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In This Issue
Featured Article: Music Boosts Memory in Alzheimer's Patients
A Port in the Storm...
A Tree for All Reasons
Our Very Best Wishes and Thanks
Kudos From Kelly
Providers We Love
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Welcome
New Staff

~ Patricia Oforii 

   (Thanks Hilda)

 

~ Rebecca Headly

   (Thanks Kaela)

 

"The only way to have a friend is to be one."

  

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson  

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Baby Grace
Grace Dolan, daughter of our graphic designer, showing off her Thanksgiving decoration that she helped make!

Our grandchildren accept us for ourselves, without rebuke or effort to change us, as no one in our entire lives has ever done, not our parents, siblings, spouses, friends, not anyone.

   

~ Ruth Goode 

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Here at Always There Home Care, we are grateful you are slowing down to read our newsletter full of items that relate to home care, home health care, aging and eldercare, as well as some useful tips for daily living. Please enjoy in the spirit of community and cooperation in which this newsletter was sent.

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Featured Article: 
Music Boosts Memory in Alzheimer's Patients

 

  While the parts of the brain where we make memories are the first parts to be ravaged as Alzheimer's develops, music pulls from other areas, which aren't as damaged by the disease.     

       

Music's power to soothe or energize is well known, and there is good science behind the use of music to arouse dormant memories even in those whose minds are failing. Now the results of a recent BU study suggest that music may also help people with dementia retain new information, a finding with promising implications for Americans living with Alzheimer's.

 

According to researcher  Brandon Ally, a School of Medicine assistant professor of neurology, Alzheimer's patients who were put through a series of memory tests learned more lyrics when they were set to music rather than just spoken, while healthy elderly people remembered just as much and just as well with or without music.  

 

While the study was small - only 32 subjects - the results, described by Ally as stunning, could lead to a new way of helping Alzheimer's patients remember things required for their well-being and maintaining their independence. For example, a simple ditty might help patients remember which medications to take when, says Ally, whose research focuses mainly on how memory deteriorates in healthy aging as well as in elderly people with dementia.

 

In the study, the BU team had a group of healthy elderly people and a group with Alzheimer's view a series of simple song lyrics on a computer screen, first with the words being sung by a young woman, then with the words being spoken by the same woman, and finally with no accompanying sound at all.  

 

To make sure subjects would have no knowledge of the songs beforehand, Ally and Simmons-Stern, now used only children's songs written in the last few years and did a random screening to be fairly certain the songs were outside elderly people's frames of reference.

 

After seeing and hearing four-line selections from the 80 test lyrics, the subjects were asked if they recognized the lyrics. For those with Alzheimer's, hearing the song sung significantly improved their recall; for people in the control group, the effect of hearing lyrics spoken or sung or merely appearing as text yielded the same result.

 

Read the full article...    

 

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Casey Dog Photos




Photo Left: Casey at work with the help of her friends. 
Photo Right: Casey seeking a snack and a nap.

 

 

 


 

When the power left our offices Regina, with the help of her pet therapy dog Casey, set up operations at a local hotel

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Patient Photos
Photo Left: Klohie in her Meadow Ridge home    
 Photo Right: Ray relaxing at Meadow Ridge    

 

 

A Port in
the Storm... Meadow Ridge Retirement Community,

Redding 

 

 

   

When a severe storm strikes, we are often in need of alternative housing on an emergency basis for our clients. When such a need occurred late in the storm for our clients in Fairfield County, there were barely any options available. Hotels were filled. Other assisted living facilities and nursing homes were either filled or required long stays as a minimum and total health evaluation, or assessment before being permitted to stay. These constraints were totally understandable, given the high demand for temporary housing and the admission requirements of many senior facilities.

 

But finally a call to Meadow Ridge in Redding was the answer. And a gracious answer at that. Filled to the brim with regular residents as well as other elderly folks and employees seeking refuge, they had few options for temporary housing. But after hearing of our plight and our clients and caregiver who needed shelter, they graciously allowed them all to stay for whatever time they needed in their lovely sample apartment.  

 

Leaving a home with no power or water and entering Meadow Ridge was a blissful experience. Our caregiver Klohie immediately pronounced it "The most beautiful hotel I have ever seen! " High praise indeed.  

 

But our highest praise is reserved for the marvelous staff who went out of their way to make our clients and caregiver comfortable. Kudos to: Cathy Goodman, Marketing Director, Jane Hickhock, Marketing Assistant, and Brenda Saraceni, Move in Coordinator for their assistance and support.  

 

Many many thanks to Meadow Ridge. We recommend this facility to all our friends seeking retirement living, nursing & rehab, active adult, assisted living, or Alzheimer's, care. They do it all, and with elegance and compassion!

 

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A Tree for All Reasons Tree Photos

By: Regina McNamara

 

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more? Dr Suess.

