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Greetings!
Our newsletter is filled with information on some of the wonderful services we offer to caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease, dementia or other memory impairment.
June will be a busy month at the Alzheimer's Care Resource Center! Please check-out our Events Calendar so that you don't miss a thing!
As always, our team is here, whenever you are ready to relax, renew and reach-out!
Have a wonderful day!
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We've Reduced Our Geriatric Care Management Rates! $65/hour
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As a local non-profit organization dedicated solely to meeting the needs of Alzheimer's caregivers, we have a responsibility to make our services affordable and accessible to as many people in our community as possible.
Recognizing that caregivers and families of those diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, dementia or other cognitive impairment, are often unable to afford the high cost of traditional geriatric care management services, we have reduced our geriatric care management fee to just $65.00 hour
Our dementia specific Geriatric Care Navigation services allow family members the ability to work with a caring, educated and experienced local professional who can provide ongoing assessments of their loved one, monitor and direct care provided at home, provide financial, legal and/or medical reviews, provide referral services to qualified specialists and community resources as well as counseling, support, and caregiver coaching services.
Our Care Navigators consist of professional social workers, geriatric care managers, counselors or nurses who specialize in Alzheimer's disease and dementia and assist caregivers and their families to formulate, implement and monitor care.
For more information you can visit www.AlzheimersCareResourceCenter.org or call us at (855) 476-7600 or 561-588-4545 to discuss how Care Navigation Services can assist you and your family. We look forward to serving you!
Sincerely,
Elayne Forgie
President/CEO
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Coaching for Caregivers ~ Distinctions Between Coaching and Therapy
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 Professional Coaching helps caregivers demystify the complex roles and responsibilities that accompany caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease, dementia or other memory impairment, and reduces the emotional, physical and psychological stress that are associated with it. A calm, warm coaching session enables a caregiver to experience mindful, focused attention on his or her personal health and well-being, while exploring the unique caregiving challenges they are currently facing. The coaching dynamic enhances self-awareness by quieting a caregiver's emotional frenzy for a short time, turning out distractions, eliciting positive emotions about what is going well, and enabling a curious and engaged inquiry into "what are the caregiving challenges you are facing right now"? Coaching clients define and decide what they want to work on as they navigate their new or existing role as a full-time caregiver. Their coach educates, guides, supports and directs the process to assure the caregiver get the results they want and need. What are the differences between a therapist, consultant, mentor and coach? The simple answer might be best understood like this: Let's say you wanted to learn to drive a car. If you hired a: Therapist - the therapist would help you find out what might be holding you back from driving the car. He would delve into your past to discover what kinds of experience you have had with automobiles. Consultant - the consultant would bring you an owner's manual and tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the workings of a car. The consultant would then leave you. She might return six months later to see how you had managed the actual driving part. Mentor - the mentor would share her experiences of driving cars and the wisdom and lessons she had learned in her more rich experience with the matter.
Coach - the coach would seat you in the car, place himself in the passenger seat, and teach you key life skills and emotional regulation, encourage and support you, and help you reach your goals and hold you accountable until you felt comfortable enough to go it alone. A professional coach recognizes the core differences between therapy and coaching and can listen for cues or red flags that might suggest a referral to a psychotherapist, either in addition to coaching or in place of coaching, might be indicated. A professional coach is equipped to: - Recognize when a referral might be indicated for psychotherapy and/or medical assessment.
- Discern when a client is actually asking for counseling but prefers to call it "coaching."
- Understand how the intensity and longevity of blocks, ruts, and fears differ in high functioning coaching clients from blocks, ruts, and fears, in clients who need psychotherapy to move beyond their stuck place.
There are some basic distinctions between traditional psychotherapy and professional coaching that are important to point out.
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Coaching Approach
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Therapy Approach
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Coaching does not diagnose and does not work
with people suffering from clinical dysfunctionality
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Treats diagnosable disorders based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV)
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Helps the caregiver manage today's challenges
successfully, while maintaining their own physical and emotional well-being.
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Deals with old issues, emotional pain, or
traumas; seeks resolution and healing.
