation Technician.

Becoming a Physical Therapist was no longer in my plans, but rather to become a Physical Therapy Assistant. By becoming a Physical Therapist Assistant, I will be able to advocate for the elderly as well as positively influence their quality of living. I can only imagine how self-rewarding it might be to actually execute your knowledge and skills to improve a patient’s well-being! My passion for learning will ensure that I will stay up to date on new therapy interventions that are most beneficial to my patient population. Also, by acquiring continued education to enhance my professional competence, I will demonstrate accountability as a therapy professional. Only by keeping up with updated literature, current technology, and innovative therapeutic methods will I see the best outcomes in my patients’ rehabilitation.

As I notice changes within Medicare, there are a lot of opportunities for changes in regards to therapy interventions. As group therapy becomes a very resourceful tool in providing therapy interventions, I would expand therapy gyms to better accommodate therapy treatment sessions. It would be high dollars invested; but therapists, the facility, and above all, our patients, will ultimately benefit from this investment. Current literature shows that group therapy increases participation, decreases depression, increases patient motivation, gives patients a sense of inclusion, and improves overall rehab potential and experience.

Evidence-based practice is one of the most fundamental elements that makes a therapist an exceptional clinician. EBP allows a therapist to distinguish from effective therapy interventions and non-effective interventions and implement the most effective to acquire the greatest outcome in therapy rehabilitation. My daily routine will consist of incorporating evidence-based practice to every one of my patient’s cases in order to find the most effective intervention to attain the greatest rehab outcomes. My co-workers’ expertise is also a valuable resource to use to improve patient rehab outcomes. While I grow as a clinician, I look forward to attaining valuable expertise and sharing it with co-workers and patients.

Meet Dora Alvarez, a quiet Tucson superstar who prefers to be out of the spotlight! Dora has been with Sabino Canyon Rehabilitation & Care Center for eight years and loves being able to oversee the wonderful work and dedication her team demonstrates in helping one patient at a time. According to Shelby Donahoo, Tucson therapy resource, Dora has really come into her own in the past year and is one of our strongest therapy leaders in the Tucson market.

Dora was inspired to pursue a career in therapy after her mother’s terminal illness. She wanted to be able to help her mom have the best quality of life possible in the time she had remaining, and therapy was a way in which to accomplish that goal. As a leader, she emphasizes CAPLICO in her department by working with her therapists, facing all challenges as a team and helping her team believe in what they do to help improve the lives of others.

Dora would not change a thing about her demanding job — she believes that all the challenges and successes in the past have been a direct path to the positive place the facility is in now. Her favorite thing about her ED and DON is the trust they have in her as a leader, but from an outside perspective, I think Dora has earned that trust over the past eight years!

On a personal note, Dora’s favorite food is seafood, particularly shrimp and lobster. Her favorite Disney character is Simba from the Lion King because he was given a second chance to make a difference in his kingdom, which then helped him to become a great leader. When she is not working, Dora loves to spend time with her family. If you have met Dora, you might be surprised to know that one of the pastimes she shares with her family is big game hunting and fishing!

By Cathy Champlin DOR, Cedar Health and Rehab, Cedar City, UT

I’m Cathy Champlin, the DOR here at Cedar Health and Rehab in Cedar City, UT. My counterpart is Trent Neilson, the DON here. Cedar was a new acquisition on Jan. 1, 2019. I initially came on board at that time to assist with the transition, with the intention of returning to my home facility after a few months. The DON at acquisition had already given her notice prior to Jan. 1, and the position was temporarily filled by Jeremy Wood, our resource until May when Trent came on board. By the end of January, I had decided to transfer here as DOR and was working closely with Jeremy (and Spencer our ED) on helping to bring CAPLICO to Cedar.

When Trent came on in May, it was a very smooth transition. Perhaps because neither Trent nor I had a long history at the building and were both new in our roles, we were able to help each other without any territorial disagreements. We just put our heads together, bounced ideas off each other and got to work. We have worked hard to ensure that there is no “That’s Nursing’s job” or “I’m the therapist — I don’t do that.” The nurses here are very open to listening when Therapy notices a change in condition, and Therapy does not hesitate to toilet and answer call lights when able.

