The long standing, overuse of antibiotics has led to an alarming rate of prevalence of multi-drug resistant bacteria, such as, (MRSA) Methylcillian Resistant Staph Aureus and (VRE) Vancomyacin Resistant Enterococcus.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than half of all antibiotics prescribed are not necessary. Antibiotics do not treat viruses, such as, colds and flu. Antibiotics treat bacterial infections. Antimicrobial stewardship programs promote the appropriate use of antibiotics, improves patient outcomes, reduces drug resistant organisms, and decreases the spread of infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms. Antibiotic overuse contributes to the rapidly escalating problem of Clostridium difficile infection (C-DIFF) C.Difficile causes life-threatening diarrhea.. A 2015 CDC study found that C. difficile caused almost half a million infections among patients in the United States in a single year. An estimated 15,000 deaths are directly attributable to C. difficile infections, making it a substantial cause of infectious disease death in the United States.Urinary Tract Infections are caused by bacteria and are treated with antibiotic medications. Asymptomatic bacteriuria is possibly cloudy or malodorous urine, without accompanying symptoms of a urinary tract infection such as frequent urination, painful urination and fever. Chronic asymptomatic bacteriuria occurs in as many as 50% of the population in long-term care. Bacteriuria is often misdiagnosed as an Urinary Tract Infection and inappropriately treated with antibiotics, putting the person at risk for developing multi-drug resistant organisms and/or C. difficile, among other unwanted side effects.Do your part to decrease your risk of acquiring antibiotic resistant organisms by: Never insist that your doctor prescribe an antibiotic for you*Never take antibiotics for viral infections*Never take antibiotics that were prescribed for someone else*Never take antibiotics that were left over from a previous infection*If antibiotics are prescribed for you, finish them even if you feel betterEditors Note: This article was submitted by Melissa Latham, RN, NHA. Melissa is the Administrator at Larchwood Inns and the PARC and may be reached at 970-245-0022 or by email at melissal@larchwoodinn.com

Antibiotic Stewardship is the active promotion of appropriate antibiotic use to treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics should only be taken when necessary. Like all medication, antibiotics have side effects and sometimes does more harm than good. They may give you a skin rash, allergic reaction, diarrhea, C-Diff (clostridium difficile), yeast infection, or worse, and you will still feel ill. Reactions from antibiotics caused 1 out of 5 medication-related visits to the emergency room.Antibiotics only kill bacteria and cannot treat viral illnesses like a cold or flu. Over-use and incorrect use of antibiotics causes bacteria to become resistant to medications and harder to treat. Not taking antibiotics exactly as prescribed includes stopping them to early, not taking the complete prescription or skipping doses. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) each year, in the United States, at least 2 million people get infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. At least 23,000 people die as a result. Antibiotic-resistant MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staph aureus, is one of the most common. MRSA is the bacteria, Staph aureus which is commonly present on the skin and in the nose and has become resistant to penicillin, amoxicillin, and other antibiotics in that same class.There has been a frequent over-use of antibiotics for treatment of suspected Urinary Tract Infections, or UTIs in older adults. Older adults commonly have bacteria in their urine, but not causing a real infection. Yet there may be complaining of vague symptoms, such as increased confusion, falls, or irritability. The doctor orders a urine test that shows bacteria which leads the doctor to order an antibiotic and the vague symptoms will remain. This has led to the CDC to more specifically define the criteria of diagnosis of a UTI and when a urine test is needed. If needed, and significant for bacteria, a culture is also ordered to define what bacteria is present and what antibiotic would kill that bacteria to ensure treatment with the right antibiotic avoiding use of an antibiotic that would not be effective.Things you can do to minimize unnecessary or incorrect use of antibiotics:Avoid antibiotics when possible.When you have a cough, sore throat or other illness, tell your doctor you only want an antibiotic if necessary.If you need an antibiotic, take it exactly as it is ordered.For more information visit the CDC website Get Smart: Know when Antibiotics Work.Editors Note: This article was submitted by Melissa Latham, RN, NHS, Administrator at Larchwood Inns and the PARC. You can reach her at 970-245-0022 or email Melissa at MelissaL@LarchwoodInn.com

