|
|
|
|
Pelican-Announce - June 2005New item - Ceiling Hoists…We are now selling a range of ceiling & overhead hoists in Western Australia. This is a somewhat new move for us as we will be acting as a distributor for Waverleyglen Systems. Their products are made in Canada. Our Pelican products have always been made by us here in Perth. We have a lot of confidence that these Waverleyglen hoists are of the highest quality and, having so many advantages over normal 'trolley' type hoists, they will be very popular with you - our customers. Using a ceiling hoist removes the awkwardness of having to wheel around a hoist which can be very difficult - especially on carpet and in small spaces. Most new facilities being built are installing ceiling hoists as a priority due to their ease of use. Our distribution area is limited only to Western Australia. For other customers please contact Rehab Assist (ph 1300 364 534). New items - More Alarms…We have introduced two new types of Alarms: the Stand-Up Doorway Alarm; and the Stand-Up Footboard Alarm. The Stand-Up Doorway Alarm is placed in the doorway of a room so that patients can walk around inside their room, but if they step on the pad to go outside, the alarm will go off. The Stand-Up Footboard Alarm is positioned at the end of the bed and is secured to the footboard of the bed. If the patient shuffles down the bed and touches the alarm, it will sound. The alarm may be connected to the facility's nurse call paging system or they can have their own alarms that will sound in the bedroom or corridor. We have also developed another floor mat to go next to the bed. This will sound an alarm box that is located in the bedroom or corridor, rather than connecting to the normal nursecall system, as in item 444FNC. Evaluation Forms…We recently sent out some evaluation forms for certain new items to help with our Quality Assurance procedures. Thank you to all those people who completed and returned the forms to us. It is a great help to us to get your feedback so that we can looks for ways to improve our products and service. Sometimes new items are developed from suggestions made on these forms. News from around the world…Taken from Medical News Today: Sleeping Patterns in Aged Care Facilities The University of St Louis has been involved in studying what effect natural sunlight can have on nursing home resident's sleep patterns. Research has shown that between 30 and 60 minutes of exposure to natural light can help regulate people's sleeping patterns. Sleeping during the day meant they were less likely to sleep well at night. If residents could sleep better at night then it is hoped that fewer sleeping medications will be required, which will also decrease the number of medication-related side effects.
From CBS news in America: Nursing home settles lawsuit in ant-bite death Melbourne, Florida, USA - A Florida nursing home has agreed to pay more than $1.8 million US to the family of a bedridden patient who died after being bitten by hundreds of fire ants. Earl Dean Griffith, 73, was recuperating from surgery at the Atlantic Shores nursing home when fire ants swarmed his bed in the early hours of July 26, 2001. The medical examiner's report said his back, arms, chest, neck, head and shoulders were covered in bites. Griffith died 40 hours later from shock and the amount of ant poison in his body, the examiner found. Georgia-based Mariner Health Care, the third largest long-term health-care company in the U.S., agreed to settle the lawsuit with his widow and children a week before it was scheduled to go to trial, a Florida newspaper reported Friday. "After several years of fighting and denying responsibility despite the overwhelming evidence, [Mariner] went ahead and settled the case," said Chip Barger, the family's lawyer. It was the second time in recent years that a Florida nursing home patient has died from fire ant bites. In a case in 2000, another home paid an undisclosed amount to the family of an 87-year-old woman who was attacked. Barger said the settlement should send a message to other nursing homes to follow federal law requiring them to keep their facilities free of pests. "They've got to put patients' care and security and protection ahead of the almighty dollar," he said.
Well, that's about all for this month's edition of Pelican-Announce. Remember, if you know anyone who you think might like to be added to the Pelican-Announce list and receive this newsletter, ask them to contact us and we can add their name. Keep in mind that we can now email instruction sheets in pdf format, so let us know if you need any more information on any products. If you ever need any help, advice, or have any comments to make, you can always FreeCall us on 1800 641 577, FreeFax us on 1800 641 477, or email We would be happy to hear to from you. Regards, Tom Bromberger
Web Design by Perth Sites |
