By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

On Monday, August 21, all of North America will be treated to an eclipse of the sun, and anyone within the “path of totality” will be able to see a rare total solar eclipse.

The total eclipse path, called the corona, will stretch from Salem, Oregon, to Charleston, South Carolina. Those outside of this path, like those in Michigan, will see a partial solar eclipse.

Ross Reynolds, professor of physics at Grand Valley State University, said that the Grand Rapids area will see the maximum amount of coverage (81 percent) around 2:20 p.m. Reynolds added that at the maximum coverage time in Michigan, the planet Venus may be visible about one third of the way between the sun and the western horizon.

Reynolds explained that safety should be a top priority for eclipse enthusiasts. When watching the eclipse, it is most important to avoid looking directly at the sun without proper protection, such as special-purpose solar filter “eclipse glasses” or handheld solar viewers. Homemade filters and ordinary sunglasses are not safe for looking at the sun.

To help keep eclipse viewers safe, Regional Math and Science Center will be distributing eclipse glasses at three locations on the Allendale Campus from 10-11:30 a.m. on August 21. These locations include outside of The Connection, at the RMSC office located in Mackinac Hall (room C-1-120), and outside of Mackinac Hall near the Copeland Hall Living Center.

Reynolds said that another safe way to view the eclipse is to make a “pinhole projector” by poking a hole into a piece of cardboard or an index card. Then, hold the card approximately three feet above a surface area to project an image of the sun as the moon passes by it.

No matter where someone watches the eclipse in Michigan, Reynolds said all areas of the state will have similar views of the event.

“The further south and west, the more complete the eclipse will be, but the best will only be a bit more at 85 percent down on the border near Michigan City and the worst will be around 70 percent in the Upper Peninsula,” he said. “As the eclipse will happen around 2 p.m., the sun will be high in the sky so there is no need to look for big open spaces with low horizons because anywhere without clouds will do.”

NASA’s live stream of the eclipse, available at www.nasa.gov/eclipselive, will be available to watch in the RMSC office, and in the Learning Alcove of the Mary Idema Pew Library.

Faculty members from Grand Valley’s Physics Department will be partnering with the Grand Rapids Public Museum for the museum’s Eclipse Party. Faculty will be on-hand to facilitate a variety of activities for both children and adults. The Eclipse party will take place from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on August 21 at the museum, complete with telescopes equipped with solar filters, tracking devices that can track the Sun during the eclipse, and multiple hands-on activities that illustrate eclipses and the sun-moon-Earth system.

According to NASA, the last total solar eclipse to cross the U.S. coast-to-coast occurred in 1918, and the next total solar eclipse in the continental U.S. won’t occur until 2024.

While this eclipse will be noted in the history books, Reynolds said that, among physicists, the most “famous” eclipse occurred in 1919.

“During the 1919 eclipse, Sir Arthur Eddington made observations of stellar positions and was able to show that the positions were displaced by an amount predicted by Albert Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity,” Reynolds explained. “It was seen as the first test of that theory.”

By Peg Cochran, Holland Home

When we think of skilled nursing facilities, we tend to think of the nursing home where grandma went to live when she could no longer care for herself. Skilled nursing facilities are actually rehabilitation centers that cater to short-term stays, and function as a bridge between acute care or care in the hospital and a patient’s home.

What Skilled Nursing Facilities Provide
Many patients in skilled nursing facilities are recovering from an illness or injury or have had surgery such as a joint replacement.

“Hospitals are discharging patients earlier than ever, and some of those patients might need a few more weeks of skilled nursing or rehabilitation therapy,” said Sara Heethuis, Executive Director of Holland Home’s Breton Rehabilitation & Living Centre.

A skilled nursing facility can provide around-the-clock nursing care, as well as appropriate therapies —physical, occupational and speech. A skilled nursing facility can also provide specialized medical services such as wound care.

“Our main goal is to get the patient functioning well enough so that they can go back home. As a matter of fact, we begin planning for their discharge the minute they arrive,” said Heethuis. “We do have some long-term care patients, but most of our patients are only here until they are well enough to go home,”

Choosing a Skilled Nursing Facility
Family members are often faced with making the decision about a skilled nursing facility within days or hours of their loved one’s discharge from the hospital. It can be a confusing and frightening time.

One of the best places to start is at medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare. By plugging in your zip code or city, you can access information on all facilities in your area. All skilled nursing facilities are inspected and regulated by its state’s Department of Health Services and are given an overall rating, as well as ratings on health inspections, staffing and quality measures. The site also allows you to choose three facilities and compare them side-by-side.

“Breton Rehabilitation & Living Centre consistently receives four and five stars in all the areas measured. All of Holland Home’s skilled nursing facilities, including Raybrook Manor and Fulton Manor, receive four and five stars overall,” said Heethuis.

Another measure of the facility’s quality is their outcomes. Ask about the facilities’ discharge and re-hospitalization rates.

“Holland Homes’ outcomes are higher than the national average,” said Heethuis. “More of our patients are discharged to their homes, as opposed to needing re-hospitalization, than most other facilities.”

Amenities
Many facilities provide a wide range of amenities that may include catering to specific diet preferences, cable television, telephone, Wi-Fi throughout the facility, tastefully decorated private rooms, life enrichment activities and assisted excursions.

A stay in a skilled nursing facility can be a beneficial experience allowing you to return home with improved function and on the path to wellness.