Keep The Faith Magazine Features KFH
Thinking of retiring to the Caribbean? Keep The Faith Magazine recently featured Ken Health Care’s Lyn Kennedy-McKenzie for an interview on retirement and the implications for those who are aged and their famillies.
Click on the link Keep the Faith April to read the article. We’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on the issues the article raises so please use the comment box beneath the article to tell us what you think. We hope that each person reading the article finds it helpful and food for thought. Happy reading!
Ken Health Care’s Lyn Kennedy-McKenzie on Honouring Our Fathers (and Mothers)
This week, I had cause to review an article in the Gleaner on the plight of the nation’s seniors, some of whom are simply dumped by relatives in nursing homes. Written just two years ago in 2008, the article brought into stark focus the fact that many elders are regarded as surplus to requirement by family members and are consequently deprived of loving care and attention by their own kin.
Avia Collinder wrote in the article: ‘Many of the nation’s elderly, placed in the care of nursing homes, are living very lonely lives. In many cases their relatives have completely passed on the burden of care to others. The monthly fees are paid, but there are no visits, letters, cards or phone calls. In fact, the less money the home costs, the less the care and interest shown by relatives.’
What a sad indictment on our society that while we honour active and good fathers, there is a pervasive attitude of forgetfulness and dismissiveness towards the seniors of the nation – the elder generation of fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers, many of whom have been the cornerstones of our extended family units, upon whose shoulders we stand.
At Ken Health Care, I’m glad to say that most of our residents have loving families who do all they can to let their relative know that they are not alone, even if visitation is not possible because of distance and time. We also ensure that our home is sociable, with fun, stimulating and social activities and visits from members of our surrounding community and of course, our clients have the loving care and 1-2-1 attention from our staff team. The interaction is invaluable – daily socialisation is a necessary antidote to combat loneliness but nothing beats the glow of satisfaction on a client’s face when he or she receives a birthday telephone greeting, a Father’s or Mother’s Day card or a letter from a family member. It’s heartbreaking when this doesn’t happen.
As Father’s Day 2010 is marked in Jamaica and throughout the world, we at Ken Health Care salute those fathers who have made contributions and in many cases sacrifices for the benefit of their families and or society. It is a blessing and a privilege to be able to care for our senior male residents, some of whom are fathers. But even if they are not, we still regard them as respected elders and we wish them a ‘Happy Father’s Day!’
Positively Blooming!
Many who pass through Ken Healthcare’s gates will attest to the fact that the house sits within beautifully picturesque grounds. And in deep summer, there’s no better time to stop and ’smell the [KHC] roses’.
One of the things that KHC founder, Lyn Kennedy-McKenzie finds particularly rewarding is her role as ‘head gardener’. She says:
“I’ve always seen beauty in flowers and natural fauna and to a certain extent I wanted to bring with me a little of my English country garden to this place, which I have done. ” Read more
A New-Look KHC Website Unveiled
Out with the old but in with the new, the new website is now here!
We hope you find all that you’re looking for on our new-look website to learn about Ken Health Care and our quality client care. With regular news, photos and opinion pieces, we hope you’ll enjoy checking in with Ken Health Care online from time to time.
But more than that, we would really like you to tell us what you think about the website or to comment on any opinion articles you see. Please do spread the word about the new website.
The KHC Team
Red Cross Gives Kiss of Life
Ken Health Care has recently become the proud recipient of accreditation in First Aid by the Jamaica Red Cross with every single KHC staff member now fully certified to give first aid.
Staff at every level have completed 14 hours of intensive basic training spread across several modules with practical exercises on recognising and responding to emergency situations and determining safe response.
Lyn Kennedy-McKenzie said: “Although it’s not mandatory for care homes in Jamaica to have first aid trained staff our senior staff members were already trained. However, making sure that all the staff are certified First Aiders was important as it’s a tremendously valuable skill. It means that in an emergency situation, any of our staff members – even support staff – can appropriately and confidently respond until the paramedics arrive.”
The training itself was challenging but the staff have received maximum benefit and enjoyment from doing it. The Jamaica Red Cross is one of the leading organizations for disaster response in Jamaica. First aid and CPR training, relief services and distribution, disaster management, water safety training and community based disaster preparedness are just some of the services offered by the Red Cross. Mrs Kennedy-McKenzie continued: “We’re unusual in the care home sector as most homes do not have first aiders let alone an entire staff team who can administer first aid. But if it saves a life, it’s well worth it and we will continue to invest in this type of training for our staff.”
Perseus Whiskers Birthday Approval
Ken Health Care resident, Perseus celebrated his 2nd birthday in April!
Daily stalking the grounds to survey his kingdom, Perseus is a much loved addition to life at KHC although he has little time for some of the humans and simply disdains Knock Patrick district’s other cats. But to celebrate his coming of age, KHC’s graceful feline was given a special treat of dried roast chicken pieces and a new toy mouse.
He loved the chicken but in true “terrible two’s” toddler style, he’s destroyed the toy in favour of playing with residents’ belongings! We’ll be sure to keep you up to date with our favourite feline’s adventures!
