Three Rivers Community Action, Inc

Transcription

1 Three Rivers Community Action, Inc Three Rivers Community Action, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation that works with community partners to address basic human needs of people in our service area, thereby improving the quality of life of the individual, family and community. Inside this Newsletter Contact Information Page 1 Volunteer Recognitions Page 1 Family Meetings Page 2 Newsletter Changes Page 2 News from Hanna & Carla Page 3 Caterers Page 4 Internet Sites Page 4 Caregiver Classes Page 4 Nutrition News Page 5 Here s To Your Health Page 5 Spring 2013 Volume 13, Issue 1 A huge thank you to our funders: Southeastern MN Area Agency on Aging United Way Mardag Foundation Businesses Individual donations Our Program Advocates: Rice and Western Goodhue Counties: Carla Pearson, LSW Ext. 328 carla.pearson@three riverscap.org Wabasha and Eastern Goodhue Counties: Hanna Stadsvold Ext. 112 hanna.stadsvold@three riverscap.org We celebrate our volunteer drivers for the Meals-On Wheels program! The following Volunteer Recognitions for Volunteer Drivers are listed below in order by date: Mazeppa: Tuesday April 16th, 2013 Was held at noon at the American Legion Zumbrota/Wanamingo/Goodhue: Friday, April 26th, :00am at Three Rivers Community Action Inc. Cannon Falls: Friday, May 3rd, :00am at the Stonehouse Apartments Wabasha: Friday, May 10th, :00am This is TENTATIVE. Faribault: Tuesday, May 21st, :00am at District One Hospital lower level This is TENTATIVE. Pine Island: Fall of Pine Island Area Home Services

2 Three Rivers Community Action, Inc. Mission Statement Three Rivers Community Action, Inc., a private non-profit corporation, works with community partners to address basic human needs of people in our service area, thereby improving the quality of life of the individual, family and community. Offices 1414 North Star Drive Zumbrota, MN Phone: Toll Free: Fax: TTY: MN Relay Service: Hours: Mon Fri, 7:30 am 4:00 pm 201 South Lyndale Avenue Faribo Town Square Faribault, MN Hours: Mon Fri, 8:00 am 4:00 pm 611 Broadway Avenue Wabasha, MN Hours: Mon Fri, 8:00 am - Noon All facilities are handicap accessible. Reasonable accommodations are available. ADA Our continued success in assisting our citizens to meet their basic needs can be assured through donations of time and money. To contribute, volunteer, or request an annual report, please contact the local Three Rivers Community Action office. Your assistance is needed and will be gratefully accepted. Spring 2013 Volume 13, Issue 1 Family Meeting Series Three Rivers Advocates continue to offer Family Meetings. The purpose of the meetings is as follows: problem solve care, caregiver, and/or financial issues prevent caregiver burnout and resentment build caregiver confidence increase family communication Health Care Directive completion evaluate home safety assess for, discuss and refer to available community programs mental health assessment and referral weekly goal setting for self-care education regarding specific disease processes address any other issues brought forward The goal of the meeting series is to set up healthy plans for everyone involved to increase the likelihood of the older adult remaining in his home for as long as possible. For more information, or if you are interested in setting up meetings, call Carla or Hanna. Newsletter Changes You may notice this newsletter is formatted a little differently. Three Rivers CAP is committed to continuing a bi-annual newsletter to clients, caregivers and volunteers. However, the size of the newsletter is going to become smaller and mailed with donation requests in the Fall and Spring. An agency wide newsletter is in the process of being developed for all of our programs and will be mailed or ed to partners, grantors, and businesses twice a year. Page 2

3 News from Carla I m delighted to introduce Hanna Stadsvold to the clients of Three Rivers CAP as the new Senior Programs Specialist. She comes to us with recent experience advocating for older adults and their families within a health care setting, has a Professional Certification in Gerontology, a Bachelor s degree in Family Science, and has worked for the Alzheimer s Association. Please give her a warm welcome. Blizzard Bags were recently distributed to all clients participating in the Home Delivered Meals Program. They included free shelf safe food and education regarding special diets and emergency preparedness. This project is usually completed in the fall, however, due to food shortages and increased demands, we were not able to provide these bags until recently. I was actually concerned about how late they were going out to you in the season, but it turned out to be good timing due to the three recent snow storms we ve all had since the delivery. Whew! As always, Hanna and I are available to come to your home to complete a benefits analysis to see if you qualify for Medicare Savings Programs and/or public benefits. We have applications on hand and can assist you through the process. The economy is tough for all of us, but especially for those of you on a fixed income. We are here to help ends meet financially. We are also happy to assist you and your care givers assess medical/nutritional/emotional needs so care givers remain healthy and older adults can safely remain in their homes for as long as possible. If you are interested in a Powerful Tools for Caregivers class (see page 4) in your community, or a Family Meeting (see page 2) please let us know and we can arrange it. I look forward to the warm weather and I plan on building a raised garden in my yard now that my three girls are old enough to help Please note Hanna s welcome letter accidentally went to clients and caregivers in Cannon Falls. This was a mistake and Carla continues to be the Advocate for this community. News from Hanna As the new Senior Programs Specialist with Three Rivers CAP I look forward to meeting and working with new and continuing clients alike. I have a Bachelor s Degree in Family Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as well as a Professional Certification in Gerontology. I really enjoy working with the older adult population and their families. I feel that each interaction and experience has the ability to teach me something new! I have prior experience in working with and advocating for seniors in a healthcare setting, as well as at the Alzheimer s Association. Outside of my education and prior professional experience, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends; I am blessed to have a great group of supporters. I also like spending time outdoors. I enjoy doing a little of everything, but some of my favorites are: yard work, playing golf, waterskiing, and taking my puppy, Emma, for walks! The spring sunshine is bringing promise of warmer weather to come and I am ready to welcome that. Springtime always reminds me of fresh starts and that seems fitting with the start of this new adventure that I am taking with Three Rivers. I look forward to assisting you and your families with any needs that may arise! Page 3

