nexus connection june 2012 - Touchstone Neurorecovery Center

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
TNC Anniversaries
Corporate Birthdays
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
# yrs.
Sheena Hebert, Program Director ............... .......14
Sam Elzie, Shirt Leader ............................... .......9
Tracey Harmeier, Marketing Liaison .......... .......8
Ofelia Juan, HR Manager ............................ .......8
Peggy Martin, Neuro Technician I .............. .......5
Salina Tullos, RN ........................................ .......5
Debbie Wilson, Director Quality Services .. .......4
Shellye Evans, Asst Program Director.......... .....4
Alice Chase, LVN ....................................... .......2
Stephanie LeBlanc, LSS .............................. .......2
Elisabeth Reffett, Transition Care Nurse .... .......2
April Walker, LSS ....................................... .......2
Sharee Brown, Case Manager ..................... .......2
Katherine Anderson, Recreational Therapist......1
Christina Williams, Shift Leader ................. .......1
Robert Windsay, LSS .................................. .......1
TNC Birthdays
Nita Hisaw, LVN ......................................... 06/01
Shamequa Maxey, LSS ............................... 06/04
Luis Banda, LSS .......................................... 06/07
Amanda Raley, LVN ................................... 06/09
Melonie Hulsey, LSS................................... 06/10
Jenifer Arnsworth, LSA I ............................ 06/10
Scherhanda Hughes, LSS ........................... 06/11
Rosondra Johnson, Program Facilitator ...... 06/13
Billy Haltom, LSS ....................................... 06/15
Tammy Joiner, LSS ..................................... 06/18
Jacquelin Clinton, LSS ................................ 06/18
Cindy Bailey. Neruopshchologist ............... 06/19
Stephanie Traylor, LSS ............................... 06/20
Felicia Johnson, Neuro Technician II ......... 06/21
Tesha Triggs, LSS ....................................... 06/22
Natalie Wright, LVN ................................... 06/25
Tess Horton, Admissions Coordinator ........ 06/26
Jaqueline Pinchback, LSS ........................... 06/28
Dee Montello, OTA ..................................... 06/29
Chrystal Burkhalter, LVN ........................... 06/30
Emma Arnsworth, LSA II ........................... 06/30
Wilona Brown, Payroll Specialist.......... ..... 06/07
HBH Anniversaries
NSH Anniversaries
June 2012 Nexus Connection Page 12 of 12
# yrs.
Rudy Ceballos, LVN ................................... .........9
Isabel Sanchez, CNA ................................... .........9
Evelyn Perridon, Sr. Pharmacist ................. .........7
John Uhegwu, RN ....................................... .........5
Marie Sayles, Respiratory Therapist ........... .........5
Connie Brown, Dietary Aide ....................... .........2
Justin Henderson, HR Specialist ................. .........1
Margot Betcher, Patient Sitter ..................... .........1
Mitika Stanford, LVN ................................. .........1
Samuel Montanez, Central Supply Coordinator...1
HBH Birthdays
Monique Hernandez, Child Life Asst........... 06/01
Donnah Nyaoke, RN.................................... 06/02
Ann Ibeto, Dietary Aide............................... 06/08
Erica Taylor, Dietary Aide........................... 06/09
Shirley Howard, Dietary Aide...................... 06/11
Rita Guillory, Respiratory Therapist............ 06/11
Taylor Ates-Jefferson, CNA......................... 06/14
Marie Sayles, Respiratory Therapist............ 06/14
John Uhegwu,RN.......................................... 06/15
Zoe McCoy, Child Life Specialist................. 06/17
Doretha Henson, RN...................................... 06/18
Margot Betcher, Patient Sitter........................ 06/19
Jacquelyn Rhodes, Unit Secretary................. 06/22
HBO Anniversaries
# yrs.
Robert Bartolucci, RRT ................................. 12
Alfred Landicho, LVN ................................... 6
Abdu Said, RRT .............................................. 6
Theresa Velarde, CRT .................................... 6
Aiesha Moore, RRT ....................................... 4
Vesper, Lisa RN ............................................. 3
Briana Rene Hamill-Pollard, OT ................... 2
Julie Baga, PT ................................................ 1
HBO Birthdays
Karen Rodriguez, Respiratory Therapist .... ....06/01
Patty Steger, Director Laboratory Service .. ....06/08
