NURSING HOME STAFF AWARDED

Nursing home staff members were rewarded Wednesday for their hard work and devotion when the Long Term Care Ombudsman program of Southeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging presented its annual Quality of Life Awards.

Local winners were David Walker, administrator at Jackson Manor in Jackson, and Delores Pobst, activities director at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Each was nominated by a supervisor, staff member or patient's family member.

Walker has been the administrator at Jackson for three years. Although this is the first year he has received the ombudsman award, the facility was recognized by getting the award three years ago.

In 1994, Walker received the Administrator of the Year Award from the Missouri League of Nursing Home Administrators.

Pobst, activities director for the special care unit at the Lutheran Home, was recognized for her dedication to quality care for long-term patients. "She's like a mother hen with her chickens," said Lois Spalding, the ombudsman who nominated Pobst.

Pobst has been activities director at the Lutheran Home for more than seven years.

"It's the personal things more than the activities," she said. "Most of the time it's one-on-one interactions. Sometimes it's hard if they (patients) are having a hard time, but I love it and I love them."

The Southeast Missouri ombudsman program was one of the first in the state. The region includes 18 counties and has about 45 volunteers, said Willa Stanford, director of the program.

For the first time, the Quality of Life awards were presented to individuals and not care facilities.

Other winners from the region: Gina Grimes, assistant administrator at Central Gardens in Dexter; Jeannie Banken, director of nurses at Gideon Care Center; Jerry Williams and Carolyn Woodson, nurse aides, Colonial Home Residential Care Facility in Doniphan; Joyce Jarvis, activities director of Westwood Hills in Poplar Bluff; Maxine Belcher, social services director at Westwood Hills; Judy Weston, housekeeper at Farmington Manor Residential Care Facility in Farmington; and Tammy House, medical recorder at Gideon Care Center in Gideon.

Training sessions for volunteers and ombudsman will be held June 7 in Cape Girardeau and Sept. 6 in Farmington. For more information about the ombudsman program or to volunteer, call Stanford at 335-3331.