Giving Back and Living Well
MSQLP's e-newsletter: February 2015 edition
Letter from the Board
Recently a line and melody from the Beatles has been running through my head: "I get by with a little help from my friends." That is ever so true for the list of supporters that through grants or individual donations have kept MSQLP alive over the seven years I have been on the board. The economy over the last five years has certainly created challenges for MSQLP, and without your help, we would not be here today.
 
Now you are probably thinking "This is when he hits me up for a donation." 
 
Well I am not! At this point I am more interested in how much we (and the clients we serve) appreciate your support and to give you an idea of how we would like to expand our program this year.
  • We are continuing our efforts to include clients with Parkinson's Disease which causes similar symptoms and challenges that are presented in MS and thus indicates a similar need for case management and support services.  We have continued to expand our case management expertise to families living with Parkinson's while maintaining the same or even a higher level of support for our MS clients.    We can do this not by some magic wand, but through meticulously managing our budget and maximizing the use of staff, interns, and volunteers.
  • Most MS clients I have spoken to can remember, searing detail, the moment that they were first diagnosed and told they had MS. Many go through an incredibly difficult process of scrambling to gather the information they need; to know more about their disease (whether it be MS or PD) and how to best manage their lives. The problem of course is not limited to Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties but is national in scale.  We want to review this discovery process so that we can be better at making this step less traumatic to our clients.
  • As many of our clients have discovered when their condition requires a scooter that the Medicare (and private insurance) approval process can be best measured in seasons rather than months. To minimize the impact on clients, we are looking into the possibilities of an equipment loan program to provide loaner mobility equipment until their insurance approves their prescribed equipment and so their lives are not on hold.
  • And of course we will continue our standard services like our case management program, workshops, support groups, and water aerobics program.
With your support and commitment to MSQLP, we will not only "get by with a little help from our friends," but continue to grow and thrive!

Sincerely,

 

Richard Howell

Board Treasurer

Upcoming Events 
(click orange text for more event info or flyer)

Tuesday, February 10th
3PM to 4:30PM
Sally Griffin Center- Pacific Grove
Phone: 831-372-7510

Tuesday, Feb. 3rd @ 4PM
Tuesday, Feb. 10th @ 5PM
Tuesday, Feb. 19th @ 4PM
To register visit MS101online.com
or call 1-800-779-9945

Thursday, February 12th
12:30PM to 2:30PM
Monterey Library - Community Room
-Learn tips on how to prevent falls through activities that support both prevention and safety.

Important note:
A support person/caregiver is mandatory if you need assistance with balance during sitting and standing.

Friday, February 13th
Starts at 12:00PM
Elli's American Restaurant - Salinas
1250 South Main Street

MSQLP Support Groups
Salinas MS Support Group
Friday, February 20th
11AM to 1PM
Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital
-Downing Resource Center Room A

Monterey MS Support Group
Saturday, February 21st
11AM to 1PM
MSQLP's Office in Monterey
-519B Hartnell Street

The topic for both MSQLP support groups is Communication & Relationships

Water Aerobics
Mondays & Wednesdays 
12-1pm @ Monterey Sports Center

Spotlight on our emerging Equipment Loan Program

By Grant Helm, Executive Director

 

Since the last quarter of 2014, MSQLP's board of directors have been hard at work researching, discussing, and planning our very own equipment loan program in hopes that it will launch before the end of 2015. The purpose of this equipment loan program would be to provide loaned mobility equipment to individuals living with MS or PD when they most need it. 

 

Through our individual work with clients and their families, we have noticed that often times, when you are prescribed equipment by your doctor such as a wheelchair or scooter, you must go through a lengthy process of justifying the expense to your insurance and organizing the equipment details with the vendor. Often times, this process can take a period of several months, and doesn't happen over a period of a few weeks or overnight. 

 

This leaves a lot of people in limbo, while they wait for their new mobility device. Sometimes, it can even put a person's life on pause. Without the needed mobility equipment and the unpredictability of MS and PD symptoms, some individuals are stranded, with no way to even traverse or leave their home. We are hoping that our equipment loan program will address this need, and provide essential mobility equipment (for loan) to individuals who need a device to get around while they wait for their prescribed device to finish "processing".


 

To help make this program a reality, we are going to need more volunteers. We are seeking volunteers who are interested in helping us facilitate the transportation and delivery aspect of this program. If this program is to launch, we will need volunteers who are capable and willing to help move devices such as wheelchairs, scooters, and powerchairs from our designated storage facility in Monterey to a client's home (and vice versa). This would require a volunteer with an accessible vehicle (such as a van or truck). If you are interested in this ongoing volunteer opportunity please contact our office at 831-333-9091.