Leticia Urrutia, Housekeeper ......................... 06/15
Julie Baga, PT ................................................ 06/17
Jessica Aburto, Dietary Cook ........................ 06/19
Don Woodhead, HR Manager ........................ 06/19
Steve Romero, Respiratory Therapist ............ 06/20
Maria Rivera, CNA ....................................... 06/21
Alicia Moreno, CNA ....................................... 06/20
Harvey Holt, CNA ......................................... 06/28
# yrs.
Kathy Scott, Case Manager ......................... ........8
Virgina Jauhar, RN ...................................... ........7
Victoria Smerica, Pharmacist ...................... ........7
Terry Frank, Case Manager ......................... ........7
Roxanne Null, Telemetry Technician .......... ........7
Lavaughn Taylor, House Supervisor ........... ........7
Latonya Flores, Respiratory Therapist ........ ........6
Amy Abraham, Radiology Technician ........ ........5
Denise Rogers, Dietary Aide ....................... ........5
Candace Stiles, House Supervisor ............... ........5
Leslie Wemple, Coder ................................. ........4
Carl Woods, LVN ........................................ ........2
Tisha Moten, Dietary Aide .......................... ........1
Oswald Barake, RN ..................................... ........1
Colleen Boman, RN ..................................... ........1
Tonie Coleman, Dietary Aide ...................... ........1
Cressida Corpuz, RN ................................... ........1
Barbara Evans, RN ...................................... ........1
Jamie Johnson, RN ...................................... ........1
Gemina Velasco, CNA ................................ ........1
NSH Birthdays
Denise Rogers, Dietary Aide ....................... 06/02
Maria Izzaguirre, EVS Technician .............. 06/08
Rose Payton-Thomas, Resp. Therapist ........ 06/08
Roxanne Null, Telemetry Technician .......... 06/09
Malinda Ugorji-Shepherd, CNA .................. 06/10
Cheryl Toliver, Receptionist ........................ 06/14
Mary Kinart, Dietitian.................................. 06/18
Jervonne Hickman, LVN ............................. 06/19
Myrna Munar, RN ........................................ 06/21
Kathleen Lewis, RN ..................................... 06/22
Andrew Wright, Central Supply Tech ......... 06/23
Gemina Velasco, CNA ................................ 06/24
Janice Fryar, Dietary Aide .......................... 06/26
Candace Stiles, House Supervisor ............... 06/30
Chorvy Yos, CNA ........................................ 06/30
NEXUS
CONNECTION
Nexus and Touchstone Support
Na�onal Educa�on Efforts
Wri�en by: Ann Dela Rosa, Director of Payer
Rela�ons at Touchstone
May was Stroke Awareness Month
which brought a number of opportuni�es
for members of the Nexus
team to share knowledge and resources
to educate the community
both locally and na�onally.
The Virginia Brain Injury Associa-
�on held their annual Brain Injury
Conference in Williamsburg, VA.
Touchstone was an exhibitor and
Jude Theriot, MD, Medical Director
for Touchstone presented to members.
Dr. Theriot presented on
Dr. John W. Cassidy (pictured le�) spoke
to the group at IRSG in Nashville, TN in
May. Dr. Cassidy presented “Predic�ng
Outcomes in Catastrophic TBI and Stroke
to Guide Long‐Range Planning of Care”
“Medicine Beyond Medica�on”, educa�ng
on therapies and relaxa�on
techniques that compliment post
acute rehabilita�on programs for individuals
who have sustained a brain
injury. This was a one of a kind
presenta�on in that Dr. Theriot provided
an interac�ve format by playing
music, instruc�ng on medita�on
techniques and making tea!
The New Mexico Workers Compensa�on
also held their annual conference
in Albuquerque during May.
Touchstone was on hand to exhibit
and meet as many workers compen-
JUNE 2012
sa�on specialist’s as possible! This
was Touchstone’s first �me exhib-
Con�nued on Page 8
2012 Nexus Leadership Conference
As part of an effort to increase, enhance and
teach leadership skills to managers and supervisors
at Nexus, Nexus hosted the 2nd Annual
Nexus Leadership Conference. The Conference
will span over five sessions las�ng un�l November.
During the training, supervisors and managers
receive �ps and tools for
being a more effec�ve leader.
The May session was facilitated
by author and consultant, Ron
Newton from Dallas.
(pictured le� to right) Dr. Jude Teriot,
MD, Medical Director and Ann Dela Rosa,
Director of Payer Rela�ons, both from
Touchstone, a�ended the Virginia Brain
Injury Associa�on in May 2012.

