Officials with Atlantic Specialty Care, in Atlantic (1300 E. 19th St.), report the care facility has received a “Deficiency Free” result on its annual survey in September by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. Administrator Kellie Jimerson says that makes two years in a row for the deficiency free designation.

Jimerson says the past year has been one of many honors for Atlantic Specialty Care. In the fall of 2015, Atlantic Specialty Care was honored by the American Health Care Association with its Silver National Quality Award. Iowa Governor Terry Branstad will be in Atlantic on Sept. 23rd, to award Atlantic Specialty Care with the “2016 Governor’s Award for Quality Care in Health Care Facilities.” The event begins at 10:30-a.m.

The annual survey, which is conducted over several days, covers over 500 quality, safety and performance issues such as medication management, proper skin care, assessment of resident’s needs, respect for residents rights and dignity, food service, environment and administration. The complete evaluation includes a tour of the facility, review of residents’ clinical records, and interviews with residents and family members about life and the care they are receiving.

With the increase in regulations, achieving the distinction of a “deficiency-free” survey is very prestigious. It means Atlantic Specialty meets or exceeds all state and federal standards.

Jimserson says “Our entire facility, including residents, staff, families and volunteers work together as a team to make Atlantic Specialty Care a safe and comfortable living community. Our goal is to help people with life’s health transitions and we think we do a great job of that.”

Atlantic Specialty Care is a 90-bed skilled nursing facility offering outpatient rehabilitation services, skilled nursing care, long term care and hospice care. Atlantic Specialty Care is owned and operated by West Des Moines-based Care Initiatives, Iowa’s largest not-for-profit post-acute and senior care provider. Care Initiatives and Care Initiatives Hospice operate 55 skilled nursing, rehabilitation, Alzheimer’s/dementia, assisted living and hospice locations throughout Iowa.

For more information about Care Initiatives or Atlantic Specialty Care, visit careinitiatives.org or call 712-243-3952.

CLARINDA—The Iowa Department for the Blind (IDB) will collaborate with accessible technology vendors and local service providers at an event designed to reach out to Iowans who are experiencing vision loss and blindness. The Clarinda Vision Loss Resource Fair will be held on Thursday, September 22 from Noon until 2:00 p.m. at the Lied Public Library, 100 East Garfield St., in Clarinda.

Area residents will have the opportunity to learn how to perform tasks that have become frustrating or challenging because of vision loss and about the many ways the visually impaired maintain their independence. Attendees will also be able to ask questions of IDB staff and other service providers and see demonstrations of assistive technology devices in a friendly, low-pressure environment.

Information and items on display will include:

• Vocational rehabilitation services for retaining or seeking employment
• Tips on how to complete everyday tasks non-visually
• IDB’s Library service that provide large print, braille, and audio reading books by mail
• Resources to assist students with completing schoolwork
• Free newspaper reading services
• Computer screen readers, CCTV’s, and text-to-speech technology
• Aids and devices for everyday activities – talking clocks, magnifiers, and more.

The resource fair is part of an ongoing effort by the Iowa Department for the Blind to meet with Iowans in their communities to inform them and their families about the variety of services available. Officials say it’ss an excellent opportunity to learn about options and alternate techniques for performing everyday tasks that may not be immediately obvious when dealing with vision loss.

Demonstrations of devices and simple aids that can assist with those tasks, information about local transportation services, representatives from area service providers are just some of the exhibits that will be featured. The vision loss resource fair is not only for those persons experiencing vision loss. Family members, friends, service providers, and any interested area residents are encouraged to attend, too. The event is free and open to the public.

For more information about this event or the Iowa Department for the Blind, contact Rick Dressler, (515) 281-1314, rick.dressler@blind.state.ia.us.

No injuries were reported but one person was cited, following a collision Monday evening in Union County. The Sheriff’s Office reports 42-year old Travis Boyce, of Osceola, was traveling south in the 1700 block of Highway 169 at around 4:30-p.m., when he fell asleep at the wheel of a 2004 Ford F-150 pickup. The vehicle crossed the center line of the road and collided with a northbound 2007 International truck driven by 23-year old Andrew Stalcup, of Mt. Ayr.

Damage to the straight truck, registered to the Farmers Co-Op of Afton, was estimated at $15,000, while the pickup sustained $10,000 damage. Authorities cited Boyce for Failure to Maintain Control.

The Iowa State Bar Association is recommending that voters retain all 63 Iowa judges and three state Supreme Court justices who will be on the ballot in November. Iowa voters do not decide between two candidates when it comes to judges — they are simply asked to vote on whether a judge or justice should remain on the bench. The state bar association survey of its members was administrated by a committee led by attorney Guy Cook.

“Lawyers are asked to rate judges and justices on knowledge of the law, temperament and demeanor. Promptness of rulings. Whether the judge or justice avoids personal observations. Decides cases on the law and the facts. Not by outside influence. And is courteous and patient with litigants. And treats people fairly,” Cook says. Cook says nearly 15-hundred attorneys were surveyed to compile the rating for judges.

“You have people who really know the process and interact with these judges on a daily basis. And have the information necessary to rate them. As opposed to some anecdotal story, something people have read in the news,” Cook says. Cook says the lowest score a judge could have and still get the Bar Association’s recommendation is 51 percent. None on this year’s judges rated below a 68.

Judicial elections had been an afterthought for voters until 2010 when three state Supreme Court justices were voted off the bench following their vote for the controversial ruling that overturned Iowa law and legalized same-sex marriage in the state.

You can find out more information about the professional qualifications and background of every judge on the November 8th retention ballot at the Iowa Judicial Branch website. (www.iowacourts.gov). There is also a link there to the Iowa State Bar Association recommendations.

(Radio Iowa)