Perform Hands-on CPR to the Beat of a Favorite Song

If you haven’t kept up with new guidelines regarding CPR, the American Heart Association (AHA) says the first step when someone has stopped breathing is to call 911 or have someone else call, and use simple, direct words such as "Heart stopped. I need help."  Now begin chest compressions, which help to move the blood around the body.  Several years ago, the AHA stopped recommending doing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation immediately as “in the seconds before a heart stops, the person takes a big deep breath and fills their lungs with air.”

Chest compressions on an adult or teen should be done by putting the heel of one hand on the breastbone of the chest and the other hand on top of it.   Now start pressing down at least two full inches or more (not less) hard and fast, about 100 to 120 pushes per minutes. 

Experts suggest several songs in a variety of genres to pace your compressions by.  For county music fans, recommendations include Blake Shelton's "All about Tonight" or Johnny Cash’s "Ring of Fire."  There are songs for fans of Lady Gaga like "Just Dance," Dianna Ross’ fans with “Ain't No Mountain High Enough," or "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees.

While anyone can do CPR, getting certified by an American Red Cross CPR class gives you the extra confidence to response quickly as well as information regarding rescue breathing.  Once you complete the course, you are certified for two years but to keep yourself up-to-date, it is suggested you take a refresher course before your certificate expires. 

At the MorningStar at Golden Ridge senior living community, we offer independent living, assisted living and memory care.  For assisted living and memory care residents, our 24/7 care managers are certified in both CPR and First Aid.  In addition all team members, regardless of their role, complete three foundational one-day training sessions that include Radiance (our culture and customer service initiative); and Lavender Sky (our dementia care philosophy and approach to programming).  We also provide continuing education through in-services and online video training.  Our Med Techs (QMAPs) are also trained in medication administration.  Visit our website to learn more about our loving community. 

MorningStar at Golden Ridge’s distinct mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior living options.  Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve.  We are in a warm, loving environment with exceptional architecture and resort-style amenities.  Please visit our website to learn more about unsurpassed independent living & assisted living in the Peoria area. 

 

Source: cnn.com/2020/03/09/health/cpr-living-to-100-wellness/index.html