CONGRATULATIONS NEXUS
FAMILY GRADUATES!
Congratula�ons
to
Zemarra
Singleton.
Ms Singleton
is the
daughter
of Deborah
Johnson at
Touchstone. Zemarra is gradua�ng
from Cleveland High School. She
will be a�ending Stephen F. Aus�n
and studying Psychology.
Toney Cummings,
Living
Skills Advisor
at Touchstone,graduated
from Sam
Houston State
University
with a Bachelor
of Criminal Jus�ce. Toney has
been at Touchstone for six years
while a�ending college. Touchstone
is very proud of him and excited
about his accomplishments!
Congratula-
�ons to Sandra
Vargas
who is the
daughter of
Tony and
Laura Vargas.
Laura is
the Central
Supply Manager at HealthBridge
Houston. Sandra graduated from
the College of The Mainland in La-
Marque Texas. Sandra will be
a�ending community Nursing
School in the fall of 2012.
Congratula-
�ons to Myra
Acosta,
Staffing Coordinator,
at
Nexus Specialty.
Myra
received her
Associates
Degree from
Lone Star
College in May 2012. She joined
Nexus in December and we are so
lucky to have her. Myra accommodates
all of the staff members on a
daily basis to really ensure they
maintain a work-life balance.
Congratula-
�ons to Jessica
Reeves. Jessica
is the daughter
of James Bogart,
Transi�on
Program Director
at Touchstone.
Aside
from ge�ng her masters degree
from A & M—Kingsville, Jessica she
had two State leadership teams she
coached at Tomball High School in
Wildlife Management. One was an
FFA team and one was a 4H team
that won first place in State compe-
��ons. These two compe��ons
are the most difficult to win and
are highly prized contests in Texas.
Jessica was also named outstanding
High School Teacher and Teacher
of the Year for Tomball School
District. Congratula�ons to Jessica!
Yolander Wilson,
Dietary
Cook at HBH, is
pleased to announce
the
gradua�on of
her son, Milton
E. Washington
Jr. from Willowridge High
School. Milton is currently in
training for the United States Marine
Corp. Upon receiving his High
School Diploma, he will be entering
the Military Service. Please join
us in congratula�ng Milton!
Phillip Arvanetakis
is
the son of
Maureen
Arvanetakis,
VP of Sales
and Marke�ng
at
Nexus. Phillipgraduates
Summa Cum Laude from Cypress
Woods High School. A�er
gradua�on Phillip will a�end University
of Houston’s Bauer College
of Business-Honors Program. He
plans to obtain a degree in law.
Watch for more Nexus
graduates in the July
edi�on of
Nexus Connec�on!
Submit your graduates to Human Resources
or email Tara Jones, Employment
Specialist at tjones@nhsltd.com.
June 2012 Nexus Connection Page 2 of 12
S MONTH
Transcor�cal motor aphasia Nonfluent
speech with preserved repe��on characterize
this type of aphasia. The loca-
�on of the underlying lesions are not
always predictable, but o�en �mes they
are more anterior than those found in
Broca’s aphasia. This similar loca�on of
the lesion lends itself to a presenta�on
similar to Broca’s aphasia. However, the
differen�a�ng feature is that repe��on
is spared.
Primary Progressive Aphasia This is a
form of demen�a that can occur under
the age of 65 and as early at 40. It involves
a decline in one or more language
func�ons. It is due to brain cell degenera�on.
PPA begins gradually and progressively
worsens to the point where communica�on
is very difficult. Primary refers
to the fact that language deficits are
the primary symptoms noted and progressive
indicates that the disease causes
further deteriora�on and cogni�ve
decline. This has been defined as a progressive
non-fluent aphasia.
Other varie�es of aphasia: In addi�on
to the foregoing syndromes that are
seen repeatedly by speech clinicians,
there are many other possible combina-
�ons of deficits that do not exactly fit
into these categories. Some of the components
of a complex aphasia syndrome
may also occur in isola�on. This may be
the case for disorders of reading (alexia)
or disorders affec�ng both reading and
wri�ng (alexia and agraphia), following a
stroke. Severe impairments of calcula-
�on o�en accompany aphasia, yet in
some instances pa�ents retain excellent
calcula�on in spite of the loss of language.