4 A CLASS FOR CAREGIVERS Goodhue County Cannon Falls Cannon Falls Medical Center Mayo Goodhue Seminary Home Red Wing Pine Island Pine Haven Care Center Wanamingo Semcac Senior Dining Zumbrota Semcac Senior Dining Rice County Faribault District One Hospital Morristown Semcac Wabasha County Mazeppa Pine Haven Care Center Wabasha Semcac Senior Dining Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a class with a relaxed setting for family/spouse caregivers of older adults. The focus of this class is to help you caregive while still taking care of your own health, emotions, and family obligations. Classes are once a week for six weeks and meet for 2 1/2 hours. Classes include individual and group exercises. It s amazing how the time flies! Topics Covered: Taking Care of You Identifying and Reducing Personal Stress Effectively Communicating Feelings, Needs, Concerns Communicating in Difficult Situations Learning from Our Emotions Mastering Care Giving Decisions If you or your church would like a class, give us a call to schedule! We also offer an abbreviated class (90 minutes) for employees. If your place of employment would benefit from this type of class for its employees, please let us know and we can set it up through the Human Resources Department. This is a perfect class to meet your business s health and wellness program goals. Thank you! Thank you to the Mardag Foundation to make these classes possible for communities in Rice, Goodhue, and Wabasha counties! Here are some useful websites: For information on diseases and symptom checker: To look up what Medicare covers go to: Check out our website at for recently added resources and various applications for older adults. Click on Senior Programs for these resources. Page 4

5 What is a Gluten Free diet? Gluten is a protein substance found in grains such as wheat, barley, and rye. Commonly a gluten-free diet is followed to treat celiac disease, however individuals may also experience a gluten sensitivity without being diagnosed with celiac disease. Gluten causes inflammation in the small intestines and can be quite damaging if left untreated. Symptoms of celiac disease range from mild weakness and abdominal pain and bloating to chronic diarrhea, weight loss, and nutrient deficiencies. A diagnosis of celiac disease left untreated can lead to increased chances of gastrointestinal cancer. Many products are now made and labeled as gluten-free in grocery stores and other specialty stores or online. Look for products made with gluten-free grains such as corn, rice and soy. Food products that many people enjoy on a daily basis are naturally gluten-free such as eggs, fresh meats, fish, and poultry, most dairy products, and fruits and vegetables. Since many grains today are enriched with vitamins and minerals it is important to ensure that you are receiving adequate amounts of them if following a glutenfree diet. Some nutrients to ensure are plentiful in a gluten-free diet are iron, calcium, fiber, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate. Working with a nutritionist or a dietician when starting a gluten-free diet can be a great way to learn to navigate a gluten-free lifestyle. Information courtesy of mayoclinic.com Nutrition News/Here s to your Health... Here s to your Health In past newsletters, we have discussed different types of dementia and behavioral disturbances including Sundowning often occurring in the later stages of this disease process. Here are some interventions and suggestions to assist you in managing care for your loved one. Keep the home well lit in the evening. Adequate lighting may reduce the agitation that occurs when surroundings are dark or unfamiliar. Make a comfortable and safe sleep environment. The person's sleeping area should be at a comfortable temperature. Provide nightlights and other ways to keep the person safe, such as appropriate door and window locks. Door sensors and motion detectors can be used to alert family members when a person is wandering, as can safety systems like Comfort Zone. Maintain a schedule. As much as possible, encourage the person with dementia to adhere to a regular routine of meals, waking up and going to bed. This will allow for more restful sleep at night. Avoid stimulants and big dinners. Avoid nicotine and alcohol, and restrict sweets and caffeine consumption to the morning hours. Have a large meal at lunch and keep the evening meal simple. Plan more active days. A person who rests most of the day is likely to be awake at night. Discourage afternoon napping and plan more challenging activities such as doctor appointments, trips and bathing in the morning or early afternoon. Encourage regular daily exercise, but no later than four hours before bedtime Try to identify triggers. Limit environmental distractions particularly during the evening hours (TV, children arriving, chores, loud music, etc.). Be mindful of your own mental and physical exhaustion. If you are feeling stressed by the late afternoon, the person may pick up on it and become agitated or confused. Try to get plenty of rest at night so you have more energy during the day. Share your experience with others. Join our online support community and message boards, share what response strategies have worked for you, and get more ideas from other caregivers. For more information: Call the Alzheimer s Association at or visit If you are interested in meeting with our contracted Registered Dietician, give us a call. Information courtesy of alz.org Page 5

6 Three Rivers Community Action, Inc. Senior Programs 1414 North Star Drive Zumbrota, MN RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Help us keep our mailing list current. Please notify us if you: Have a change of address. Are receiving more than one copy. Would like to be removed from our list. Would like an ed copy. Volunteer Recognition Dates Family Meeting Series Welcome Hanna News from Carla Powerful Tools for Care givers Helpful Internet sites What is a Gluten-Free Diet? Here s to Your Health Sundowning Spring 2013 Vol. 13 Issue 1