/ By St. William's Living Center / Employment • Skilled Nursing/ 0 Comments

Reward Yourself: How to Become a Certified Nursing Assistant

How rewarding is your career?

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to change things up, it’s important to find something that keeps you motivated. You want a job that provides stability and offers the opportunity for advancement. And everyone deserves a career that makes them smile!

We just happen to know of a career that wraps all those things up into one, easily-obtainable package. Becoming a certified nursing assistant (CNA) means you can have a real impact on people’s lives. 

In this article, we’ll give you the scoop on how to become a CNA and why you need to do it now! 

What is a Certified Nursing Assistant?

CNAs are what make a nursing home run smoothly. They tackle the day-to-day needs of the residents. 

As a CNA, you’ll help residents take care of themselves by providing physical and emotional assistance. Typical duties include helping residents move around their rooms and the living center. This often includes bringing them to and from activities and therapy sessions. 

You’ll also help deliver meals, feed those who can’t feed themselves, and record daily food intakes. Many residents need help with basic hygiene, so you’ll help with bathing, brushing teeth, and brushing hair. You may also be in charge of preparing rooms for new admissions and resupplying the rooms of current residents. 

Plus, you’ll be there to answer resident questions and respond when they need help. It’s your job to make their days easier and more comfortable. 

Why YOU Should Consider Becoming One

There’s nothing more fulfilling than helping those in need. The nursing home residents depend on CNAs to help them live fuller lives. That makes your job one of the most important jobs on the planet!

You’ll get to see people recover from injuries and cheer them on as they reach their goals. You’ll hear about their lives, their children, their grandchildren. And you’ll learn to love the people you care for. It’s an incredibly rewarding experience!

Plus, there’s always a need for CNAs, so the job stability is second-to-none. And there’s plenty of room to move up in the field. 

Many CNAs continue their education and get a higher nursing degree. Working as a CNA gives you the real-world experience that other nursing candidates may not have. Plus, you’ll receive a full list of benefits including health insurance, dental insurance, and scholarships. 

Here’s How…

The best part about starting a career as a CNA is that it’s not a difficult field to get into. Start by enrolling in an approved nursing assistant course at a 2-year technical college. Alexandria Technical and Community College and Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Wadena are two local options. 

Programs like these will usually require a background check and tuberculosis skin test before you start. And you must be over the age of 16 with a valid ID card. The course takes about 84 hours to complete and will give you everything you need to become a successful CNA. 

At the end of the course, you’ll take your certification exam. The exam consists of a written exam with multiple-choice questions. This is followed by a skills exam where you’ll demonstrate the CNA skills you’ve learned in the training program. 

Another option is to take a test out challenge. This involves taking the test without completing the course beforehand. You’ll be able to review a handbook prior to the exam and take a practice exam online before you take the actual exam. 

Ready for a Rewarding Career? Become a CNA

Becoming a certified nursing assistant is one of the most rewarding decisions you can make. You’ll find that being a CNA offers you the job stability and growth potential you’re looking for. And you’ll have the opportunity to help others in the process. It’s a win-win scenario!

At St. William’s Living Center, we care about our employees. Visit our Career Page to learn more about all the opportunities available for your next career!

Chronic Pain
/ By St. William's Living Center / Healthy Living • Mental Health/ 0 Comments

How To Seek Treatment

Although there are lots of children, adolescents and adults who experience some type of mental health problem in their lives, they can oftentimes work through it with time and good support from others. However, if the symptoms linger and don’t improve or become more severe and it is impacting their ability to get through the day, getting professional help may be the next best course of action.

Warning signs for children and adolescents include slipping grades, difficulty getting along with other students or friends, getting into fights, having difficulty with authority figures, school absences, difficulty concentrating, isolating, fighting with family, difficulty controlling mood swings, thoughts of running away or wanting to die, substance abuse and much more. Children are more apt to show that they are struggling by acting out as they don’t necessarily have the ability to communicate what is wrong.