All about Employee Benefits,
Health & Wellness
Aphasia
therapy strives
to improve an
individual's ability
to communicate
by helping
the person maximize
the use of
remaining abili-
�es, to restore
language func�ons as much as possible,
to compensate for language problems,
and to learn other methods of communica�ng.
Treatment may be offered in individual
or group basis. Individual therapy
focuses on the specific needs of the
person. Group therapy offers the opportunity
to use new communica�on skills
in a comfortable se�ng. Stroke groups,
are available in most major ci�es. These
groups also offer the opportunity for
individuals with aphasia to try new communica�on
skills. In addi�on, these
groups can help the individual and his or
her family adjust to the life changes that
accompany stroke and aphasia. Family
involvement is o�en a crucial component
of aphasia treatment so that family
and others who are involved in their
care can learn the best way to communicate
with them
The impact of aphasia on rela�onships
may be profound, or only slight.
No two people with aphasia are alike
with respect to severity, former speech
and language skills, or personality. But in
all cases it is essen�al for the person to
communicate as successfully as possible
from the very beginning of the recovery
process. Aphasia changes the way in
which we communicate with those people
most important to us: family, friends,
co-workers. Here are some sugges�ons
to help communicate with a person with
aphasia
1) Have the person's a�en�on before
communica�ng.
2) Simplify language by using short, uncomplicated
sentences and reduce
your rate of speech.
3) You don't need to speak louder than
normal, but emphasis key words.
4) Repeat the content words or write
down key words to clarify meaning as
needed.
5) Maintain a natural conversa�onal
manner appropriate for an adult.
6) Minimize distrac�ons, such as a blaring
radio, whenever possible.
7) Include the person with aphasia in
conversa�ons.
8) Ask for and value the opinion of the
person with aphasia, especially regarding
family ma�ers.
9)Encourage any type of communica-
�on, whether it is speech, gesture,
poin�ng, or drawing.
10) Avoid correc�ng the individual's
speech and insis�ng that each word be
produced perfectly.
11) Pay a�en�on to their body language
or facial expressions indica�ng whether
or not they are comprehending
what your saying to them.

The Apple Core:
JUNE IS NATIONAL APHASIA AWARENESS
Contributed by: Anna Coburn, SLP,
Touchstone Neurorecovery Center
June is Na�onal Aphasia Awareness
Month. The Na�onal Aphasia Associa�on
has designated June as a �me
to highlight this language disorder
faced by approximately 1 million
Americans.
What is aphasia and what
causes it?
Aphasia is a language disorder that can
impair both recep�ve and expressive
language func�ons as well as reading
and wri�ng abili�es. It is a language disorder
that results from damage to the
le� side of the brain. Aphasia usually
occurs suddenly, o�en as the result of a
stroke or head injury, but it can occur
slowly, as in the case of a brain tumor or
demen�a. Aphasia can also co-occur
with speech disorders such as apraxia of
speech or dysarthria.
One-third of all stroke survivors are
diagnosed with aphasia, most o�en by
speech pathologists and although the
condi�on is most common among older
people, aphasia can be acquired by people
of all ages following severe head and
brain trauma.
Who has aphasia?
Anyone can acquire aphasia, but most
people who have aphasia are in their
middle to late years. Men and women
are equally affected. It is es�mated that
approximately 80,000 individuals acquire
aphasia each year. About one million
persons in the United States currently
have aphasia.
Are there various types of
aphasias? Yes, there are various
types of aphasias.
Broca’s aphasia Broca's aphasia is characterized
by nonfluent speech that is
agramma�c as well as telegraphic. For
example, a person with Broca’s aphasia
may say “boy….fall down!” rather than
“the boy is going to fall down” where
content words are s�ll present but
smaller gramma�cal structures are
omi�ed. Individuals with Broca’s aphasia
o�en have rela�vely intact recep�ve
language. Phonemic paraphasias, which
is when some part of the intended word
is switched or altered (e.g., “crow” for
“cow”), are commonly seen in this type
of aphasia. Speech is o�en labored and
slow with impaired prosody
Wernicke’s aphasia This aphasia is characterized
by fluent, non-gramma�cal
speech and poor auditory comprehension.
Individuals with Wernicke’s aphasia
o�en have a lack of awareness of
their errors, which can lead to frustra-
�on.
Wernicke’s aphasia characteris�cally
reveals an ease in producing connected
speech, but with significant difficul�es in
the meaning of words, resul�ng in paraphasias
(i.e. “den” for pen, “telephone”
for computer) or neologisms
(“gobben”...a non-word).