When asked what our “secret” was, I truly didn’t know. Perhaps, like I said, it was that we were both new to our roles and did not feel the need to “defend our territory” or that we had a similar vision for the building as shared by our ED. I will point out, though, that Trent and I carpooled to work most days for the first six months (45 minutes each way). That much one-on-one time definitely gave us a chance to talk, exchange ideas and get to know each other in a way that just time at work does not offer. So maybe that is the key.

As far as PDPM goes, I feel like we do well working as a team. Trent, Robert (MDS coordinator) and I look at all of the patients together. Trent and Robert have access through iCentra to all of the acute care records for most of our referrals, and I bring in the patient report piece as well from the therapy evals. We hand out assignments and use a color-coded tab system to keep track of where we are on each patient so we don’t waste time re-looking at things. Red is for new and not yet really started, yellow is for still looking for NTAs, but GG, BIMs, etc., are in green for “ready for fine tuning” and white is for sent. We often tease Robert, who gets nervous going to green, that it’s not easy being green!

 
Wishing you the Happiest of Holidays from all the Ensign-affiliated Therapy Teams and Resources!

By Dennis Baloy, DOR/ OTR/L /OTD/s

St. Elizabeth was one of the facilities recently acquired by Ensign in May 2019. Coming in new to the facility as a rehab director in a team that has been together for a significant number of years, I had both feelings of uncertainty and excitement. This was until I met our Director of Nursing, Madelyn Tan. I’ve heard of her reputation to be one of the best in the industry — clinically, operationally and personally. The first time I met her, I instantly felt her warmth and genuine compassion. She openly welcomed me to our team and even prepared and cooked a special chicken dish (which we both grew up eating). Talk about hospitality!

Ever since then, I’ve held the highest regard on how she and our administrator manage the Nursing department and also the entire facility. The collaboration and open discussion during our stand-up meetings are efficient, healthy, and straight to the point and patient-centered. She always upholds the best interests of our residents and staff. Our interactions have always been professional and informative and at the same time enveloped with respect and love.

Early on, we already developed and implemented a robust facility-wide Fall Program that resulted in decreased overall falls. The Rehabilitation team and nurses also conduct a weekly graduation program that celebrates the successes of each resident who go back to the community. Also, both departments hold joint in-services and training for the staff and residents, such as use of correct biomechanics, transfers and RNA training.

With Ms. Mady’s sweet demeanor and strong vision for our facility, together with my creative and go-get-it attitude, Nursing and Rehab’s tandem has never been more fun, efficient and effective!

In St. Elizabeth, the CAPLICO values truly live on!

By Patty Fantauzzo, COTA, CTO, Therapy Program Manager, and Julia Temple Healthcare, Englewood, CO

I often get asked the same question regarding the success of our LTC programming here at Julia Temple. My answer is always the same: You need to have the support of your DON first and foremost. Imagine going to work every day with great ideas for programming. Your Therapy team endorses your great ideas, but frustration sets in when there isn’t any carryover or follow-through after Therapy steps out. The struggle is real and can lead to burnout, not only for DORs, but for therapists as well.

A huge part of our programming success is the result of our DON, Wendy Power, sharing the same goals and seeking the same outcomes as Therapy for our residents. Of course, it’s a two-way street and both the DOR and DON need to be open to hearing the cold hard facts and collaborating on ideas for solutions, whether it be related to a Nursing or Therapy concern. Mutual respect and trusting one another opens the doors for trial and error without judgement on both sides.

Wendy embraces our ideas, and holds all parties involved accountable, including my own team and vice versa. She truly understands that there isn’t just “one way,” especially with regards to our population of residents with dementia and Alzheimer’s, when addressing needs and care. This allows the Therapy team to be creative with treatment approaches and care planning interventions.

Physicians being able to change a DX from “pain” to a sensory integration deficit with DC of pain medication; CNAs providing care without resident resistance; improved QMs, especially related to skin, falls and weights; staff being able to quickly identify and correct resident equipment mix-ups and cognitive abilities — these are just a few of the many important benefits that are a result of Wendy and I working together to ensure our residents and staff have what they need to provide compassionate, effective and quality care to our residents. In the end, it’s the residents who ultimately benefit, which is also a win for Nursing and Therapy.

Our team at Arvada has been such a great learning environment, and I am just happy to be a part of all the exciting things we have been able to achieve in the two years I’ve been working there. Below are the answers to the therapist profile questions.