Did You Know?
Free Tax Preparation Services
By Melissa Bowling - MSQLP Intern

United Way Monterey County has announced that they will have free tax assistance for families who earn less than $53,000 a year.  The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program at United Way will help you file and claim your full tax refund. This program is unique, because the volunteers learn a valuable skill while also helping members of the community receive reliable tax counseling in a community setting.

United Way will have tax filing locations throughout the Central Coast. For detailed information on where you can access United Way's Tax Assistance Program visit their website by clicking on your county:


What to bring if you go to receive tax filling assistance: 
  1. Social Security or ITIN Card for all taxpayers
  2. W2, 1099s & other tax forms 
  3. Photo ID 
  4. Blank Check for direct deposit
You can also file online for free! Go to MyFreeTaxes.com (2014 income must be less than $60,000). 

If you would like to view the flyer for this online tax prep service click here.
on GuideStar and help us grow!
Website:

Our Mission:     

The Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Project (MSQLP) recognizes that people living with chronic illness have unmet needs. MSQLP is committed to filling these gaps by improving the quality of life of persons with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in the tri-county area of Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito. Our programs serve families living with Parkinson's disease (PD) in Monterey County. We work with clients and their families to create comprehensive individual plans and programs that support client independence. 

All of our services are free.

Make a Donation
All donations are matched 20% by MPF
Matching program 
will end 
Friday, February 27th
Benefit MSQLP just through shopping online:
Click on logo for details!
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BIRTHDAY BLOCK!
Happy Birthday Month to these great individuals:

Joan Ariessohn Feb. 2
Leigh Anne Drake Feb. 3
Kathy Holst Feb. 3
Lucy Grewohl Feb. 9
Veronica Jefferson Feb. 9
Joanna Reed Feb. 9
Alyse Matthews Feb. 13
Valeria Rojas Feb. 14
Sherry Adams Feb. 15
Pat Hudson Feb. 16
David Perry Feb. 17
Mary Repasky Feb. 18
Pete Mahaney Feb. 21
Lois Remington Feb. 21
Frank Villearreal Feb. 22

Don't see your name on here when it should be? Call us at 831-333-9091 and remind us about your birthday!
Monthly Tip
The Many Benefits of Volunteering

By Osiris Salgado- MSQLP Case Manager

 

Most of us know that if we eat our fruit and veggies, exercise often, and avoid smoking, we have a better chance of living longer and healthier lives. But your doctor may not have told you that volunteering should perhaps be added to that healthy checklist. Over the past two decades there has been an increased amount of research that indicates volunteering provides individual health benefits in addition to social benefits (Grimm, 2007).

Some of these benefits include:

#1: It's good for you.
Studies have found that those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate than those who do not, even when considering factors like the health of the participants. Volunteering has also been shown to lessen symptoms of chronic pain or heart disease (Grimm, 2007).

#2: Volunteering increases self-confidence:
Volunteering can provide a healthy boost to your self-confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. The better you feel about yourself, the more likely you are to have a positive view of your life and future goals.

#3: Volunteering combats depression:
Reducing the risk of depression is another important benefit of volunteering. A key risk factor for depression is social isolation. Volunteering keeps you in regular contact with others and helps you develop a solid support system, which in turn protects you against stress and depression when you're going through challenging times. Working with pets and other animals has also been shown to improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety.

If you would like additional information about the many benefits of volunteering please click on the links below:


Amy's Corner

Multiple Sclerosis Identification Card

By Amy Lamb Heckel RDH

What is it? Why would you need or want one? Who provides it? How do you get one? The answers to these questions plus links are provided below.

The front of the card is personalized with your name, address, physician's name, physician's phone number, and emergency contact information. The back of the card states, "The person named on this card has multiple sclerosis and may have any or all of the following symptoms."  Possible symptoms are then presented in a bullet point format. They are: loss of balance or coordination, difficulty walking or writing, numbness or partial paralysis, double or blurred vision, slurred speech, and extreme fatigue.

I have heard many horror stories about MSers being accused of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol by people in position of authority who were just uneducated as to the effects of MS. I still drive, and that is certainly a possible misunderstanding I would like to avoid. It is also comforting to have my neurologist's name and number as well as emergency contact information written on a card that won't become crumpled, faded, or soggy.

These personalized and laminated cards are provided by the Rocky Mountain MS Center. Only two things are required of you...payment of $10 and a diagnosis statement signed by your physician. I have provided links below to access further information.

Click here for more information about Rocky MS Center's MS ID card.

Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Project
519B Hartnell Street
Monterey, California 93940
831.333.9091