Transcor�cal sensory aphasia This type
of aphasia is similar to Wernicke’s with
fluent paraphasic speech but is different
in that repe��on is rela�vely intact.
However, transcor�cal sensory aphasia
and can exhibit echolalia, or the compul-
sive repe��on of words. Pa�ents can
repeat very long and complicated sentences.
Also, automa�c speech is very
good and they can produce lengthy
chunks of memorized material like prayers
and song lyrics if they can be made
to understand the task.
Conduc�on aphasia This is characterized
by intact auditory comprehension,
fluent (yet paraphasic) speech produc-
�on, but poor speech repe��on. They
are fully capable of understanding what
they are hearing but they will have difficulty
repea�ng what was actually said.
When these individuals a�empt to repeat
language that is spoken to them,
they will o�en produce successive approxima�ons,
meaning they will produce
phonemic paraphasic errors that
are similar to the target word. Pa�ents
will display frequent errors during spontaneous
speech, subs�tu�ng or transposing
sounds. O�en, the individual is
able to spell out or write out the word
that they cannot retrieve.
Global aphasia Global aphasia consists
of severe recep�ve and expressive deficits
across all language modali�es,
some�mes to the point where the individual
cannot understand or produce
almost any language. Global aphasia is
nonfluent and o�en restricted to one to
two word u�erances. Some�mes those
u�erances are non-words (e.g.,
“tadada”). Some individuals may present
with global aphasia immediately
a�er a stroke has occurred, but over
�me morph into what appears to be
more like Broca’s aphasia.
June 2012 Nexus Connection Page 10 of 12
H.E.L.P. Hello Everyone, Let’s Play!
Contributed by: Allan Komarek, CEO at
HealthBridge Orange
The etymology of the word, “help” is
from the Old English meaning, “to support,
succor; benefit, do good to, cure,
amend.” That is what each and everyone
one of us could and should be doing
every day when we walk into our organiza�ons.
There isn’t one of us whose job
isn’t to help (support, provide succor, be
of benefit to, to do good to, to cure, and
even to amend the bad into the good)
every moment of the day.
Theory Y of the X&Y Theory of Leadership
says that work is as natural as
play. Those who believe in Theory Y believe
that employees are naturally ambi-
�ous and self-mo�vated to do a good
job and that employees possess the ability
for crea�ve problem solving though
managers underu�lize their talents. Le�
to their own devices, employees want to
do a good job and have a sense of accomplishment
when they do.
By Ann Dela Rosa, Director of Provider Rela-
�ons, Touchstone
I was having a spontaneous conversa-
�on with several direct care staff members
at Touchstone and it prompted me;
this is my moment to say THANK YOU
for all the hard work! Our census has
been very high for a sustained length of
�me, and this is only possible by the
commitment of our direct caregivers.
This is where my analogy of the iceberg
comes in! You see, most of the �me
people only see the “�p” and don’t realize
the majes�c beauty, strength and
size of what’s hidden underneath. I
think that is true of many of our staff at
Touchstone. We are a fortunate team
at Touchstone in that each staff member
has our special role, yet we also rely
on each other. One of the most humbling
experiences I have had at Touchstone
was during hurricane Ike. It was
When we take away one’s ability to
be crea�ve and/or underu�lize their talents
(which we do all too o�en by not
valuing everyone’s input), we are, in essence,
making them helpless. We are
taking away their natural desire to support,
to provide succor, to benefit, to do
good to, to cure and to amend the bad
into the good. Then we wonder why
employees are not mo�vated. And it is
just not management that does this, but
employees do it to each other in an
a�empt to feel important… to feel special…
to ensure that their voice is heard.
It becomes a vicious circle with everyone
becoming more and more egocentric
just to be heard.
It is a circle that can be stopped at
any �me by just taking the �me to listen,
and value each other for their input.
Each of us is special and unique. And
when we combine our talents we, as a
group become even more special and
even more unique because it becomes
so much larger than just one person… it
all hands on deck. Some of our staff
were at Six Pines and the rest of us
hunkered down at Touchstone. I got to
be a direct caregiver again. I was working
side by side with our LSA’s and other
onsite managers to help keep pa�ents
safe, entertained, and
fed. I even helped
provide 1:1 care for a
short �me. I realized,
it is a wonderful thing
to step outside the
“usual” role and help
co-workers, “walking a
mile in their shoes”
and be a part of their
rou�ne. If you haven’t
had the opportunity
lately, maybe you
should try it! We are
all valuable and needed
to achieve the end
result. We must not
becomes a community dedicated to suppor�ng,
providing succor, to benefi�ng,
to doing good to, to curing and to
amending the bad into the good. It becomes
play, and fun, and soul enriching…
it truly translates into, Hello Everyone,
Let’s Play!!!
