Archive for category: Advena Living Communities

Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system. They are responsible for so many things to ensure people are happy, healthy and on the way to healing. For National Nurses Week, we want to thank all of our wonderful nurses at Advena Living for their commitment and dedication.

Did you know that National Nurses Week starts on May 6^th and ends on May 12^th, which is Florence Nightingale’s birthday? That is one of the many interesting and fun facts about nursing.

Here are 5 other tidbits we learned this week:

The Lady with the Lamp

Florence Nightingale was best known as the founder of modern nursing, according to History.com. But getting there wasn’t without challenges. As part of an affluent family during the Victorian Era, Nightingale was forbidden by her parents from pursing nursing because it was considered low-class at the time. Despite their objections, she continued to follow her calling.

She earned the nickname “Lady with the Lamp” during the Crimean War, when she would check on patients at night carrying her lamp.

The Symbolic Nursing Cap

Nursing apparel certainly has changes from the days of a crisp white dress and the symbolic white nurse’s cap. The cap is thought to have evolved from a nun’s habit as a head covering, and later became a “hallmark of the profession,” according to researchers from americannursinghistory.org.

Eventually, nursing caps became obsolete because they were uncomfortable, hard to keep clean, and because of gender biases.

Nurses, the TV Show

Nurses was the first primetime medical drama to feature nurses. The series ran from 1962 to 1965 and was a spinoff of the show Empty Nest, which was a spinoff of Golden Girls. Since then, there have been many dramas set in the hospital that blur the lines between reality and fiction.

These Shoes Were Made for Walking

If you’re a nurse, you better get out your pedometer. This study found nurses walk a whopping 4-5 miles during an average 12-hour shift. For comparison, most Americans walk about half that in 18 hours.

Rise to the Top

When it comes to professions, nursing continues to be at the top of US News & World Report’s 100 Best Jobs for paying well, opportunities for professional advancement and satisfying work/life balance.

About Advena Living

At Advena Living, we support our team members in developing professionally and we strive to be a company where people choose to work. We take pride in shaping our organizational culture to support and appreciate all employees. At our core, we believe every person who works and lives in our communities has value.

We are always looking for dedicated people to join and grow with our team. Those individuals should be passionate and committed to providing quality care and enriching the lives of all community members.

Advena Living offers skilled nursing, rehabilitation and assisted living services at multiple locations in Kansas.

To apply, click here.

This time of year, you may be a little moodier, have a lack of energy, or feel disconnected from others. You’re not alone. Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a common type of depression that happens around the winter months. According to the Mayo Clinic, other symptoms can include irritability, difficulty concentrating, weight gain, sleeping too much and feeling hopeless. While there isn’t a specific way to prevent SAD, an easy and inexpensive way to manage symptoms is with light therapy.

Using Light Therapy to Treat SAD

Phototherapy or light therapy is an effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder.

Dr. Craig Sawchuk, a Mayo Clinic psychologist, says light therapy affects brain chemicals that are linked to mood and sleep by giving off a light that is similar to natural outdoor light. He recommends using a 10,000-lux light box or lamp for 20 minutes within an hour of waking up.

“You don’t have to stare directly at the light, but you want to keep your eyes open,” suggests Dr. Sawchuk. He recommends people eat breakfast or read the paper near the light.

 

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Talk to your doctor if you are feeling the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder and want to consider phototherapy. In most cases, SAD symptoms often fade around spring or summer.

At Advena Living, we know how difficult these cold winter months can be. We encourage our community members to get involved with social activities and get some vitamin D when the weather permits.

 

About Advena Living

Advena Living communities offer long-term care, skilled nursing and assisted living services at multiple locations in Kansas. We are dedicated to the vision that each person has value, and we should honor their individual choices. Even in a heavily regulated environment, Advena Living understands the importance of making home a real thing. We do this through the pursuit of person-centered care, the preservation of autonomy, and participative decision-making throughout the organization.

When a person moves into one of our Advena Living communities, our goal is to welcome them and their family as new members of our extended family. We work hard to accommodate what they want their schedule to be and what choice they want to make.