Thanksgiving Food Safety

It's the start of another holiday season so to get it going in the best way possible let's talk about food.

We all love to enjoy a holiday feast but when food is not prepared with care the feast can cause food borne illnesses that can be severe or life threatening to our elderly or frail residents.  According to the FDA there are 4 things to remember to prevent food borne illness.

1.  Keep it CLEAN! - Make sure hands, utensils and prep surfaces are constantly kept clean.

2. SEPARATE Foods! - Do not allow bacteria to cross contaminate from raw foods to prepared foods.

3. COOK it Through! - Make sure cooked foods, especially meat and poultry, are cooked to the proper temperatures.  Turkey should be 165 degrees internal temperature.

4. Don't Forget to CHILL! - Refrigerate leftovers quickly!  Bacteria grows fast at room temperature. 

One more tip. Do not stuff your turkey.  Stuffing is the leading cause of food borne illness on Thanksgiving.  Why?  This is classic cross contamination.  In most cases the stuffing does not reach 165 degrees so it's an ideal spot for bacteria to grow.  It's safer to cook your stuffing in a casserole dish. 

Here's a stuffing recipe and a related article.

One more stuffing recipe for fun!

When the food is on the table have a glass of wine.

For more Food Safety info click these links!

1. Countdown to Thanksgiving    
2. Seasonal Food Safety 
3. Cooking for Groups  
4. What to do in an Emergency 
5. Don't Forget the PIE! (Safety related - because it's not safe for the cook to forget the pie.  There could be a revolt.)  

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2012 - 2013 Flu Season

As we enter into the 2012-2013 flu season I just wanted to put out a reminder to get your flu shots.  Most Walgreens, CVS, and Wal-Mart stores have flu shots available without an appointment.  Some pharmacies will even come to your facility to provide them to your staff and residents.  The cost is minimal.  Usually between $20-$30.  Look for local clinics for the best deals.   

 

Please use the following resource from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to educate yourself, your staff, and your visitors.

What You Should Know for the 2012-2013 Influenza Season 

 

Have you or your staff gotten a flu vaccination?  Let us know.  Leave a comment on our Facebook page.

Loss of Balance, Not Slips/Trips, is Leading Cause of Falls in Elderly

A recent study which utilized video footage of elderly individual's accidental falls has concluded that loss of balance is the leading cause of falls in the elderly.  Tripping came in at number 2.  The reason for the loss of balance is the remaining question.  The study suggests that it could be as simple getting folks to use a walker or cane.  This sounds like common sense to me, but how do you convince someone that they must use a device for balance?  Maybe you have an idea.  Read the article here then leave a comment on our Facebook page.

Here's the NPR article.
Here's a link to the original article.

New Alzheimer's Drug

This was all over the news last night and this morning.  A recent study aimed to target the removal of Beta Amyloid, which is the protein in the brain believed to be the cause of Alzheimer's disease, has shown some encouraging results.  So far, it appears that the drug solanezumab can slow the progression of Alzheimer's in mid-stage patients.  In an earlier trial the drug had no effect on late stage patients but in the second trial it slowed the progression by 20%.  Please read these related articles.

Wall Street Journal - New Data Released on Lilly Alzheimer's Drug

USA Today - Alzheimer's drug shows positive results in mild cases

Chicago Tribune - Alzheimer's drug shows promise

Total Care Addendum

I have been getting a lot of questions on the Total Care Addendum, which is to be added to your Hospice Waiver.  The Total Care Addendum replace the requirement to request an exception for a "prohibited health condition".  The new addendum should be completed and sent into your local LPA.  You can ask for up to the same amount of residents as you have your Hospice Waiver approved for. 

The following is where you can find the updated information in the Evaluator's Manuel.

http://www.ccld.ca.gov/res/pdf/10rcfe04.pdf