Chipley Kiwanis Club Weekly Luncheon - Tuesday, January 6, 2010

Contributed by Steve Mason, Kiwanis Club Publicity Committee

Kiwanis hears from Washington Rehab & Nursing Center  

On Tuesday, January 5^th, of the Chipley Kiwanis Club, Mr. Wesley Stucki, Key Club Lt. Govenor announced that a Division 1 & 2 Zone Rally will be held at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville on January 30, 2010 at 8:30 A.M.  Mr. Stucki also reported that both the Vernon Key Club, of which he is a member, and Chipley Key Club are doing well. 

The program was presented by Mr. Will Blank, Administrator of Washington Rehab & Nursing Center (shown at right).  Following the showing of a short video about the Center, Mr. Blank discussed operations at the Rehab Center.  

At the Rehab Center, staff provides care for the resident that most families cannot provide.  . Care is given for folks from ages 40 to the 90’s.  Emphasis is placed on improving quality of life.  Examples given included: weekly karaoke , a resident trip to Washington, D.C., an outing to swim with dolphins, resident helicopter rides, classes by a staff gardener, and a cooking club.  The gardener involves the residents in project to decorate the facility The staff accompanies residents on outings such as  movies and  ball games.  Whatever the residents would like to do, the staff tries to provide.

In May, 2009, the Rehab Center received a deficiency free survey.  Two years ago, the facility was a two star building with low occupancy.  The staff began processes to improve the facility and increase resident quality of life and quality of care by increasing the level of care to the residents.  Washington Rehab is now a four star facility.    One hundred fifty of the staff are direct care-givers. 

The Rehab Center offers a number of medical services, some of which are not available in other nursing facilities.  These include IV Therapy, Wound Care on-site by a physician, full-time Respiratory Therapy.  The therapy staff has been doubled to ten staff members to provide comprehensive physical, occupational and speech therapy.  Speech therapy includes Bio-Stem, which is electrical stimulation to the laryngeal muscles.  This is a specialized treatment which requires specialized training for the speech therapist and which is not available in other area nursing facilities.  The Rehab Center has also developed a sensory stimulation room for dimentia residents. 

Washing Rehab & Nursing Center is the only rehab and long-term facility in Washington County, and one of the few in the state of Florida to receive a deficiency free survey in 2009.  The facility employees approximately 220 employees with a $5 Million payroll. 

The next Kiwanis event is the Kiwanis Pancake Sale.  It will be held on Thursday, June 10^th, 2010.