Strategic

Writing Portfolio
The Cottage at Blakey Hall









Nick Ramsey
December 2014

Table of Contents

Bio* .....3

Web Copy*...4

News Release*..6

Fact Sheet....7

Revised Mission Statement...8

PSA ......9

Letter to Volunteers...10

















* Indicates Top Piece

Bio

After working in the main building at Blakey Hall for eight years, Debbie Warner took over
as the Resident Care Coordinator in the special care unit. When her grandmother was
diagnosed with Alzheimers, Debbie decided to dedicate her life to caring for elderly persons
who suffer from any form of dementia. On a daily basis, she takes care of the 16 residents in
the special care unit with the utmost dedication. She is extremely close with all of the
residents, offering support to her patients as well as their families.

As the Resident Care Coordinator at the Cottage at Blakey Hall, Warner interacts

closely with all of the physicians of the patients, the pharmacies and the hospice that
provide assistance to the unit. In addition, she oversees all of the caring staff members at the
Cottage. She coordinates several activities for the residents and she interacts with numerous
student volunteers from local colleges. I love working with our 16 residents, and they often
come to me for support in their times of need. But working with the elderly and losing
patients can often get overwhelming, said Warner.

Warner is originally from England but moved to the United States when she was 20

years old. She received her Certified Nursing Assistant License from Alamance Community
College, and after she started working at Blakey Hall she received her Medication
Administration License. Warner is extremely passionate about providing the best possible
care for the patients at Blakey Hall and she plans on continuing to do so for many years to
come.

Web Copy

Home Tab
At The Cottage, your loved ones truly become a part of our family. We care deeply for each
and every resident in our facility, and we provide them unparalleled support and attention.
Living with dementia can be extremely difficult, but at The Cottage we can help your loved
ones live life to the maximum of their abilities and beyond.

About Tab
At The Cottage, we understand the hardships of dementia and Alzheimers for both the
sufferer and the caregiver. Our goal is to provide superior care and support for our
residents, while simultaneously relieving the stress of their families and caregivers. We
understand that it is very difficult to see a loved one leave home and move into a care
facility, but we can guarantee an improved quality of life for our residents.

Our skilled staff is dedicated to providing the highest quality of care for each of our
residents. Because The Cottage is a small facility with only 16 beds, we can ensure that each
resident receives appropriate one on one care that individuals with Alzheimers and
dementia really need. Each one of our residents becomes a member of our family, and we do
everything we can to make sure they are living life to its fullest.

Facilities Tab
The Cottage provides a secure, pleasant and homey atmosphere for our residents, giving
them the freedom to enjoy life while providing exceptional support when needed. We

provide residents with three home-cooked meals a day, and assist them with all aspects of
daily life that Alzheimers and dementia prevent them from doing on their own. The Cottage
has several medication technicians that administer each resident appropriate medication in
a controlled environment. In addition, a talented director of activities inspires our residents
to get involved in multiple weekly therapeutic events and activities. By encouraging our
residents to stay active and involved, we are able to significantly increase their quality of
life.

News Release

CONTACT:
Nick Ramsey
Elon University
203-535-5818

nramsey2@elon.edu


Local Alzheimers Patients Gather to Celebrate Thanksgiving Tradition
-- Retirement community hosts a lunch for its residents and their family members--


Elon, N.C. Nov. 28, 2014 On Thanksgiving day, the Cottage at Blakey Hall hosted its annual
Thanksgiving lunch in appreciation of its residents. The meal was served in the Cottages
sunroom, feeding all 16 residents, 20 family members and two staff members. Staff
members at the Cottage organize this event every year to provide an experience that their
residents would not otherwise be able to enjoy at home.

It was a great day, said Debbie Warner, resident care coordinator at the Cottage. Our
residents were thrilled to see their families and give thanks for all of the care and support
they receive. Living with Alzheimers and other forms of dementia is not easy, so it was
really nice to see them light up and embrace the spirit of the holiday.

The celebratory meal lasted for three hours until residents dispersed to spend individual
time with their families. In addition, staff members hired local musician Reggie Jeffries to
play the piano and sing the residents favorite songs.

I was delighted to spend time with my daughter in addition to my new family here at the
Cottage; not to mention the food was delicious, said Marie Smith, an 86 year-old resident of
the Cottage who suffers from Alzheimers. Blakey Halls staff was very pleased with the
turnout and they are looking forward to hosting the event again next year.


