Home care assistance to families looking for help with elder family members
This Workshop Covers:
• An overview of Dementia
• Practical applications and situations
• A short film on how to communicate with those with dementia more effectively
• Self-Care: managing stress, caregiver relief
Led by a certified, Professional Geriatric Care Manager of Eldercare Services.
Eldercare Services – Walnut Creek
1808 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek, CA 94595
10:00 am – Noon
Info/RSVP: 925.937.2018
RSVP 3 days prior to class
No Cost
Cynthia Ramnarace of AARP released this article in November 2011 and I think it is worth sharing. Anyone with an aging loved one will know exactly what the writer is talking about.
There are several compelling tips on how to manage the inevitable caregiver crisis. Knowing what to expect and how to react is half the battle. <<Read the Article>>
When:
Saturday, January 14th, 2012
8:15am – 2:45pm | Lunch Included
Where:
Eldercare Services| 1808 Tice Valley Blvd. | Walnut Creek, CA | (925) 937-2018
Pre-registration is required by January 11, 2012 by calling (800) 445-8106 ext. 317 or emailing htoyryla@caregiver.org.
Do you help to care for a family member or friend who is frail, disabled, has a chronic illness or cognitive impairment?
Then it’s back to school for you! Caregiver College, a free class for learning and sharing, conducted by experts on topics including:
Sponsored by Family Caregiver Alliance and Eldercare Services.
Founder and Executive Director Linda Fodrini-Johnson, MA, MFT, CMC
None of us want to lose capacity – with our mobility, energy or cognitive abilities (memory). But, with longer lives comes changes in physical and sometimes mental abilities that face the best of us. Many of these changes are natural and are expected. Some, like a diagnosis of a progressive illness or medical incident like a stroke, hit us suddenly.
Often times we don’t even seek a consult as we experience changes as we age because we attribute each change to a part of the circle of life. However, that is called “reverse ageism” – not advocating for the highest quality of life and highest level of functioning possible because you think the change is just part of aging. There have been many medical breakthroughs in the past 10 years and we should always seek ways in which to make our lives better.
The best way to be proactive is to sit down with an expert (Professional Care Manager) and go over your needs, desires and wishes for all the days of your life. This is an endeavor you take on when you are healthy, not during a crisis.
The professional will gather your values, interests, wishes, desires and help you look at options should you ever need support or assistance for a short or an extended amount of time. Once you have done this, you can take this information to your estate planning attorney and/or financial planner to be sure they document your wishes in order to have your decision maker follow them should you lose capacity.
Our care managers meet with “you” the client annually and call quarterly with those who want to be part of our “Proactive Planning” club. This allows an opportunity and time to update the professional on any desired changes. This gives the individual or couple the reassurance that, if something does change in their health status, they have a professional patient advocate, care manager available 24/7 to pave the way to a good outcome.
The professional will advocate for the client and work with the client’s care team and family and base all decisions on the desires and values of the individual and not others.
If you are interested in our “Proactive Planning” club, give us a call and we will give you all the details that will leave you feeling free to live your life not worrying about what will happen when health or environmental changes occur. You know you will have an “angel” with great skills who knows you to guide any care or decisions based on your values!
Founder and Executive Director Linda Fodrini-Johnson, MA, MFT, CMC
Self-Care: Finding Balance as a Family Caregiver
Learning how to recharge your batteries in creative ways that will allow you to provide care and reduce negative feelings. Linda Fodrini-Johnson, MA, MFT, CMC, will discuss the importance of self-care when caring for an aging loved one or family member in need.
Sponsored by the Caring Connections Mission Team (CCMT) featuring Linda Fodrini-Johnson, MA, MFT, CMC, Founder and Executive Director of Eldercare Services.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
10:00 am to 10:45 am
Calavary Presbyterian Church
2515 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
For more information, call 415.346.3832 or visit their website at http://www.calvarypresbyterian.org/.
Founder and Executive Director Linda Fodrini-Johnson, MA, MFT, CMC
Listen to Linda Fodrini-Johnson, MA, MFT, CMC, Founder and Executive Director of Eldercare Services on Call Kira About Aging! Radio Show Hosted by Kira Reginato on Saturday, November 19 from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm.
To Listen:
KSRO 1350 AM | www.KSRO.com and hit “ListenLive” or www.FOX910.com
Santa Rosa, California
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Eldercare Services
Walnut Creek Office
1808 Tice Valley Blvd.
Walnut Creek, CA 94595
Eldercare Services
San Francisco Office
605 A Chenery Street
San Francisco, CA 94131
Eldercare Services is a National Memory Screening Day site. On Tuesday, November 15, 2011, Eldercare Services will host a day of memory screening. Please RSVP by calling (925) 937-2018 for the Walnut Creek office or (415) 469-8300 for the San Francisco office or email info@EldercareAnswers.com to RSVP for both.
More Information:
National Memory Screening Day provides free, confidential memory screenings to individuals concerned about memory loss with the objective of early detection and intervention.
The event encourages Americans to participate by offering screenings at no charge and in convenient locations in communities across the nation. National Memory Screening Day also provides a valuable opportunity to learn more about healthy lifestyle choices for successful aging.
Why are memory screenings important?
•Memory screenings are a significant first step toward finding out if a person may have a memory problem. Memory problems could be caused by Alzheimer’s disease or other medical conditions.
•A memory screening is not used to diagnose any particular illness and does not replace consultation with a qualified physician or other healthcare professional. However, it is very helpful. A screening can check a person’s memory and other thinking skills. It can indicate if someone might benefit from a more complete medical visit.
•It is very important to identify the disease or problem that is causing memory loss. That is why a person should follow up for a complete checkup with a qualified healthcare professional.
•Some memory problems can be readily treated, such as those caused by vitamin deficiencies or thyroid problems. Other memory problems might result from causes that are not currently reversible, such as Alzheimer’s disease. In general, the earlier the diagnosis, the easier it is to treat one of these conditions.
•Early recognition of mild cognitive impairment (MCI)—mild memory loss that may eventually lead to dementia —provides an opportunity for healthcare professionals to treat this condition, and possibly slow down the changes in memory and other thinking skills.
•Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can improve quality of life. Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease can learn more about the disease, including available and emerging medical treatments; get counseling and other social services support in their community; address legal, financial and other planning issues; and have more of a say in decision-making. Caregivers and other family members can take advantage of community services, such as support groups, which can help them feel better—physically and emotionally. They can discuss treatment, future care and other issues with their loved ones, rather than having to make decisions on their own.
For more information, visit the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America website.
Professional Geriatric Care Manager Supervisor Eileen Zagelow, BA, CMC
Life is filled with processes. Although we would sometimes like to think of life changes in a linear mode, it is true that a process or several processes often need to take place. Sometimes we “see a need and fix it”. That works well for certain things for example, providing transportation to medical appointments and helping with the grocery shopping.