 

In our house, we put up a freshly cut fresh Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. My husband Tom and I have dozens of ornaments from years passed, many with lovely memories. However, he cannot wait to take it down once Christmas has passed. I, on the other hand would leave it up all year if that was possible. We usually compromise by taking it down in late January. Fortunately, Tom has clean up responsibility.  

 

But the appeal of a Christmas tree is unmistakable... it recalls fond memories, creates new ones and brightens a room. This is why I find it so difficult to take it down. ever..Long after the floor is covered with 10,000 pine needles.

 

The logical next question is. For those who enjoy artificial tress at Christmas, WHY DON'T THEY JUST KEEP THEM UP ALL YEAR????

 

Last Christmas, my mother, who had Alzheimer's was still living with her caregiver in the house in which we were all raised. Our children spent many Christmases there. We assembled and decorated her tree, a truly lovely large artificial one and filled it with decades of cherished ornaments. The tree completely filled the corner of the room in which she spent her days. She loved looking at it and talking about past Christmases.  

 

But when it was time to take to down my mother said. "It's so beautiful. Why does it need to come down??" Why indeed ?...

 

Along came February and we thought, maybe, just maybe there is another use for it. We decided it would be a tree for all seasons. A celebration tree. There are, after all, so many reasons to celebrate. Since her 85th birthday was coming up in March we decided to create a Birthday Tree.

     

Read the full article... 

 

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For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends

 

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Casey Dog and Graduate Photos
Photo Left: Casey with her Thanksgiving Friends.
Photo Right:
Jean, Regina's mother and Kelly's Grandmother,
with her granddaughter Jeanett
e.

Our very best wishes... to our clients and families, referral sources, friends and our caregivers for a wonderful Thanksgiving.

 

Special thanks... to the many among you who took the time this year to express your sympathy and support for us following the death of Jean, Regina's mother and Kelly's grandmother. You will never truly know the depth of our gratitude.

 

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Kudos from Kelly

 

LeafKUDOS from Kelly

         By Kelly McNamara

 

   

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SANDY STORM TROOPERS

Unlike many companies, we work in all weather conditions. Our clients' needs come first. Always.  Many of our caregivers had no power in their own homes yet made it to their assigned client shifts.  

 

The following caregivers went above and beyond during the recent storm:

 

1. Champion Storm Trooper... Klohie Mbete

Klohie was caring for a lovely elderly couple who were also dealing with chronic health conditions.  Since they were not interested in leaving their home, she cared for them for over two days with no electricity, no heat, and no water.   Her daily tasks included hauling firewood, building fires in their fireplace, cooking on the camp stove and managing without running water. The couple then tired of pioneer living and was very fortunate to find a lovely apartment in a senior complex nearby where Klohie packed unpacked and settled them in. Whew!  

 

2.  Kaela McLean.

Handling a power outage with any elderly client is a challenge. But it is especially difficult for folks with Alzheimer's. Their confusion increases and orientation is lost.   Kaela's beloved client T.D. needed her in a special way during the storm. Her quick wit, amazing patience and countless "calls to the power company" at her client's insistence helped both of them through a trying time.

 

3.  Sabena Sackey

Our relief caregiver for E M, Sabena generously agreed to stay an extra day with her until her client's regular caregiver could return. She generously kept her nervous client calm and happy, with husband and children waiting anxiously for her return, we appreciate her sacrifice.

 

4. Patricia Ofori

A new employee, Patricia, a relief caregiver traveled down from Worchester Mass for a last minute fill in assignment for a very special client F.M.. She "hit the ground running" and handled the client with competent and loving care. What a wonderful start with our company!

 

We extend our sincere gratitude to all of you and our storm troopers who went out of their way to bring peace of mind to families and safe compassionate care to your clients.

 

All caregivers mentioned in this column will receive a gift card and our sincere appreciation! Many many thanks to all of you for once again extending yourselves to ensure that we are of course Always There...!! ■

 

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leaf Providers We Love   

 

We are privileged to have received referrals from and be able to coordinate care with many Assisted Living facilities, rehab facilities, and Medicare Home Care and Hospice agencies.   Our growth is in large part due to the trust the staff in these organizations have put in our caregivers. We are likewise impressed with them and we are committed to referring to them on a regular basis

 

Miller Memorial Community, Meriden

Too many folks consider only the quality of interior d�cor when choosing a rehab facility. This is extremely short sighted. The real value and benefit in any rehab setting is the people. The therapists, the nurses, the aides. How attentive and responsive are they? How focused on the patient's success are they? Miller excels in this area. Their staff retention is high, they are all well experienced. Their patients do very well at home and do not return. Miller boasts an active and effective short-term rehab in addition to high quality long-term care. Miller also operates an active outpatient rehab facility for folks who have been discharged to home but miss the folks at Miller and can receive the same quality therapy in an outpatient setting. Our clients continue to visit after discharge, just to see their friends on the staff again!