What is Post-Acute Rehabilitation? It is an inpatient center that provides therapies and/or Skilled Nursing.Adults go there to recover from illness, injury, surgery, or other medical conditions following treatment in an Acute Care Hospital. Post-Acute Rehabilitation is a term used interchangeably with Short Term Rehab, Transitional Care Unit and Skilled Nursing Rehab Facility (SNF). These facilities offer many similar services, such as: Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy and Skilled Nursing Services. All centers have a Physician directing care and all must follow the same rules and regulations governed by Medicare. Not all Post-Acute Centers accept Medicaid and/or private insurance.An individuals Medicare benefits begin after a qualifying Acute Hospital stay if skilled services (Therapy and/or Nursing) are needed in order to regain physical health to go home safely. The first 20 days of Post-Acute Rehab is paid for by Medicare without a co-payment. Starting on day 21 there is a co-payment, and, depending on the individuals circumstance, the co-payment is that persons responsibility whether it be paid by the individual themselves, by a secondary insurance, or by Medicaid. It is important to remember that not all Post-Acute Rehabilitations Centers are licensed to take Medicaid. Keeping this in mind, one would want to consider whether aftercare will require only a few days or, in some cases, a month or more in Rehab. (In extreme circumstances, Medicare stays can be as long as 100 days if the individual continues to qualify for skilled services.)Questions to ask: Tour the facilities and take a family member and/or trusted friend with you. Look at the room, dining area, community rooms, and Therapy Facilities. What insurances does the facility accept, and will the facility bill your private insurance? Does the facility accept Medicaid? Very important if you may need extended Rehab. Does the facility offer Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy? Do they have specialized equipment or services? Ask about dining services and whether the facility is able to meet your individualized preferences. Ask to view a menu and you may even want to arrange to eat a meal. What is the facilities Medicare quality (CMS) star rating? Can the facility provide 1st medication dosing on site? Do they bill secondary insurance? What does the facility do to provide an individual plan of care that meets your discharge goals?Editors note: This article was submitted by Melisa Latham, RN, NHA. Melissa is the Administrator at Larchwood Inns and the PARC and may be reached at 970-245-0022 or by email at MelissaL@LarchwoodInn.com.

COVID-19 has forced us all to take a step back and re-evaluate how we manage our lives and our interactions with others. While we all use to be carefree about blowing out candles on a cake, giving hugs with everyone we met, and opening doors without a second thought of washing our hands, we now stop and think twice about what we do. We sing Happy Birthday without candles, we hesitate even before giving a hug to family members and friends, make sure we are in tip top health before hugging our elders, and we carry hand sanitizer so we can sanitize our hands after opening a door to anywhere outside our home. Life has been reshaped by a virus, are getting back to a new, more conscientious normal.They say hindsight is 20/20 but would it not have been nice to know that hand sanitizer sales would go through the roof, so we all could have bought stock! Now we all have our car hand sanitizer, our hand sanitizer wipes we take with us into places to wipe down handles and doorknobs. And those 6 rulers to measure out social distance, although it may be inconvenient, would come in handy to get stuff off the top shelf at stores. Keeping and giving personal space to those around us helps minimize the transmission of airborne viruses of any kind which leads to overall health.For each of us, COVID-19 has at least brought to light, the importance of basic health practices. Washing our hands with either soap and water or using hand sanitizer regularly and liberally is no longer an inconvenience, but rather a comfort knowing we are washing away germs to protect us and others. Giving everyone a little more space and re-evaluating when we go to stores, popular attractions, and highly populated events helps to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses. Stop and think first is the best choice for myself, my family, and our health. We no longer brush off a cough as it is nothing and go about our day. We now evaluate whether or not that cough, sore throat, sniffle, or body ache is something more serious that we could pass to someone. We then make the decision that it is better to stay home and wait for it to pass. Becoming more conscious about how we feel and what it can do to others if we ignore it can help keep our families, our schools, and our community stay healthier and safer.Editors Note: This article was submitted by Corie Scotto, Public Relations at Larchwood Inns and The PARC. She may be reached at 970-245-0022 or by email at: CorieS@LarchwoodInn.comTo Learn More Click: https://www.seniorsbluebook.com/senior-housing/larchwood-inns-and-the-parc-skilled-nursing-grand-junction-co

Our Elders are facing a period were visiting their loved ones puts them at risk. They must battel internally the decision whether to venture out to the store, wrap their arms around their family or stay in their homes and visit thru windows, online meeting groups, or phone calls. These are not easy choices for our Elders to make, but we can do things to help make these choices easier and safer for them. Studies have shown that there are key steps to take to reduce passing COVID-19 onto our Elders. Perform frequent hand washing using hand sanitizers with 70% alcohol or higher. Use Social Distancing wand wear a mask or other face and nose covering, these are key factors to helping reduce the spread of COVID-19. Masks maintain source control and protects others. If we all wear a mask and use social distancing, we can prevent the spread of viruses and protect one another. If you know you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you need to self-quarantine in your home for 14 days. It is still good to quarantine if you have travelled somewhere that has large numbers of COVID-19 or rapidly increasing. Avoid large gatherings and perform self-screening each day including taking your temperature and monitoring for any shortness of breath, change of taste, sneezing, or coughing. Remembering that many people that are spreading the COVID-19 virus has no symptoms. While you are waiting to see if any symptoms develop, stay in close contact with your Elder so they do not worry and know that you are doing these things to help protect them. When they know you are taking extra precautions it helps to support their and your decision on which kind of visit is best. With our elders being the population at greatest risk from COVID-19, they know it may be a life or death situation and knowing their loved ones are taking all precautions to help minimize the risk to their Elder, puts their mind at a greater ease. This Pandemic will be around for several month and if we all get in the habit following these simple guidelines we can really help our Elders and still enjoy all the love, the stories, and those precious moments with them without putting them at risk.Editors Note: This article was submitted by Melissa Latham RN, NHS, Administrator at Larchwood Inns and The PARC. She may be reached at 970-245-0022 or by email at: MelissaL@LarchwoodInn.com