It is interes�ng to think that when
we are lying on our death beds, it isn’t
the cars, or the houses, or the money in
the bank that means a thing to us because
we cannot take any of that with
us… it is the people that we have helped
or who have helped us; the people that
have enriched our lives, and the love we
have shared that has the most meaning.
At the end of our lives it is those feelings
of being helpful and not helpless that
we take with us and that carries us into
the next world.
SOURCES:
http://www.etymonline.com/
http://www.businessballs.com/mcgregor.htmi
Special Message to the Teams at Touchstone and Nexus
take each other for granted. So, here’s
to that group I recently had the chance
to visit with...THANK YOU for ALL you
do! Of course, I also want to shout out
a big THANK YOU to all the other unsung
heroes that come to work every day
with their “A” game.
All of our facili-
�es at Nexus reflect the
iceberg. We are each
uniquely special. Your
caring, joy, enthusiasm
and willingness to do
what it takes are appreciated
by your coworkers!
It makes Nexus
special. Our Nexus
Health Systems reputa-
�on for customer service
and quality care comes
from your hard work and
dedica�on!

F
HAPPY NURSES
WEEK!
Touchstone recognized
the nurses during May’s
Nurses Week by celebra�ng
and thanking the
nurses for their hard
work and dedica�on
each and every day.
Thanks!
Celebra�ng Cinco De Mayo
Touchstone Style!
Communications
from Conroe, Texas
CELEBRATING ARBOR DAY
& EVACUATION DRILL
CELEBRATING NATIONAL
CHEESEBALL DAY!!
June 2012 Nexus Connection Page 4 of 12
Space City Hosts Ice Cream Social at
HealthBridge Houston
Space
City Credit
Union was on
hand at
Healthbridge
Children’s
Hospital on
Thursday May
10 th and
served-up
some sweet tas�ng deliciousness.
Jessica Bosco, Marke�ng Coordinator
with Space City CU was on hand to
meet and greet Nexus employees
and hand out informa�on and open
new accounts for aspiring members.
Bosco said “I had a great �me at
HealthBridge, Jus�n and the rest of
the staff were very nice and welcoming.
We had fun making ice cream
sundaes and cha�ng about Space
City CU membership benefits!”
All Nexus employees are eligible
for Space City Credit Union membership.
We would like
to con�nually build
upon our rela�onship
with Nexus in
hopes of one day
providing ALL employees
with our exclusive
services and
unmatched benefits.
Corporate Team Support!
Pictured (far right) is Maureen Arvanetakis, Nexus Health Systems’ Vice
President of Sales and Marke�ng. Maureen is dona�ng blood as part of a
system test. The point-of-care tes�ng is HBH’s brand new iStat Blood Analyzer.
Blood is being drawn by Amber McKenzie, Director of Clinical Services
at HBH (le�). Thanks Maureen, for being a team player!

Top 10 Health Benefits of Drinking Water
You will be amazed of the benefits of drinking water as follow:
Lose weight: Drinking water helps you lose weight because it flushes down the by-products of fat breakdown.
Drinking water reduces hunger, it’s an effective appetite suppressant so you’ll eat
less. Plus, water has zero calories.
Natural Remedy for Headache: Helps to relieve headache and back pains due to dehydration.
Although many reasons contribute to headache, dehydration is the common
one.
Look Younger with Healthier Skin: You’ll look younger when your skin is properly hydrated.
Water helps to replenish skin tissues, moisturizes skin and increases skin elasticity.
Better Productivity at Work: Your brain is mostly made up of water, thus drinking
water helps you think better, be more alert and more concentrated.
Helps in Digestion and Constipation: Drinking water raises your metabolism because
it helps in digestion. Fiber and water goes hand in hand so that you can have your daily bowel movement.
Less Likely to Get Sick and Feel Healthy: Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu and other ailments
like kidney stones and heart attack. Water adds with lemon is used for ailments like respiratory disease,
intestinal problems, rheumatism and arthritis etc. In another words one of the benefits of drinking water
is that it can improve your immune system.
