Thursday, October 18, 2012

Thank You Good Neighbor Society

Last year my mother's condition with Alzheimer's disease had worsened noticeably. As a family we had decided that she required more care she could receive on my parents farm. Before we could move her into an assisted living facility she wandered off during a trip to town with Dad one day.

Unable to get her back, Dad called the police to help find her. Confused and scared, Mom wouldn't go with the police when they found her. Since she wouldn't go voluntarily she was sent to a "senior behavioral health unit" in Cedar Falls for "observation" to make sure she wasn't a danger to herself or others.

She was increasingly confused about people, words and places but Mom could walk and talk and largely take care of herself with increasing help from Dad and others at that time. After four weeks in the "care" of the big city doctors she was discharged unable to speak, smile, feed herself, display any emotion or hug her grand kids. The nursing home that had evaluated and accepted her a few weeks before said that they didn't have the capability to care for her when she was released.

The family was overcome with shock and despair. Was there nowhere that Mom could go and receive the loving care that she deserved? That's when we discovered the Good Neighbor Home in Manchester.

The Good Neighbor Home (GNH) is a care facility run by the Good Neighbor Society, a non-profit collaboration of 11 local churches. GNH has 133 beds. Mom was able to move into their brand new 20 bed state of the art Memory Care Unit, known as “Marietta’s Place," and later their 12 bed hospice unit until her death last month.

But of course physical facilities are only a small part of the equation. The staff at GNH were professional and caring. Their motto is: "COMPASSIONATE CHRISTIAN CARE FOR THOSE WE SERVE." They definitely lived up to those words. They treated Mom and the family with tenderness and respect.

It's often said that "the Lord works in mysterious ways," but sometimes there is no mystery in it at all. He works openly in plain sight through the dedication and hard work of caring people like those at the Good Neighbor Home. I thank them for making my mom's last year and a half as pleasant and comfortable as possible.


By the way, as a non-profit entity donations are always sorely needed, greatly appreciated and tax-deductible. They can be sent to:

The Good Neighbor Society

105 McCarren Drive

Manchester, Iowa 52057

Friday, October 12, 2012

Obamacare Summed Up in One Sentence

Dr. Barbara Bellar, candidate for Illinois state senate, humorously explains Obamacare in one (really long) sentence. 


Sunday, October 7, 2012

Iowa Right To Life "Preferred Candidates" List

Here is Iowa Right To Life's "Preferred Candidate List." According to that organization: "Inclusion on this list does not necessarily equal an unqualified endorsement, but is meant to be a guide for Iowans looking to support candidates in their area that will help advance the cause for life as we continue the struggle to end all abortion in Iowa."

Iowa Right to Life Preferred Candidate List

Congressional Candidates

District 1 - Ben Lange

District 2 - John Archer

District 3 - Tom Latham

District 4 - Steve King
 
Senate Candidates
SD 2 Randy Feenstra
SD 4 Dennis Guth
SD 6 Mark Segebart
SD 8 Col. Al Ringgenberg
SD 10 Jake Chapman
SD 12 Joni Ernst
SD 14 Amy Sinclair
SD 16 David Scott Edwards
SD 18 Vicki Stogdill
SD 22 Pat Ward
SD 24 Jerry Behn
SD 26 Merlin Bartz
SD 28 Michael Breitbach
SD 34 Ryan Flood
SD 36 Jane Jech
SD 38 Tim Kapucian
SD 40 Ken Rozenboom
SD 42 Larry Kruse
SD 44 Brad Bourn
SD 46 Shawn Hamerlinck
SD 49 Andrew Naeve
 
House Candidates
HD 1 Jeff Smith
HD 2 Megan Hess
HD 3 Dan Huseman
HD 4 Dwayne Alons
HD 5 Chuck Soderberg
HD 6 Ron Jorgensen
HD 7 Ted Gassman
HD 8 Henry Rayhons
HD 11 Gary Worthan
HD 12 Barney Bornhoft
HD 13 Jeremy Taylor
HD 15 Mark Brandenburg
HD 16 Mary Ann Hanusa
HD 17 Matt Windschitl
HD 18 Jason Schultz
HD 19 Ralph Watts
HD 20 Clel Baudler
HD 21 Jack Drake
HD 22 Greg Forristall
HD 23 Mark Costello
HD 24 Cecil Dolecheck
HD 25 Julian Garrett
HD 26 Steve McCoy
HD 27 Joel Fry
HD 28 Greg Heartsill
HD 29 Gabe Swersie
HD 30 Jim Carley
HD 33 Daniel LeRette
HD 34 Patti Branco
HD 35 Terrance Williams
HD 36 Jeff Ibbotson
HD 37 John Landon
HD 38 Kevin Koester
HD 40 Mike Brown
HD 43 Chris Hagenow
HD 47 Chip Baltimore
HD 48 Robert Bacon
HD 49 Dave Deyoe
HD 50 Patrick Grassley
HD 54 Linda Upmeyer
HD 56 Bob Hager
HD 58 Brian Moore
HD 61 Lyn Tackett
HD 63 Sandy Salmon
HD 64 Jim Givant
HD 67 Kraig Paulsen
HD 71 Allen Burt
HD 72 Dean Fisher
HD 75 Dawn Pettengill
HD 76 David Maxwell
HD 77 Steve Sherman
HD 79 Guy Vander Linden
HD 80 Larry Sheets
HD 81 Blake Smith
HD 82 James Johnson
HD 83 James Steffen
HD 84 Dave Heaton
HD 89 Bill Edmond
HD 90 Mark Riley
HD 92 Ross Paustian
HD 93 Mark Nelson
HD 94 Linda Miller
HD 96 Lee Hein
HD 99 Paul Kern
 
For More Information:
Jenifer Bowen, Executive Director
Iowa Right to Life
515.244.1012 Office
877.595.9406 Toll Free

Saturday, October 6, 2012

GOA Iowa Candidate Ratings

Here are the grades from Gun Owners of America-Political Victory Fund on Iowa's candidates for U.S. House of Representatives. (NR means "not rated.")

DISTRICT
NAME
PARTY
RATING
1
Braley
D
F
1
Lange
R
A
2
Archer
R
NR
2
Loebsack
D
F
3
Batcher
I
NR
3
Boswell
D
D
3
Latham
R
A
3
Rosenfield
S
NR
4
King
R
A
4
Monroe
I
NR
4
Vilsack
D
NR

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