For adults, symptoms are similar but cater to those in the adult world. They can show their struggles through poor work performance, irregular attendance, problems with the boss, a bad attitude, moodiness or are easily offended on the job. Then there are those who have difficulty with increased/decreased sleeping and eating, racing thoughts or difficulty concentrating, motivational problems with uncompleted household tasks, increased relationship problems with family or friends, inability to leave the house or suffer with panic attacks, come up with blanks on positive thinking, feeling hopeless, helpless or worthless, getting in trouble with authorities or having anger problems, struggle with nightmares or flashbacks from previous trauma, and/or are abusing alcohol or other substances by trying to escape from emotional pain. There is a whole host of mental health issues that are not listed here but cause significant difficulty and impact the ability to function in our day-to-day routines. When there are problems getting through the day or a large part of our world is falling apart, it may be time to ask for professional help.

Oftentimes, those suffering from mental health problems visit their physician and discuss their concerns. Psychotropic medications may be considered if it appears that the patient would benefit from such. Oftentimes, physicians also refer patients to a mental health provider as medications may reduce symptoms but does not help the patient deal with the underlying problems that need resolve or teach coping skills. There are some insurance companies that require a physician referral for mental health services, but most don’t. Most insurances help pay for mental health treatment but it is a good idea to check with them about coverage. Individuals also seek mental health treatment on their own or self-refer, in addition to social workers, ministers, employers, family members or friends.

Usually, the initial stage of treatment is meeting with a mental health professional who can be found at nearly all mental health clinics. Usually, the mental health professional meets with the client and learns about the client’s symptoms as well as gains a well-rounded picture of the client’s situation and history. All information shared is confidential with very few exceptions of which the client will be made aware in privacy documents reviewed at intake.

Once the mental health professional has met with the client 1-2 times, they complete a Diagnostic Assessment, a summary of findings that includes treatment options most recommended for that individual. Mental health treatment encompasses a wide range of services based on need. For example, an individual may be recommended to receive psychotherapy in the office or outreach services in their home, if eligible. More intensive services are also offered if an individual is experiencing more serious symptoms, such as psychiatric consultation, case management, psychological testing, psychiatric hospitalization, crisis services, or other placements. The client is free to determine their level of involvement in the services recommended, unless they are at imminent risk of hurting themselves or others. A treatment plan is oftentimes devised in coordination with the client to reduce symptoms and improve their ability to function better in their life. Although it may be nerve-racking to disclose personal parts of yourself, it also helps to know that it is the beginning process of dealing with the problems that keep on interrupting your life. You don’t have to be an island. There is evidenced-based professional treatment that can help!

For more information please visit our mental health services page.

Claudia Liljegren, MSW, LICSW
Mental Health Professional
St. Williams Mental Health

/ By St. William's Living Center / Assisted Living • Healthy Living/ 0 Comments

Activities for Seniors: A Day in the Life of an Assisted Living Resident

Where will you live during your golden years?

Senior living is about so much more than location. It’s about finding a balance between community involvement and personal time. And finding a balance between the necessary level of care and the freedom to come and go as you please. 

If you’re looking into post-retirement living options, it’s time you consider assisted living! It’s a customizable option to find the balance you’re looking for.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the activities for seniors available at McCornell Court, St. William’s assisted living facility. And we’ll show you what a day in the life of an assisted living resident really looks like.

Morning Activities for Seniors

Breakfast is served! It is the most important meal of the day, after all. Start your day off right with a delicious breakfast in the facility’s community dining room. 

When you choose assisted living, cooking is optional. The dining hall offers lots of breakfast options to go with any diet. Get the morning meal you want without having to deal with groceries and kitchen clean up. 

And there’s always plenty of hot coffee! Get to know your neighbors while you enjoy mid-morning coffee in the common rooms. If you prefer to take your coffee alone, you can always have a cup outside on the patio. And during the winter, lounge in front of the fireplace with a good book. 

Physical activity is important to keep you aging gracefully. Walk off your breakfast by taking a stroll around the campus. Or work in the raised, community garden during the summer. In the winter months, try out the fitness center instead. And if you’re not quite as mobile as you used to be, you can opt to have outpatient physical therapy on site. 

Not only can you get physical therapy, but you can also arrange to have medical visits at the assisted living facility. Schedule your eye doctor or your podiatry appointment on site. You can even have lab work done or have your dental checkup done right here.

Relax or Ramp-up Your Mid-Day

At St. Williams, there’s always something to do. You’ll receive a copy of the activities calendar every month. Plan ahead or go with the flow! 

Invite your family to have lunch with you in the dining hall. There’s plenty of room to entertain even the largest families. Then, after lunch, head out to the afternoon activity in the nursing home next door. 

