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4A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018 Library:‘I feel like we are really making a difference’ Continued from Page 1A as director in 2016. An aver- age of three to five children now read to Maisie each week. “They’re not huge num- bers, but I think it makes a big impact on the kids who come,” Harold said. Libraries seek to provide several different kinds of pro- grams, she explained, combi- nations of things that might draw a wide audience but also smaller offerings that have the potential to have deep, long-lasting impacts. The program at Astoria Library isn’t Maisie’s only gig. She also travels to Columbia Memorial Hospital, providing companionship to patients and staff alike. “I feel like we are really making a difference,” Holen said. Maisie came to therapy Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian work by way of other, more traditional border collie activ- Bronte Noguerra reads to Maisie the border collie as part of a children’s literacy pro- ities like sheep herding. Holen gram at the Astoria Library. noticed the dog had an apti- tude for the work, but there sidered carefully for a moment. Holen, until recently, had In each location, Maisie’s job is slightly different. “You get a border col- three border collies. were few people in the area “Here, her only job is just with dog-ready sheep who lie then you need sheep then With sheep-herding out, could provide Maisie with the you’ve got sheep and you Holen and Maisie shifted to to sit there and listen to the practice she needed to cement need two border collies,” she therapy work. The dog is cer- children read,” Holen said. replied. “So then you need tified now through Pet Part- Sometimes she’ll roll on and hone her training. Harold joked that Holen more sheep and before you ners and works regularly at the one side and nap. At the hospi- should have bought Maisie a know it you’ve got five border Astoria and Warrenton librar- tal’s cancer center, part of her ies and at Columbia Memorial. job is to sit calmly and be pet- farm. Holen laughed, but con- collies.” Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Bronte Noguerra scratches Maisie’s head in the children’s area of the library. ted, at other times she might let a toddler chase her. Not explic- itly part of her job, but a job she performs nonetheless, is to give staff a break from their daily routines. “Maisie days” are highly anticipated — treats and love overflow. So much so, in fact, that Holen had to issue a bacon edict at the hospital because at one point her dog was getting upwards of six to eight slices. And Maisie has her own priorities. She is absolutely not ready to begin work until she has greeted — and likely been treated — by her favorite people at each location. At the cancer center there are three specific staff members she has to greet first thing every time. “I could take her off lead and she would go to those three places on two floors and she knows exactly where she’s supposed to go and if they’re not there she is not a happy camper,” Holen said, her words punctuated by a sudden squawk as Maisie pounced on a toy with a squeaker built into it. “She has kind of figured out what is expected from her with whomever she visits. She kind of knows.” Health: Revenue would also fund memory care center program Continued from Page 1A memory care center. It cur- rently has one old, lightly used bus at its disposal. Priced about $80,000 apiece, the new buses would allow the district to take residents to medical appoint- ments and also create oppor- tunities for trips outside the memory care facility. “I think there’s a miscon- ception at memory care facil- ities that it’s not wise to take them places because they might wander off,” said Mark Remley, chief executive offi- cer of Aidan Health Services, which manages the district. “We look at it a little differ- ently. It’s a quality-of-life factor.” Revenue would also fund a program at the memory care center that is only being used in one other facility in the state. Using the Montessori Method, an instructor would establish a basic curriculum and allow patients to organize the major- ity of the tasks to meet those criteria on their own. “The Montessori approach is based off that philosophy that we’re always learning, regard- less of our cognition level. The more you do for me, the more you take from me,” Remley said. “It’s getting everybody involved to continue being an active member of society.” The health district ended the last fiscal year at a roughly $600,000 deficit. The board decided last year to hire Aidan Health — a private manage- ment firm based in Salem — to a 26-month contract to try to salvage its finances. This fiscal year, the district has racked up a $24,143 sur- plus, Remley said. District offi- cials credit a cheaper contract with a new food vendor, reli- ance on the management firm’s statewide staff — as opposed to out-of-state staffers — and increased census at facilities, including four more beds at the care center. “He’s done a wonderful job of turning it around,” Reyn- olds said of Remley. “It’s been a huge cost saving that they’ve been able to achieve.” Remley said the health dis- trict’s financial situation did not factor into its decision to place a tax levy on the May 15 ballot. “They had talked for a while about doing a levy and what it would look like,” Rem- ley said. “The deficit they were running didn’t really play a part in that.” Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian The Clatsop Care Center in Astoria. . . . s n e p p a h Life ! e r e h e r ’ e w y That’s wh Keith Klatt, MD Sally Baker, PA-C Mark Tabor, PA-C Our friendly and dedicated Physicians and Physician Assistants are available for all of your routine healthcare needs, not just for emergency situations! If you’re suffering from a headache, toothache, earache, backache, any illness or injury, are in need of a refi ll of your prescription medications, or even a sports physical or DOT physical, our dedicated staff is here to assist you! We are open 7 days a week. We are located in the Park Medical Building East in Suite 111. We accept most insurances, offer a cash discount and also accept the Oregon Health Plan, WA Medicaid and Medicare. Kenyon Solecki, PA-C 2120 Exchange Street Suite 111 Astoria, Oregon Express Healthcare for Busy Lifestyles www.urgentcarenwastoria.com We observe the following holidays & are closed on July 4th, Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year’s Day. New Hours: Mon-Fri 7 AM -7 PM Sat-Sun 9 AM -7 PM 503-325-0333