Inside this issue:
With nearly 700 employees, we thought that we could use the newsletter to get to know each other a little better.
Anne Augsburger will be interviewing two employees each month and you can read their responses in the new "Get to Know a State Op-er" column.
Meet Sandy Rowell
Her first victim, I mean interviewee, was Sandy Rowell, because she was the loudest in protesting this idea. She came to SOCP from Fairview Training Center, she has worked at Oak, Macleay, Dallas, Tigard, Willamina, Brooks, Wasco, Eliot, Hampden and she is currently working out of class as a program manager. Here are Anne's questions and Sandy's responses:
- How long have you worked for State Op? 8 years, Sandy took a year off to go riding around the country.
- What is your favorite movie? Open Season.
- What's the last book that you read? Doesn't have time to read.
- Do you have any pets? A Pekinese named Mugs.
- What's your favorite ice cream? Rocky Road.
- Do you have a hobby? Grandkids and crocheting.
- What's your favorite part of your job? The variety - it's never the same.
- What are you listening to in your car on your way to work? K106.7 - Oldies.
- Where did you go on your last vacation? Seaside and it snowed.
- If you had to be someone on Gilligan's Island, who would it be? Sandy would better match Mary Ann, but she would rather be the Skipper.
Meet Juanita Clark
The second person Anne interviewed just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. She was in the hallway of Bittern when we realized we had a deadline. Her name is Juanita Clark and she also came to SOCP from Fairview Training Center. She has worked almost 11 years at the Cade home in Keizer.
- How long have you worked for State Op? Juanita started in September 1996, and has worked at the Cade home her entire career.
- What is your favorite movie? The Notebook .
- What's the last book that you read? The Faith of the Fallen .
- Do you have any pets? A cat named Isabel.
- What's your favorite ice cream? Vanilla.
- Do you have a hobby? Grandkids.
- What's your favorite part of your job? Being able to help people.
- What are you listening to in your car on your way to work? Music on the radio - soft rock .
- Where did you go on your last vacation? Arizona.
- If you had to be someone on Gilligan's Island, who would it be? Mary Ann.
Tips for preventing heat-related illness
The summer has arrived and temperatures have started to climb above 90 degrees. Below are tips for preventing heat-related illnesses from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Drink more fluids (nonalcoholic), regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. Warning: If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask him how much you should drink while the weather is hot.- Don’t drink liquids that contain alcohol or large amounts of sugar -- these actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Also, avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.
- Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to the shopping mall or public library -- even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat. Call your local health department to see if there are any heat-relief shelters in your area.
- Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, fans will not prevent heat related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath, or moving to an air-conditioned place is a much better way to cool off.
- Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
- NEVER leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle.
Although anyone at any time can suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others. Check regularly on:
- Infants and young children
- People aged 65 and older
- People with mental illness
- Those who are physically ill, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure.
Visit adults at risk at least twice daily and closely watch them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Infants and young children, of course, need much more frequent watching.
If you must be out in the heat: Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours.
Cut down on exercise: If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour. A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. Warning: If you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage. Remember the warning in the first “tip” (above), too.
Try to rest often in shady areas: Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you cooler) and sunglasses and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels).
Enjoy your summer!
Check out our Web site: www.dhs.state.or.us/spd/tools/dd/socp/. You'll find contact information, forms and other important information regarding SOCP.
Forms are currently being revised. As they are approved, the revised form will be available from the Web site your use. Please begin using the revised forms and destroy any older versions you have stored on your computer, or hard copies stored in the office or homes.
Brenda Vyhnal has tracked all of SOCP’s vehicle charges for fiscal year 2006-07. She reported that SOCP homes have saved us money by keeping a watchful eye on their vehicles.
Every vehicle maintenance late charge costs SOCP $50. A lost Voyager card costs $50, using the wrong Voyager card for the vehicle is $25, fueling without a Voyager card is $10 and if you use your own money to fuel a state vehicle, SOCP is charged $25 for processing of a personal reimbursement. So the following homes deserve to be mentioned because of their attention and savings of SOCP money: Adell, 48th, Brooks, Gath, Hampden, Jody, Macleay, Milton, Newberg, Oak, Russell, Shoreline, Tigard, and Cade.
Sandy Rowell says "thank-you" to the following:
Shoreline: Clients are always dressed nicely. When at work, staff are very knowledgeable and work great together as a team.
Hawthorne: Staff worked very hard to personalize a client’s bedroom and he felt comfortable and has adjusted well with moving in from the community.
