What’s New

In a recent post on Safety Matters, the blog for the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia, talked about the simple yet surprising math behind the daily routines of staff at the RK MacDonald.

240 staff, 136 residents, several cats, quite a few birds, and a visiting dog program come together to make up the rich and vibrant community of R. K. MacDonald Nursing Home, fondly known as the RK.

So what’s the biggest safety challenge in this large home that recognizes and appreciates the uniqueness of every person who lives and works there? Essentially, it’s a math challenge!

1. How many residents are in your facility?
2. How many residents in your facility use a mechanical lift (ceiling/hoyer)?
3. Multiply the answer from question #2 by 4 (assumes 4 lifts per day).
4. Multiply the answer from question #3 by 7 (days per week).
5. Multiply the answer from question #4 by 52 (weeks per year).

The answer from question #5 is how many estimated lifts are happening with your staff every year.

At a recent Keeping PACE symposium, Terry MacIntyre, the RK’s Director of Clinical Services, challenged the audience to try the math at their respective homes, because what the math told the RK was that over 150,000 lifts are happening annually.

You can read the entire article on Safety First, the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia’s website.

The RK MacDonald Nursing Home was recognized for a commitment to safety by the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia CEO Stuart MacLean this past May.

Picture courtesy of the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia

You can read the entire article at Safety Matters, the blog on workplace safety over at www.worksafeforlife.ca

The Rk MacDonald is proud to release the annual update to our Strategic Plan for 2017/2018. These directions were created through a community process and capture the voices of residents, families, staff, Board members, volunteers and other community partners. We were excited to embark on this consultation process and the end result is a reflection of both our past and our collective vision for the future.

• You can view the updated Strategic Planning Document 2017/2018
• Download a copy of the updated Strategic Planning Document 2017/2018 in PDF
• Download a copy of the Strategic Planning 2017/2018 Presentation in PDF

The Arts Health Antigonish Arts Canopy project was recently recognized with an artwork unveiling.

A well-attended art unveiling at R.K. MacDonald Nursing Home, Sept. 26, served as an appropriate time to recognize the good work done, as well as continuing efforts of, Arts Health Antigonish’s (AHA) Arts Canopy Project.

“Arts Canopy Project is an Arts Health Antigonish initiative which has helped to bring a number of arts-based projects to people; seniors and other folks, who are living in the community,” program co-ordinator Mary Partridge told the audience gathered for the unveiling, in the front foray of the nursing home on Pleasant Street.

Resident Edgar McPhee recently chatted with Casket reporter Richard MacKenzie about his life long passion for gardening and how he is using his skills to enrich the lives of other Residents.

Edgar McPhee has had a lifelong passion for gardening and he continues to display his green-thumb as a resident at R.K. MacDonald Nursing Home in Antigonish.

McPhee planted vegetables in garden boxes on the home’s grounds, which are at a height he can work with from his wheelchair.

McPhee noted he has been at the R.K. for two years and he has done the gardening both years.
“Last year and again this year,” he said, adding his crops include; “cucumbers, turnip, beans [green and yellow], beets, onion, and tomatoes.”

Asked about his selections, McPhee said they’re choices “we can use” and it’s noted he also shares his produce with some folks outside of the R.K. as well.

You can read the entire article, which was posted on September 8th, on the Casket’s website here.

Teepa Snow, one of the world’s leading educators on dementia, was at the R.K. MacDonald Nursing Home, July 7, conducting a session for healthcare providers on assisting those with dementia.

Chatting with the Casket during a short break in the lively training session, Snow talked about breaking down stigmas around dementia and improving awareness.

“We have to stop acting like this is something weird and unusual; dementia is a part of people’s lives,” Snow said.

“One in five families right now and one in two within 15 to 20 years … it’s everywhere.”

“We have to stop talking like it’s all horrible. It’s hard, we’re not going to say it isn’t, but we have to figure out how to live with it. We’re talking eight to 12 years of symptoms on average. Families are dealing with it and they don’t even know they are dealing with it, which is craziness.”

This excerpt reproduced with permission from the generous staff of The Casket. Read the full piece here.

There will be a Family Council Meeting on Wednesday, May 17th from 3:30pm to 4:30pm at the RK MacDonald Nursing Rhubarb Patch Room.

For more information on the Family Council please click here.

Our celebration of a very special man was recently featured in the The Casket.

   On Jan. 16, Charlie Worth was the guest of honour as he and some family members joined staff and residents of the home for plenty of reminisces and, of course, a lot of laughs.

You can read the full article here on the The Casket’s website.