*****

Founded in 2008, The Cottage is a small, residential care facility located within the Blakey Hall
community in Elon. The Cottages live-in staff members and nurses are dedicated to caring for
and improving the lives of their residents living with Alzheimers and other forms of dementia.
Due to the small size of the facility, each resident receives the necessary amount of care and
support in order to enjoy life to its fullest, despite living with dementia. For more information
visit The Cottages website: http://www.bhhamlet.com/Cottage.html

###

Alzheimers Fact Sheet

The Cottage at Blakey Hall

What is Alzheimers disease?

Alzheimers is a disease resulting in progressive loss of memory and other intellectual
abilities. The disease is the most common form of dementia, strongly interfering with the
every day lives of millions of Americans. Alzheimers is not a regular component of aging,
although aging is the largest known risk factor. There is currently no cure for the disease, but
treatment and care are available for those suffering from the mentally taxing symptoms.

Why should I care?

More than 5 million people have
Alzheimers in the U.S. Thats more than
six times the population of Charlotte!
Alzheimers is the 6th leading cause of
death in the U.S., killing more than
breast and prostate cancer combined!
Every 67 seconds, someone new is
diagnosed with Alzheimers.
More than half a million seniors die
every year from Alzheimers

Over 15 million family members and

friends provided over 17 billion hours
of unpaid care to those with Alzheimers
in 2013.
That unpaid care for one year is valued
at $220 billion, more than 300 times
the price it would cost to build the
Empire State Building today!
Due to the emotional stress of
caregiving, Alzheimers caregivers had
$9.3 billion in additional health costs.

What can I do?

As a caregiver for an individual suffering from Alzheimers, there are many things you can do
to improve the lives of those living with the disease. Home treatment is an option, but when
symptoms worsen due to the progressive nature of the disease, residential care
communities can drastically improve the lives of people suffering from the disease. Taking
7
care of an A lzheimers sufferer in your home is a full-time job that can be extremely mentally
taxing. You dont have to do it alone. Live-in care facilities can provide the necessary support
for both you and your loved one.

Revised Mission Statement

Original Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide the best quality of life possible for our residents in a safe, caring
and homelike setting. We will use our abilities to make sure our residents dignity is
preserved and will seek excellence in promoting the physical, psychological and spiritual
well being of each resident entrusted in our care. We recognize the value and potential of all
human beings, as built-in to their basic individual needs. We will encourage choices,
decision-making and promote independence for each resident. Blakey Halls desire is to
serve the community and our residents with interaction between generations. We do this
extensively with Elon University student volunteers and by involving the children from our
after-school program in the lives of our resident.

Revised Mission Statement

Our mission is to ensure the highest quality of life for our residents by providing them with
unparalleled care, support and attention. With respect, compassion and altruism, we strive
to enrich the lives of those suffering from dementia. We recognize the potential in all human
beings; thus, we seek excellence in promoting the physical, psychological and spiritual well
being of each resident entrusted in our care. We treat our residents like members of our
family, encouraging independence but lending a helping hand when needed. We are
dedicated to serving our residents to the best of our abilities by providing a safe, caring and
homelike place to live along with extraordinary, continual care.

PSA

Alzheimers Do Your Part

(0:01 0:15 somber classical music playing in background)

MALE ANNOUNCER: Did you know that Alzheimers (ALTZ-HI-MERS) disease is the sixth
leading cause of death in the United States? That means it kills more people than breast
cancer and prostate cancer combined! In 2011, it killed 48 people Alamance County alone.
But its not about statistics; its about people.

(0:16 0:30 music switches to more upbeat positive tone in back ground)

MALE ANNOUNCER: Many of you probably know at least one person suffering from
Alzheimers. But what can you do to help? You can donate to the Alzheimers Association
online at A-L-Z DOT ORG, or walk in Alamance Countys annual walk for Alzheimers. Please
do your part and help a family in need! This message is sponsored by the Cottage at Blakey
Hall in Elon.

(END: Music Stops)

Letter to Volunteers

Dear [Name],


On behalf of everyone here at The Cottage, I would like to thank you for your hard
work and time commitment last week. Without dedicated volunteers like you, we would not
be able to successfully host events such as our Thanksgiving lunch. Your contributions
enabled us to feed our 16 residents, 20 of their family members and two of our staff
members. Our residents are extremely grateful for your time and they love having you
around to help out. Several have already asked me when you are coming back!
Interaction with younger generations is a great way for our residents to stay active
and involved. We are very thankful for our relationship with Elon University, but more
importantly we are thankful for Elons bright, young students. All of our staff members
appreciate any amount of help from student volunteers, and our residents are always
thrilled to interact with younger people. We would love to see you back any time, and we
encourage you to recommend The Cottage to any classmates seeking opportunities to
volunteer.


Sincerely,


Debbie Warner
Resident Care Coordinator
The Cottage at Blakey Hall

10