Relieves Fatigue: Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body. If
your body lacks water, your heart, for instance, needs to work harder to pump out the oxygenated blood to
all cells, so are the rest of the vital organs, your organs will be exhausted and so will you.
Good Mood: Your body feels very good and that’s why you feel happy
PREVENTIVE CARE keeps you
healthy and detects diseases early!
Here are suggested guidelines for
screenings and checkups for healthy
adults. Individuals with a family history
of certain diseases and those with
other risk factors should discuss preven�ve
measures with their primary
care physician.
Physical exam – rou�nely. This exam
should include measuring your weight, height, and body
mass index (BMI). It’s also a good �me to talk to your
doctor about ways to increase physical ac�vity.
Cholesterol/lipid screening – every 5 years, or more
o�en if you are at risk or have above normal levels. A 9-
12 hour fast is required. If you have cardiovascular problems
or diabetes, you may need an annual test.
Blood pressure – every 1-2 years if normal (less than
120/80), more o�en if you have high blood pressure.
Colorectal cancer screenings – Talk to your doctor about
your risks and which colorectal cancer screening test
and schedule is best for you. For ages 50 and up, most
recommend an annual Fecal Occult Blood test, a Flexible
Sigmoidoscopy every 5 years, or a colonoscopy every 10
years.
(Con�nued from Page 1)
Na�onal Educa�on Efforts
i�ng at this conference. New Mexico will be a new
territory for Brandi Bradford, Clinical Liaison, for
Touchstone.
The final stop for the month of na�onal travel for
Touchstone and Nexus was a stop in Nashville, TN
where John Cassidy, MD, CEO, Chief Medical Officer
for Nexus Health Systems presented at the Insurance
Rehabilita�on Study Group (IRSG) mee�ng. This is
an annual event a�ended by a variety of professionals
from Model
Systems Hospitals
to different Payers
from across
the country. Dr.
John Cassidy presented
“Predic�ng Outcomes
in Catastrophic
TBI and
Stroke to Guide
Long-Range Planning
of Care”
(pictured above) Dr. Jude Teriot, MD,
Medical Director at Touchstone, pre‐
sented to the group at the Virginia
Brain Injury Associates in May 2012
June 2012 Nexus Connection Page 8 of 12
Happenings in West
Houston!
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
What be�er way to recognize Cinco
de Mayo than with a fes�ve
HBH potluck? Thursday, May 3,
employees celebrated Cinco de
Mayo, and brought an array of
different Mexican dishes to share
in observance of the fi�h of May.
There was everything from
scrump�ous tacos to delicious nachos
with complementary desserts.
Everyone ate well including pictured
below: (le� to right) Mary
Ann Gill, Director of RT, Martha
Flowers, CNA, and Kira Guidry,
Business Office Coordinator.
Na�onal Chocolate
Chip
Cookie
Day!
In observance
of Na�onal
Chocolate
Chip Cookie Day, employees
throughout the en�re hospital
stopped by the breakroom to indulge
themselves in a world of
chunky, chocolate chip goodness!
(Picture above: Amber McKenzie,
Director of Clinical Services. Pictured
below le� to right: Donna
Nyaoke, RN and Rita Guillory, RT.
Staff Apprecia�on Luncheon
To show apprecia�on for an
excellent review during the
state evalua�on, Nexus Health
Systems corporate office delighted
HBH with a wonderful
lunch from Brookstreet BBQ!
In addi�on, members from the
corporate team including Kevin,
Maureen and Cheryl helped
prep for the luncheon to ensure
its success. Thanks to everyone
involved, and keep up
the good work HeatlhBridge
Houston!
Pretzel
Day!
Although the
creator and origins
of Pretzel Day is unknown,
one can rest assured that HBH
knows how to celebrate it! Employees
treated themselves to a
big so�, lightly salted pretzel in
recogni�on of Na�onal Pretzel day
with their choice of mustard or
melted cheese dip. Shown below
helping to prepare the treats is
(le� to right) Yolander Wilson, Dietary
Cook and Suzie La�n, RD.

The Pursuit of Higher
Educa�on
By: Chris Alanis, Medical Records Clerk,
Nexus Specialty Hospital
The pursuit of higher educa�on can be a
daun�ng endeavor for anyone, but none
more so than individuals who have to work
and/or have other �me-consuming responsibili�es.
I can a�est to the difficulty
of pursuing higher educa�on since I
worked full-�me, had a full-�me course
load, and tried to balance that with a social
life; but take heart, because it can be done! All it takes is three
things: discipline, drive, and support.
