As many of you already know I have accepted a new position at Harbor Crest Home as their Director of Nursing. It seems the Lord has been grooming me for the past three years to be where I am today. I have spent the past three years as a member of the Board of Directors at Harbor Crest. While serving in that capacity I also worked full time for the past year at another nursing facility, learning admission screening skills, marketing, and community awareness projects.

Harbor Crest has undergone some administrative changes in the past two years. We are finally headed forward to provide improved comprehensive care for our Residents and their loved ones. Our new Administrator, Myra Chattic, has been involved with several other community members in establishing the new Senior Center located in the old fire station.

I am so proud to be part of our Church family, the community of Fulton, and the Harbor Crest family. If I am able to assist you in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Marie, Parish Nurse

Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD, is a form of depression that appears at the same time each year, usually in the winter. It is often confused with the depression that a vast majority of us suffer around the holiday season each year. Depression sufferers experience symptoms year round with no obvious pattern of relief. A person with SAD or depression may have a few or all of the following symptoms:

•         Loss of energy

•         Changes in mood

•         Difficulty concentrating

•         Appetite changes and weight gain

•         Changes in sleep patterns

Like depression, SAD can be treated with the help of your doctor. Once you are diagnosed with SAD, your doctor may prescribe antidepressants for the months you need them. Another treatment option is light therapy. Light therapy uses a special light panel or box that mimics the light from the sun. A patient sits in front of the box for an average of 45 minutes a day and glances at the box to absorb light through his or her retinas. Light therapy only works for someone with SAD and generally has no impact on the symptoms of someone with depression. Talk to your doctor about getting screened for SAD or depression if you recognize these symptoms in yourself or a family member. 

Marie, Parish Nurse

Taken from the internet:

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu).

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt)... *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected o ne. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method. 4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.* Neti pots and sinus rinse kits are available at the drug store and relatively inexpensive..under $15.

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc20 to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.