Driven by faith - HERE FOR ALL
Weekly Tips & Resources During COVID-19
April 12, 2020
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This is the 2nd in our weekly tips and resource newsletters during COVID-19 Stay-in-Place.
We will resume our regular monthly e-newsletter in May.
If you have any topics you would like to see us cover in future editions, please e-mail Julie Amman at julie@livingstoncatholiccharities.org.
We will also continue to post on our
Facebook
page great resources that are shared with us as they become available.
Stay safe; stay healthy; and may God hold you in the palm of his hands. God Bless!
For a listing of local resources and services,
click here.
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A Message from Mark T. Robinson……
This has truly been a difficult couple of months, for all of us, our family, friends, community members, and the people served by this agency. We are living in a crisis not seen since the flu pandemic of 1918.
As we shelter in place, engage in Zoom calls and social distancing, and as we watch Pope Francis pray in an empty St. Peter’s Square, it gives us much to think and pray about. This current pandemic reminds us that we are all one world, one people of God, we are all in this together.
Here at Livingston County Catholic Charities we’ve had to make many changes, close two of our programs, and make measurable alterations to the others. We pray for a return to “normalcy”, but we live with the current uncertainty. Despite the uncertainty, we are called, as people of faith, to continue to serve those struggling with mental health concerns, or a lack of social or financial support. We are able to do this because of the many people who support us in prayer, volunteerism and financial generosity.
Please know that everyone at Livingston County Catholic Charities, coworkers and board members hold you and all people in prayer as we struggle together. Thank you for your continued support.
Yours, In Service.
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We Are Still Here for You!!!!
LCCC's Updated Hours:
We are open and providing mental health and substance abuse counseling, foster care and adoption services, Elder Abuse Neglect & Exploitation Prevention assistance, Substance Abuse Prevention and senior services - Community Liaison (connecting seniors to critical resources) and Volunteer Caregiver program. Our open times for the week of
April 13 to 17
are:
- Tuesday 12pm-8pm
- Wednesday 9am-5pm
- Friday 9am-5pm.
Program staff or Directors can be reached by calling the main office at 517-545-5944 or visiting
www.livingstoncatholiccharities.org/contact-us
for direct e-mails. As many program staff are working remotely, e-mails may be the quickest way to receive a response.
LCCC's Substance Abuse Case Manager can be reached 24/7 at
517-375-1652
.
In addition, the following program closure updates are listed below:
- Be Our Guest Adult Day will remain closed through and including May 1, 2020.
- Special Ministries of Livingston County will remain closed through and including May 1, 2020.
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Special THANK YOU to everyone who made a special donation to our recent appeal.
Your generosity allows us to continue to provide critical services
....
One senior called us this week, frantic and in tears because she couldn't get out to get food or her medications. Though she has money to purchase food, she had no family or supports to get her the food or her medications. She thought that she'd be okay because she was financially stable...however, all of the resources and agencies she had been working with stopped due to the corona virus.
Your generosity supported our team to assist her with purchasing items, picked them up and delivered them to her. We have assured that we are here for her through the duration - thanks to all of you! Through you, seniors are receiving critical services.
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Laurie & Megan's
Tips & Resources for Parents:
Tips or surviving the quarantine:
- Keep a daily routine, even if you have to schedule when you are going to eat breakfast, walk the dog, or watch TV.
- Get outside: take a walk down your street, go to the park, go for a bike ride, sit on your front porch. If nothing else, open your windows/blinds.
- Keep busy. Now is your opportunity to get that closet organized that you’ve been meaning to get to, or to try making that recipe you wanted!
- Find the positive: “I get to stay in my pajamas all day!” “I really don’t miss_____________ as much as I thought I would.” “I’m grateful the grocery store had what I needed today.” “We will all value things a little differently when all this is over!”
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Suicide Prevention Hotline (24/7): 800-273-8255
Livingston County Community Mental Health (24/7): 800-615-1245
Veterans Crisis Line 800-273-8255 and press 1 or text 838255
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MENTAL HEALTH TIPS for Parents
With the end of in-person teaching and learning for the remainder of the school year, we know children may have concerns, anxiety, and several other feelings. Each child is different, and this change will affect them differently. Howell Public School's counselors have created a
list of five tips
to help parents navigate emotional conversations around this with their child.
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Gudrun's Tips for Families:
Take it Outside
While we are confined at home with our families we have to be creative to keep the cabin fever at bay. Walks and bike rides are the best! Do you remember that feeling of
freedom
going out on a bike given to you as a kid? After weeks at home, trust me, it is almost that good!
Finding remote places to walk that aren’t full of like-minded people can be tricky, but on the trails we have found everyone to considerate about respecting each other’s space. Although, it is still disconcerting to see people turn and walk another way when they see you coming. Respect their choice. Explore the woods you have always been meaning to go to…you have the time.
If your kids are like mine, with the playgrounds closed, they want to do more than just walk. So, we gave geocaching a try. There are free apps available, the one we have been using is simply called Geocaching. Have fun!
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Family Caregiver Tips from Be Our Guest Staff
Hello to all our families - we MISS you all! Hope these weekly tips and activities will help you during this stay-in-place order.
You do not need to follow the exact rules when participating in any activities, make it simple and enjoyable. Have fun making up some goofy rules to fit your situation.
Activities:
- Exercise – balloon volleyball (put small weight on balloon to help keep balloon close), toss a ball, easy exercise video, walk outside.
- Two exercise videos that we use for exercise. https://youtu.be/NtQ6smbuEMo and https://youtu.be/Mt_hUkaRoOo
- Adult coloring books
- Sort through old photos
- Help around the house – fold laundry, sort items, and sanitize the house
We look forward to the day when we can again see your beautiful smiling faces. God Bless!
If you need additional support during this time, contact the Alzheimer's Associations free 24/7 Helpine. They
are providing free virtual and dial-in support groups for individuals affected by dementia to share experiences, tips and information, and offer support in a setting facilitated by trained volunteers. Please contact Melanie Baird at mbaird@alz.org or their 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900 with questions.
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Donations to St. Joe's
The health and safety of staff at St. Joseph Mercy Health System is of the
utmost importance. To help staff feel safer and more protected, and to help conserve N95 masks for colleagues in COVID-19 clinical spaces, employees who are not in direct contact with COVID-19 patients or Persons Under investigation (PUI) may bring in any cotton mask that is made or donated. For more information about donating g
o
HERE
.
St. Joe's is asking that in encouragement and thanks to the health care workers you include
#YouAreRemarkable
on social media.
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On-line Recovery and Substance Abuse Support Groups:
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Follow us on
Facebook
and
Instagram
for the Foster Care Parenting Tip of the Week or the Caregiver Tip of the Week along with other great information & activities.
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Click Here to Donate Locally & Help LCCC Continue to Provide Critical Services!
Your donations are necessary to programming that is offered to low income and home-bound seniors, unemployed and uninsured individuals and families. Help us continue to serve our community's most vulnerable!
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Livingston County Catholic Charities
2020 E. Grand River #104, Howell, MI 48843
Office Phone 517-545-5944 Be Our Guest Adult Day Phone 517-546-9910
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