Discipline is necessary because you have to priori�ze your schedule
to allow for enough �me to study and complete your assignments. Unfortunately,
this may mean having to occasionally miss social events, but
I would cau�on you against going to the extreme of allowing no �me for
yourself. Make sure you take a li�le �me out each week for a break and
do something you enjoy; otherwise you run the risk of becoming burned
out.
Having the drive to complete your journey is crucial because some-
�mes it can feel like you are a glu�on for punishment since no sane person
would willingly decide to do this, but do not fret; the sense of accomplishment
that comes from earning whatever degree, cer�fica�on, or
level of higher learning you are pursuing is well worth it.
Having a strong support system of friends and loved ones is the most
important of these three, by far. These are the people that cheer you on
when you feel overwhelmed and give you �me and space to focus on
your studies. My support system kept me sane during high-stress �mes
and helped me unwind a�erwards and that support was invaluable.
It may feel like you have an unending supply of tests, quizzes, and
papers, but I promise you that the �me will pass more quickly than you
would think. I am standing on the other side of my journey with my diploma
in hand, and I have to tell you that the sense of pride, achievement,
and increased self-confidence that I have gained by accomplishing
my goal is unbelievable. All it takes is faith in yourself to make your
dreams come true.
News from Shenandoah
and The Woodlands
Nexus Specialty
Hospital Celebrates
OT Month
with Ice Cream!
Pictured above (le� to right),
Rehab Tech’s Rebecca Hamblen
and Myeshia Spears
Pictured above (le� to right),
Judith Copeland, Wound Care
Tech, and Dominique Maldonado,
Radiology Tech
Pictured above (le� to right),
Subha Eachempa�, PT, Diane
Nordheimer, COTA, Shelley
Reynolds, COTA, Stefanie
Gowen, Director of Rehab
June 2012 Nexus Connection Page 6 of 12
From the Sunny Shores
of Southern California
It was one of those perfect OC days the
sun was se�ng over the Lake when a
shout rang out “Let’s Party!” Not that it was all an uncommon
thing to hear on Cinco de Mayo but the twist was
that it came from the Minister who had just pronounced
John Woodman, HBO’s Director of Purchasing and Safety,
to Shelley, the love of his life, husband and wife, or as
John and Shelley put it,
“Partners in Crime.”
The celebra�on would make any
Cinco de Mayo party jealous with all the food, drink and
dancing one could handle. The next day, the happy couple
was off for a week of sun and fun in Cancun, Mexico,
HBO was well represented.
Two who attended, on John’s right, Liza
Carreon (center) and Jenifer Dean (far left)
Cinco with a twist
Customer Service Tip of the Month
very fi�ng since star�ng their new life together on the
fi�h of May. Congrats John and Shelly!
Employee of the Month
EOM for May – Maria Riveria CNA
Her manager Angel Velasco summed it up –
“she is a great team player, she worked
both day and night shi�s as a CNA and also
as a housekeeper. She comes to work to
help our staffing needs and she did an awesome
job.” And I might add always with a
smile. on her face.
Surprise Visit
HBO had a surprise visit, no, not
from the State, from the newest
addi�on to the Rehab Team, li�le
Lily Jordan Shackelly, daughter of
Melanie (PT). She was born on
April 28th at 1:56pm at 6.3
pounds, 19 inches long. Mom
said it was a long hard process
but well worth the outcome. We
totally agree, Lily is beau�ful!
Hospital Week
Whenever the ques�on arises, “How
do we celebrate this?” The tradi�onal
HBO answer is
(and probably
always will be)
“with FOOD!”
Hospital week has
been FOOD no excep�on
to this rule. Food
was provided to
the staff morning,
noon and night.
Foo
d
FOO
D
FOOD
FOOD
FOO
D
Food
Foo
Food
FOO
D
It is not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It is the customer who pays the wages.
Henry Ford
Some of HBO’s Rehab staff surrounding Lily
Left to right - Rehab Manager Lynda Kappelman PT, Debbie Bracket PT, Maricela Robles ST,
Happy Mom Melanie and Antonette Ty PT.
To the right is a fine example of a
spread that was laid out for our employees,
this one by our Case Manager,
Diane Egain.
STAR
Award Winner
For May—Lynn Barut RN
The parents of a pa�ent
wrote “Her excellent care
and a�en�on towards their
son Michael”.