Being Thankful

Those of us fortunate enough to live at Kendal have many things to be thankful for every day.  Celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday last week made me think more about what it is that I have to be grateful for,  For one thing there's the security of knowing that they will take care of me through all of the stages of care which I may need.  That's the benefit of having chosen a continuing care community and not just an assisted living one where I would need to move to another institution if I needed skilled nursing.

I know that Kendal has led the way in freeing patients from restraint and as a retired nurse who once taught geriatric nursing I know how important that is.  They have worked to eliminate not only physical restraints but also chemical restraints.  Freeing patients from restraints makes for much more humane treatment and also recognizes the dignity of each being.  It means a lot to know I won't find myself tied to a chair and forgotten.

Also, as a retired nursing education administrator I know what the accreditation of schools of nursing has done to improve the quality of nursing education.  Thus I appreciate the efforts that Kendal Corporation has put into working towards the improvement of the care of the aging through accreditation which sets standards for care.  I've lived long enough to see the results of these efforts.  Knowing that Kendal strives to go beyond high standards of caring means I have a lot less stress in my life. 

Another thing I appreciate here at Kendal at Granville is not only the big things that make our life easier but the little things that occur.  For example last Friday, I didn't sign up for the bus trip provided for those of us who don't drive and have errands we need to make.  When I asked Amy, our facilities secretary if the bus was going to run, she said, "No one signed up."  When she learned that two of us had something we needed to take care of, she arranged for a driver to take us.

This morning I needed to find out about the results of a lab test for which the blood was drawn last week in anticipation of a followup visit to my endocrinologist.  I had received a copy of part of the results, but part were missing.  I needed to know if it was missing because it wasn't done or I just didn't get a copy of it. I called the wellness clinic and told Marie my story explaining that if it hadn't been done I would need to make arrangements to get it done.   By lunchtime she had tracked down the report which had been done but no copy sent.  She had a copy for me by the time I finished lunch.

It's these kinds of response to needs that make life more pleasant here and makes me be thankful for my life at Kendal every day not just on Thanksgiving.