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Refers individuals with prolonged depression,
severe anxiety, phobias, harmful addictions, and
destructive or abusive behavior patterns to a
qualified mental health professional
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Treats individuals with prolonged
depression,severe anxiety, phobias,
harmful addictions, and destructive or
abusive behavioral patterns as well as
other conditions.
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Primary focus is on the here and now and
planning for the future
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Primary focus is on feelings and history
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Oriented towards finding solutions to the problems that are occurring today
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Oriented toward exploring specific,
psychic roots of problems
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Assists the client in identifying, prioritizing, and
implementing good choices
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Assists the client in untangling
unconscious conflicts which interfere in
choice
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Helps clients learn new skills and tools
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Helps clients resolve old pain and terminate old coping mechanisms
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Listens to feelings as clues for how to get the
client into action and leads the client to specific
action steps
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Listens for feelings as symptoms of
underlying dysfunction and follows the
client on any valid exploration of their
feelings.
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Typically directs the client to return to action
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Often directs the client to go deeper into
feelings
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Encourages and requests proactive behavior
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Counsels on becoming less reactive
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Gives advice in area of expertise and with clients permission
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Usually does not give advice
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Coaching Process
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Therapy Process
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Focuses on learning and developing effective
caregiving methods and coping strategies
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Focuses on healing and restoring function
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Main tools include educating, guiding,
accountability, inquiry, requesting, long-term
planning
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Main tools include listening, reflecting,
confrontation and interpretation
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Deals mainly with external issues; looks for
external solutions to internal blocks
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Deals mainly with internal issues; looks for
internal resolution
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Coaching Relationship & Structure
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Therapy Relationship & Structure
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Alliance designed jointly by Coach and client.
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Nature of alliance largely designed by
therapist
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Discourages transference as inappropriate
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Encourages transference as a way of
objectifying issues to be explored
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Sessions may be in person, online, via Skype or
by telephone
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Sessions usually conducted face-to-face in therapists office
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Usually not considered a medical expense. Does
not become part of the client's permanent medical records
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Is usually considered a medical expense, is billed to insurance and becomes a
permanent part of the client's medical
records.
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While this list of distinctions does not paint a complete picture of either therapy or Coaching, our aim is to simply clarify the respective roles of the two professions. To learn more about Coaching for Caregivers or to schedule a session, call us at 561-588-4545   
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Caregiver Conversations
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What To Look For When Choosing an Assisted Living Facility
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In this month's Caregiver Conversation, Mike Penn, Director of Community Relations with ElderCare at Home and Ina Zimmerman, of Barrington Terrace, discuss what to look for when choosing an assisted living facility. Great information, especially for caregivers of those with memory impairments!
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Message for Family Caregivers
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1. Believe in yourself - Trust your instincts. Let your inner voice guide your decision making for your loved one and yourself. Believing in "You" is the first step toward building confidence, an essential tool in coping with being a family caregivers.
2. Protect your health - Taking care of yourself is not a luxury; it's a necessity. If your health is compromised it's hard for you to be an effective caregiver. Your life is hard enough. For our own sake, and your loved one's, take good care of yourself.
3. Speak up for your rights - In your daily life, speak up for respect and more support for yourself and your loved one.
4. Reach out for help - Family caregiving is not a one-person job. Asking for help is a sign of strength not weakness. Help comes in various forms; from others pitching in, to having more information about your loved one's condition and sympathetic understanding from your boss.
source: National Family Caregivers Association
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Dementia Specific
Hurricane Preparedness Program
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The Alzheimer's Care Resource Centers dementia specific hurricane preparedness program in Palm Beach, Broward and Martin county, addresses the challenges, and meets the unique needs, faced by local and out-of-state caregivers.
Our geriatric care manager's and registered nurse consultants work with you before, during and after the storm.
Some of the features of our Dementia Specific Hurricane Preparedness Program™ include:
- Providing a comprehensive, dementia specific needs assessment. This crucial first step is absolutely essential in helping caregivers to create an individualized, dementia specific hurricane plan that is unique to the needs of the person they care for.
- Development of a dementia specific hurricane plan. At a minimum this may involve purchasing supplies for remaining at home; helping to sign-up for a special-needs shelter; making hotel reservations or out-of-town travel arrangements, addressing safety concerns; medication management and psychological issues.
- Communicating and staying in contact with your family or other out-of-state emergency contacts.
