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Phumzile Gloria Diamuk
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Photo above: Kelly and her grandmother, Regina's mother...still so much in our hearts and thoughts
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"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant."
~ Robert Louis Stevenson
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Photo above: Grace starts early in driver training in her parents' new car.
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Photo above: Fran and her very special caregiver Faith, in matching outfits
"Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own." ~ Robert Heinlein
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Greetings! 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:
Alzheimer's Communication - Touching Foreheads and Kindness
By Bob DeMarco
At the beginning, my mother turned meaner than a junkyard dog. She said mean and nasty things to me every day. This was new. My mother had never engaged in these behaviors with me before.
I had a leg up on this one because I studied communication in college and graduate school.
I understood that when my mother said something mean or nasty that it was the Alzheimer's at work. It was not hard to make this cognitive leap. She had never done it before, now she was. What changed? Her brain changed. It was sick.
Even though I understood what was happening, it still hurt when she said those things to me. She did make me feel angry and sad. Every day. Day in and Day out.
I knew I had to do something. I finally realized something had to change - the first thing that had to change was me. I was going to need to learn how to label my feelings so I could control what I was feeling. Instead of mad, ready to take action.
I also decided I was going to have to do something to change Dotty. I already knew that trying to reason with someone suffering from Alzheimer's is like trying to jump over the empire in a single bound.
Read Full Article
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Photo top: Lillian and friends;
bottom left: The Eramian boys, Easter southern style;
bottom right: Grace checking out her Easter goodies.
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Bullying... It's not just for Children
This study, done in the Netherlands, points to a new and troubled development among elderly in residential facilities.
Bullying is different from teasing. Bullying exists where there is an unequal distribution of power and the victim perceives the events negatively. Bullying is systematic and focused on one person, while teasing often occurs once, or is back and forth.
It is usually a group phenomenon. For that reason, bullying more often occurs at sites where people are in close contact with each other for a long time, such as in schools and residential care centers.
How often does bullying happen?
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"It's a happy talent to know how to play"
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The Hidden Joys of Alzheimer's
I'll never forget playing "Tangerine Poker," a card game my niece Julie and I made up as we went along: I would pick a card, and put the tangerine next to the salt shaker. Julie would put a card on top of mine, and peel the tangerine. My mother would study her hand carefully, look down at the table, and eat the tangerine. Eliezer Sobel is the author of Blue Sky, White Clouds: A Book for Memory-Challenged Adults.
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"Friendship doubles our joy
and divides our grief."
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KUDOS from Kelly
By Kelly McNamara
This column will celebrate two caregivers who have just passed the one-year milestone with their clients.
Faith Sibiya Nozipho
Faith was placed with F M because we were seeking someone with patience, creativity, extreme attentiveness and competence to care for such a special lady. It certainly did not hurt that she also brought along a great sense of playfulness, which contributed to her client's happiness over the days, weeks, and months they have spent together. When Faith decided her client would benefit from some regular exercise, they attended fitness classes together, enjoying the activities like two girls. As soon as the weather grew warmer, the residents and staff would see Faith and her lucky client out for long walks, the younger happily pushing her elderly friend in a wheelchair and stopping to admire the view. Faith's presence and care have brought comfort to FM's family and countless hours of contentment and joy to FM. Thanks a million for what you do every day, Faith, and may you both continue to enjoy life!
Edie Dorman It is always a source of pride for us when we are able to help clients transition successfully from a rehab or long-term care facility back to their own home with a caregiver. Edie was at the right place and the right time, and now after a year of care and friendship, she has developed into so much more than a caregiver and constant companion to her client GL. Edie adapted nicely to GL's routine, to her meal preferences, to important aspects of her care. She has learned to balance well her client's need for safety and also privacy. Thanks to Edie's special brand of caring her client is able to enjoy her beautiful home, her friends, and activities important to her , always accompanied by her "sidekick " Edie What a wonderful year you've had Edie, and we wish you both many more!
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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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!
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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.
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.
For more information or service needs, call 24 hours a day at: 800.348.0485 or visit www.AlwaysThereHomeCare-CT.com.
We are Always There!
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