Activity Update
October 2025 Activity Department Newsletter article
Our lovely month of October will be full of the usual apples and pumpkins, bus rides to see the colorful fall leaves and to watch the farm fields being harvested, scarecrow crafts, kids trick-or-treating, football games to watch, tasty treats to eat, and more. Our hearts are full of the beauty of the season. So, we looked for a good way to express that reality.
Our residents and staff will join our hearts and hands together to make some tied fleece quilts for the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital patients and their families. Facing a child’s illness and the uncertainty it brings is heartbreaking. The Montrose Health Center family wants to reach out to create blankets and send them with our loving thoughts and prayers to families in distress. We want to plant the seeds of “Iowa kind” and reach out with our concern for others. Our residents lived their lives reaching out and giving to their communities in so many ways; we aim to keep those kind acts as a part of their lives.
Happy October!
Laura Zechin, Activity Director
Dietary Update
Happy Fall Ya’ll!
Wow! It’s October already! Here in the Dietary Department, we just switched to our Fall/Winter Menus. We have a lot of new things coming! The menus have many new soups, which the residents love. The residents have been requesting Liver and Onions. They asked, so we made it happen! October is always a fun month for the Dietary Department because we celebrate National Healthcare Foodservice Week October 5-11. We will be doing a fun little activity; it’s a blind folded taste test. It’s going to be so much fun. Just a reminder with the holidays approaching, we will be having our holiday meals and resident families are able to join. We will be sending letters out before long so please keep an eye out for them, and if you plan to attend, please RSVP. Hope you all have a fantastic October!
Sincerely,
Brandy Jenkins
Dietary Supervisor
Nursing Update
Montrose Health Center Nursing Newsletter
October — National Physical Therapy Month
Celebrating Movement, Strength & Health
As October unfolds, we join the national observance of National Physical Therapy Month — a time to spotlight the vital role physical therapy plays in enhancing mobility, preventing injury, and improving quality of life. Throughout this month, our team will focus on how physical therapy partners with nursing and all care staff to support our residents in staying active, safe, and engaged.
Why Physical Therapy Matters to Us
- Physical therapists are movement experts. They help residents regain strength, balance, flexibility, and confidence after illness, injury, or during chronic conditions.
- Beyond recovery, PT works to prevent problems before they arise — reducing fall risk, minimizing pain, and promoting functional independence.
- When nursing and rehabilitation teams collaborate, care becomes more holistic: PT assessments help inform nursing plans (e.g. safe transfer protocols, positioning, mobility goals).
What You’ll See This Month
To honor this month and heighten awareness, here are a few initiatives we’re rolling out:
- Resident Movement Challenges
Simple, fun mobility challenges (e.g., balance exercises, seated stretches) will be offered as optional during therapy and activity sessions. - Education Moments
Short educational tidbits — in newsletters, shift huddles, or bulletin boards — about the benefits of physical therapy, how PT integrates with nursing, and small movement tips families can encourage.
Activity Update
October 2025 Activity Department Newsletter article
Our lovely month of October will be full of the usual apples and pumpkins, bus rides to see the colorful fall leaves and to watch the farm fields being harvested, scarecrow crafts, kids trick-or-treating, football games to watch, tasty treats to eat, and more. Our hearts are full of the beauty of the season. So, we looked for a good way to express that reality.
Our residents and staff will join our hearts and hands together to make some tied fleece quilts for the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital patients and their families. Facing a child’s illness and the uncertainty it brings is heartbreaking. The Montrose Health Center family wants to reach out to create blankets and send them with our loving thoughts and prayers to families in distress. We want to plant the seeds of “Iowa kind” and reach out with our concern for others. Our residents lived their lives reaching out and giving to their communities in so many ways; we aim to keep those kind acts as a part of their lives.
Happy October!
Laura Zechin, Activity Director
Dietary Update
Happy Fall Ya’ll!
Wow! It’s October already! Here in the Dietary Department, we just switched to our Fall/Winter Menus. We have a lot of new things coming! The menus have many new soups, which the residents love. The residents have been requesting Liver and Onions. They asked, so we made it happen! October is always a fun month for the Dietary Department because we celebrate National Healthcare Foodservice Week October 5-11. We will be doing a fun little activity; it’s a blind folded taste test. It’s going to be so much fun. Just a reminder with the holidays approaching, we will be having our holiday meals and resident families are able to join. We will be sending letters out before long so please keep an eye out for them, and if you plan to attend, please RSVP. Hope you all have a fantastic October!
Sincerely,
Brandy Jenkins
Dietary Supervisor
Nursing Update
Montrose Health Center Nursing Newsletter
October — National Physical Therapy Month
Celebrating Movement, Strength & Health
As October unfolds, we join the national observance of National Physical Therapy Month — a time to spotlight the vital role physical therapy plays in enhancing mobility, preventing injury, and improving quality of life. Throughout this month, our team will focus on how physical therapy partners with nursing and all care staff to support our residents in staying active, safe, and engaged.
Why Physical Therapy Matters to Us
- Physical therapists are movement experts. They help residents regain strength, balance, flexibility, and confidence after illness, injury, or during chronic conditions.
- Beyond recovery, PT works to prevent problems before they arise — reducing fall risk, minimizing pain, and promoting functional independence.
- When nursing and rehabilitation teams collaborate, care becomes more holistic: PT assessments help inform nursing plans (e.g. safe transfer protocols, positioning, mobility goals).
What You’ll See This Month
To honor this month and heighten awareness, here are a few initiatives we’re rolling out:
- Resident Movement Challenges
Simple, fun mobility challenges (e.g., balance exercises, seated stretches) will be offered as optional during therapy and activity sessions. - Education Moments
Short educational tidbits — in newsletters, shift huddles, or bulletin boards — about the benefits of physical therapy, how PT integrates with nursing, and small movement tips families can encourage.