- Coordinating dementia specific private duty care.
- Coordinating and purchasing emergency supplies.
- Remaining in contact with you during a hurricane watch to assure that your emergency plan is properly implemented.
- Visiting the patient as soon as possible after the storm to assure their safety and well-being. We will also attempt to reach family members and take steps to address any needs that have arisen during and after the storm.
This hurricane season make sure you and your loved ones are taken care of with the Alzheimer's Care Resource Center's Dementia Specific Hurricane Preparedness Program™.
Don't wait until it's too late. To schedule a consultation, call us at 855-476-7600
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Dementia Specific Hurricane Preparedness Program
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Summer Vacation Planning Tips
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 The idea of getting away for a summer vacation may sound appealing to most people but for caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease, this idea may sound like a huge overwhelming task. Caregivers must plan ahead to make a vacation successful.
We've created these helpful Alzheimer's tips to help you plan for a summer vacation:
1. Do your Homework- Try to stick to familiar places. Travel to known destinations that involve as few changes in daily routine as possible. If you are visiting a new place, find out about the accommodations and where the nearest healthcare facilities are located.
2. Ask for Assistance- If you are staying at a hotel, inform the staff ahead of time of your specific needs so they can be prepared to assist you.
3. Be Aware of Travel Time- Travel during the time of day that is best for the person with Alzheimer's or dementia.
4. Take Important Documents- Pack copies of important documents, medications, travel itinerary, comfortable change of clothes, water, snacks and activities.
Important Documents include:
- Doctor's names and contact information
- A current list of medications and dosages
- A list of food or drug allergies
- Copies of legal papers (living will, advanced directives, power of attorney)
- Emergency contact's names and contact information
- Insurance information (policy number, member's name)
Traveling in airports requires plenty of focus and attention. At times, the level of activity can be distracting, overwhelming, or difficult to understand. If you care traveling by plane, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Inform the airline and airport medical service department ahead of time of your needs to make sure they can help you.
- Remind airport employees and in-flight crew members of your needs.
- Consider requesting a wheelchair so that an airport employee is assigned to help you get from place to place.
Get More Tips Here
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Two New Support Groups for Caregivers
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 Caring for someone that has Alzheimer's disease, dementia or other cognitive impairment is hard. Our support groups are attended by caregivers who are struggling with all kinds of different challenges and emotions.
Our West Palm Beach area Alzheimer's caregiver support groups are different! Our caregivers are able to come together and share in a warm, relaxed and nurturing environment. We also offer a monthly telephone support group for all Alzheimer's caregivers who are either unable to attend in person, or live out of State.
We have added two new Support Groups this month! Early Stage/Newly Diagnosed Support Group will be held on the 2nd Thursday of each month from 10a-12p and an Evening Support group which will be held on the 4th Thursday of each month from 5p - 7p.
Please check out our Calendar of Events to find a support group or Caregiver Cottage Program that interests you, or call us to register at 561-588-4545!
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Navigating the Alzheimer's Care Resource Center
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Navigating the Alzheimer's Care Resource Center
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Everything You Need to Know!
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Alzheimer's Caregiving DVD's Sold Here
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 The Alzheimer's Care Resource Center has been teaching Alzheimer's Disease Caregiver Education to family caregivers since February of 2003. Our Alzheimer's Caregiver DVD Series provides education, tips and techniques for caregivers of those with Alzheimer's, dementia or other memory impairment.
Whether you are looking for information on managing difficult behaviors or struggling with communicating with the Alzheimer's patient, you will find an educational DVD that will help and that you can watch in the comfort of your own home.
We have recently expanded the Alzheimer's / dementia specific educational services we offer to include topics that are important to caregivers and families suffering from Alzheimer's disease, dementia or other memory impairments.
Alzheimer's Caregiving DVD's
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June Events Calendar
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Click on the image to enlarge or print
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About Us
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The Alzheimer's Care Resource Center
is the only non-profit organization in Palm Beach, Broward and Martin county focused strictly on meeting the needs of Alzheimer's and dementia caregivers. We are so excited that we can bring these wonderful programs and services to the community and further our mission of helping caregivers to relax, renew and reach-out to help meet their own unique self-care needs.
Sincerely,
Alzheimer's Care Resource Center
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