Madison: Client transferred from Macleay house has adjusted well. Thank you, Macleay staff for all the information shared. Madison staff has also been very involved with improving the environment in the home.
Brooks: The office has been moved to the garage, making Brooks a five-bedroom house. This was completed with the least possible amount of disruption to the house. The teamwork of all the staff was great!
Milton: The yard is looking fantastic! Recently the yard crew came and helped with our work. Thank you.
Gath: Recently clients have been involved in community activities and are spending time at a community garden and are enjoying being out and working.
Silverton: Licensing was recently at the house and did well; congrats to all staff.
Turner: Staff has been working to update and improve the environment. They have painted and D. Meseck has made curtains. Thank you for your dedication and hard work.
Sue Vittone thanks Milton staff
I would like to thank all the staff at Milton group home who have gone out of their way to help me while I have been covering. The yard is looking great, morale has much improved, overtime has been reduced, and people for the most part have been willing to step outside their comfort zone and take on new challenges and help with some old ones. I'm seeing smiling faces as staff come to work and seemingly want to be there. I have seen you change from a negative home to one that is becoming more positive and proactive. We still have a ways to go but you are all working so hard at it I'm sure we'll get there in no time. Thanks for all your help and support. Keep up the excellent work!
What do you mean the rules apply to me?
"In each newsletter, we'll discuss one of the challenges typically faced by staffers at state operated facilities. This time, we take a look at antisocial personality disorder."
Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of, the written and unwritten rules of society. There is a common misunderstanding that the term “antisocial” means someone who is reclusive or withdraws from social contact -- that is incorrect. The term “asocial” describes a hermit while antisocial describes someone who disregards laws and personal rights.
The symptoms of this disorder start early in childhood or adolescence and continue into adulthood, although statistics indicate that individuals with antisocial personality disorder tend to mellow out with age (around their 40s) as evidenced by a decrease of criminal behavior.
Individuals with antisocial personality disorder fail to conform to social norms and with respect for the law. They truly believe that laws and social norms are for other people, not them. Individuals with antisocial personality disorder often tend to be irresponsible with relationships, careers, money, and commitments. They tend to minimize or deny the harmful effects of their irresponsible actions and they usually place blame on others rather than themselves. Individuals with antisocial personality disorder lack empathy and tend to be callous. A common theme is that “life’s unfair and losers deserve to lose.” Lacking empathy also allows these individuals to continue being antisocial because they don’t feel others’ pain.
This pattern of behavior has also been referred to as psychopathy, sociopathy, or dissocial personality disorder and has been associated with criminals, such as Ted Bundy. These individuals tend to have an inflated sense of self and a superficial charm that allows them to manipulate others into getting what they want. They also tend to end up with legal consequences because of their disregard for the law. Overall, the prevalence of antisocial personality disorder is about 3 percent of the general population in males and 1 percent in females.
The best tip for staff working with individuals with this disorder is to maintain your boundaries with respect to personal information and personal space. Keep your personal life personal. Any personal information you offer may be used against you in the future. Also, it is critical that everyone be consistent about rules and expectations so that there is a clear and consistent message about what is okay and not okay. The individual with antisocial personality disorder will test these boundaries and step over the line if allowed. So be assertive and don’t get charmed into thinking that you have a "special relationship" with this individual.
State service
Retiring:
Chip Brown, SOCP Program Manager - Retiring 07/31/07 with 30 years service.
Jean Moriarity, Nurse Manager - Retiring 07/20/07 with 14 years service.
20 years service:
Rick Hethom, Cynthia Barnett, Clifford Lindsey, Kenneth Ernst, Glenn Nealy, Gordon Lorsung, Laura Scales and David Anderson.
15 years service:
Carl Morrison.
10 years service:
Amy Chambers, Kakada Meas and Letha Hickman.
5 years service:
James Kammerer, Daniel Hill and Natalee Coen.
OIS Oversight Training - July 24 and August 9, if you are interested in becoming an OIS Oversight Trainer, contact either Brad Heath or Anne Augsburger for information.
Vicki Hemmert has started WOC as a BVS1 at Weirich and OAK behind Juanita Spire. Juanita is WOC as a BVS2 at Willamina.
Sip n Safari: Matt Ballard has been filling in for Amber Lord while she is on vacation. He is doing a great job.
Yard Crew: The southern region is off to a slow start due to equipment problems, but the Salem and Portland areas are going like gang busters and should be completed with all their homes soon.
If you have comments or suggestions, please contact Elaine Stauffer at elaine.m.stauffer@state.or.us