Afternoon activities include bingo, dice games, and trivia. Join in for the community happy hour. Or visit the salon for a manicure.

Of course, you can always choose to take it easy. The best part about assisted living is that home is always just a few steps away. Opt for an activity one day and a nap the next day. The choice is yours!

An Evening to Remember

Every evening, the dining hall serves a soup and salad bar to go with your meal. Eat early then head out of the campus to watch the high school football game. 

We offer bus outings to many of the local community events as well. Enjoy live music at the hall. Or sign up for the evening boat ride. 

If you’re not big on social events, choose to stay at home. Because you’re living in your own apartment, you can stay up as late as you like. Whether you’re “early to bed, early to rise” or a true night owl, assisted living offers you flexibility in your sleep schedule. 

Assisted Living: The Golden Ticket to Your Golden Years!

Assisted living offers you a living situation that’s as unique as you are. At McCornell Court, we offer plenty of activities for seniors. So there’s always something to do or someone to talk to.

We offer a customizable level of care that changes as you do. Let us take care of the mundane aspects of life like housekeeping, cooking, and lawn maintenance. Enjoy your golden years.

Contact us today to learn about all the services we offer at St. William’s Living Center and McCornell Court!

/ By St. William's Living Center / Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy/ 0 Comments

Fall Protection for Rehab

Here is one of our new pieces of equipment that we now have available in our new Outpatient therapy clinic. 

There are many different types of patients who could benefit from using the Solo-Step such as:

-Neurological Disorders
-Balance Disorders
-Geriatrics
-Bariatrics
-Pediatrics
-Amputees
High Performance Athletes (ACL tears)
-Adaptive Athletes
-Anyone at risk of falling

/ By St. William's Living Center / Mental Health/ 0 Comments

WHEN IT DOESN’T COME EASY

When you are feeling bad and are struggling with life, you are not alone. Everyone experiences emotional anguish sometimes. It’s one of those human experiences we are likely not able to avoid in our lifetime. 
However, when the pain becomes really tough or too long-lasting, it is time to do something about it. When life gets hard, you have to figure out what you can do to make it better. Sometimes you can change your circumstances so that your situation is better. Most times, you have to accept your situation and learn how to change your train of thought or challenge your thinking so that you can modify your mood and actions. 
What is the connection between our thoughts, feelings and actions? Oftentimes, how we interpret our thoughts has a significant effect on our emotions, including emotions that are painful as well as pleasant. For example, if you think that your husband doesn’t love you because he didn’t get you anything for your birthday, you are setting yourself up for a downward spiral of depression and resentment. However, if you think that your husband shows his love in many different or spontaneous ways, not including times you expect acknowledgement, you are likely to be less disappointed if he doesn’t come through. Changing how you think can significantly alter how you feel. 
Most of us can’t change our feelings unless we change what we think. I can ask you to feel “happy” right now, but it is unlikely to happen unless you think of something that makes you happy. On the other hand, sometimes our feelings come from nowhere, like a panic attack, and we can’t think of any thought that may have brought on the emotion. When this occurs, you can choose to change how you think to help better manage your anxiety and realize that the panic is simply an autonomic response telling you to better manage your stress level; or you can let your emotions run the show to a point in which you are convinced that you will die, have a heart attack or go crazy because of the panic attack. Again, how you think about the panic attack makes a difference in how you cope with it. 
The same goes with excessive worriers who ruminate about something they have no control over. Once they realize that they need to challenge those thoughts to stop their unnecessary worrying, they may be able to “let go” of what they can’t control and have room to take a breath and enjoy the moment. 
Sometimes, thoughts and emotions spiral down to a point that is difficult to break the fall. However, changing your actions may then be a positive step to regain some control. For example, even if you don’t feel like it, go for a walk, take a hot bath, watch a good movie, smile even if you don’t want to, or do something fun; all of which help you get a better perspective. 
Helping yourself by using your thoughts to change your moods or using your actions to help both your moods and thoughts are good starters when life gets tough. Of course, getting out of a bad mood takes lots of will power and motivation, but it just may be worth it when things don’t come so easy. 

Claudia A. Liljegren, MSW
Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
St. Williams Mental Health Services

claudia@stwilliamslivingcenter.com

Phone: 218-338-5945