FYI the picture of me flying is me testing out the comfort level of a new harness system I acquired for our gym.

What inspired you to become a physical therapist?

Unfortunately, I never had a single moment that inspired me to go to PT school and become a therapist. I have always enjoyed teaching others, challenging myself and being active. I began running out of appealing options to pursue with my bachelor’s degree and decided PT school was my last option. Only once I was in PT school did I realize that this profession encompassed all of my passions together and ended up being a perfect fit for me.

What is your favorite thing about your work?

My favorite thing about work is getting to see patients and residents make big breakthroughs in functionality and independence.

How do you stay motivated and passionate about what you do?

My patients are my motivators. This profession allows me to have a front-row view of how fragile our health is and how most of us, including myself, take that for granted in our younger years. Knowing that I play a large role in helping my patients regain their independence is a very rewarding and humbling feeling that fuels my passion and motivation.

What is one thing you would change about your job if you could?

More vacation days!

What is one thing that would surprise people to know about you?

I used to have a mohawk in high school.

What is your favorite Disney character, and why?

Nemo because that was my nickname when I was younger.

What makes your team at Arvada special?

Our Therapy team is truly incredible for many reasons, but the thing that stands out most to me is our ability to effectively create a laid-back, comical, approachable and professional environment that helps us be so successful. We really get along well and enjoy our time together.

What is your favorite core value in CAPLICO, and why?

My favorite core value is easily customer second! When I was first introduced to CAPLICO, that core value really stood out. It was backwards from the popular phrase “The customer is always right.” After putting some thought to it, I realized its brilliancy. Health care professionals play a vital role in society and subject themselves to stressful and emotional situations every day. We must make sure that each and every day we offer the best versions of ourselves to our co-workers, patients, families, etc. The only way to offer the best version of ourselves is to make our own health and well-being the top priority. Customer second really captures this philosophy.

Why is Colorado the best state to live in?

Colorado is the best state to live in because of the mountains. This state is a gigantic playground for all outdoor enthusiasts such as myself.

What is your favorite way to spend time when you are not working?

I try to spend all of my free time outdoors. The more physically and mentally challenging the activity, the better.

By Jamie Funk, Therapy Recruiting Resource

I am pleased to introduce Kelsey Martindale, a physical therapist who has been a key member of the therapy team at St. Joseph Villa in Salt Lake City for the past two years. “Kelsey is passionate about making the lives of our LTC residents better. She loves to work with neuro patients, especially those with Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. She takes our core value of celebration seriously and likes to plan events and parties for our team outside of work. She is flexible, kind, giving, generous and considerate. She is part of what makes me want to come to work every day,” says Lisa Brook, our dedicated and passionate rehab director at SJV.

Kelsey graduated from the University of Utah’s DPT program and was inspired to become a therapist while working in a store selling running shoes. She enjoyed working with people on biomechanics and injury prevention. Simultaneously, she was going to a physical therapist for treatment and realized that PT would be a challenging career that would allow her to grow and continue to learn.

Kelsey loves her team at SJV. “I feel like we are all unique individuals who have a special way of working together. There is a fundamental undercurrent of serving each other and our residents. We can take on a task easily and meet our goals and expectations, but this ultimately is not the driving force of our job. We do well because of who we are as people, not because we are obsessed with matrix. Everyone has it in them and wants to be here every day,” she explains. “If I could change one thing about my job it would be to spend more time with my patients and less time in documentation — and to know what happens to the patients that we work so hard with once they leave SJV.”

Patient care, hugs, gratitude from patients, helping people know they are not alone, and knowing that she can make a difference even if it is small help Kelsey stay energized and passionate about her work. Kelsey has an amazing 6-year-old daughter who she loves to spend time with when she is not at work. She also enjoys traveling, watching sports and spending time with people she cares about. She says she is not a homebody! Her favorite Disney character is Mulan because she rose above everyone’s expectations of her and was strong, powerful and beautiful all at the same time.

Kelsey’s favorite thing about being part of our organization is that the people here want to be here. The culture of caring, celebrating and working together is present every day and in every meeting. “Celebration is valued here and our facility is especially great in all areas of CAPLICO,” she says.

Kelsey believes that she is the very best version of herself when she is at SJV working with her colleagues and residents.