 

Arbor Rose, Assisted Living, New Britain

Arbor Rose boasts a wonderful and caring group of staff, activity folks who keep life interesting for residents and a very welcoming environment for our pet therapy program. Our caregivers who are providing service for some residents at Arbor Rose have determined that Arbor Rose serves the best food and has the friendliest and most attentive dining staff of any facility in which they've worked. High praise indeed! Arbor Rose is the perfect environment for those who want to age in place gracefully and well cared for. Thanks to our colleagues at Arbor Rose for their continued support and trust in our caregivers. It is always a pleasure to work with all of you!

 

Vitas Hospice, Waterbury, Fairfield, Hartford

We are always proud to refer our clients to Vitas Hospice. Their beautiful acute care inpatient unit at St Mary's is just another reason to refer folks there who are struggling with their family members care under hospice. Vitas has distinguished itself on its response time, its amazing and unique Veterans program and its commitment to providing continuous care (24 hour care by Vitas staff LPNs or CNAs at Medicare's expense). Continuous Care is provided by Vitas when clients are actively dying or need short-term symptom management. The vast majority of people have expressed their desire to end their lives at home in peace and comfort. Vitas excels in this area. We are proud to be a referral partner.

 

Seabury Active Living Retirement Community, Bloomfield

One of Connecticut's first retirement communities, Seabury has grown impressively from its original facility. The sprawling campus now boasts several individual residences, from apartments to substantial single homes. Their memory care unit is superb. The surroundings provide lovely views in all seasons. An immense fitness facility, including a large pool promotes continued fitness of older adults. Seabury boasts an impressive participation of its residents in the fitness facility. Seabury also has an innovative Life Care program and Seabury at Home service. Their home care program provides both Medicare as well as home private duty services for the community and surrounding area. Their health care center boasts state of the art short-term rehab in a beautiful setting. There is excellent coordination with their Home Care agency, which provides nursing, and all therapies, following a comprehensive home safety assessment prior to discharge. It is a privilege to work in co-operation with them.

 

Regional Hospice and Home Care of Western CT, Danbury

Regional Hospice has been serving the residents of Danbury and western CT for decades.  Their community programs are impressive, they care for both children and adults and provide palliative and hospice care in a very professional and compassionate manner.  We have been so impressed with their end of life care to both patients and families. It is an honor to work with them to meet all the needs of their hospice clients.

 

Meadow Ridge Life Care Community, Redding CT

Situated in one of the loveliest hill top areas in Fairfield County, this
136-acre property in the Connecticut countryside provides a wonderful environment for peaceful reflection with a gorgeous view, as well as more active pursuits. Their amenitie,s in addition to beautiful housing options and wonderful food, include tennis courts, putting green and walking trails. To allow for gradual aging in place, the complex also includes assisted living, independent living, a skilled heath care facility and a specialized Alzheimer's area. Since 2001, Meadow Ridge
has provided an unparalleled level of care that gives so many families the peace of mind they've been seeking. Because they are a life care community, they provide their residents all the services they will ever require in the care continuum.

We are happy to report that several folks have told us they use this column when seeking a provider for themselves or their family members. We take our recommendations of providers very seriously. Please consider our favorites in deciding care for yourself or your family members. We would choose any of them for our loved ones.■

 About Always There Home Care


Always There Home Care provides compassionate, dependable and professional one-on-one care for seniors who need assistance in the comfort of their homes or residential care communities.  Services from highly qualified and trained caregivers range from companionship, meal preparation and incidental transportation to personal care, medication management and RN-directed case management. Available 7 days a week, services range from a few hours a day to 24-hour care.

Always There Home Care understands that every situation is unique and creates individualized care plans to help improve a client's quality of life.

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Our caregivers 

 

Our caregivers are totally committed, highly qualified and carefully selected individuals who are personally and thoroughly screened, bonded and insured. Most are Certified Nurse Assistants or Home Health Aides. Most importantly our caregivers are dependable and extraordinarily caring of others. In addition to their previous experience, our caregivers receive continuous training that includes dementia, hospice care, home safety, nutrition and other topics related to seniors. These highly qualified and trained caregivers are ready to help you and your loved ones with a variety of daily activities such as:

Personal care   /  Meal planning and preparation

Transportation to doctor appointments and other errands

Caring companionship   /  Light housekeeping

Medication reminders  /   Information and referral services   

Our personalized, nurse- supervised services are available 7 days a week and can range from a few hours a day to 24 hour and live in care.


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For more information or service needs, call 24 hours a day at: 203-879-6675 or visit www.AlwaysThereHomeCare-CT.com.


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