Greetings !
Here at Always There Home Care, we are grateful you are slowing down to read our newsletter, which is full of items that relate to home care, home health care, aging & 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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Please take some time to watch our video!
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Regina McNamara RN, MSN President & Kelly McNamara, Chief Operating Officer
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Photos in top banner: Mary (our graphic designer) with her family, Matt, Grace and Luke; Regina and Tom Christmas in Canada, with grand kids Ryan and Nora; Mishelle (Angie’s Daughter) with her dad Raymond
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FEATURE ARTICLE:
Dementia Gives Us Gifts, Let's Not Reject Them
By Rachael Wonderlin
It had been six months since I’d seen Dot, my favorite resident. Dot was what I like to call “pleasantly confused.” She was in her mid-90s, had Alzheimer’s, and just enjoyed everything.
One thing that I remember about Dot was that she missed her husband a lot. They had been married for decades, and his passing was probably the worst moment of her whole life. Dot would often say to me, “I miss my husband. He was such a good man.” We’d talk about their trips together: the time he was asked to go on a business trip to Italy, but he said he’d only go “if he could take his wife!” Dot went along, and the two of them had a wonderful time.
I don’t think more than a couple days passed without Dot mentioning how much she missed her husband. She’d always say it with a wistful little smile, like she was remembering the good times. Still, it made me sad.
Six months went by after I moved up to Pittsburgh, PA. When I went back to Greensboro, NC to visit my friends down there, I stopped by the place I used to work to visit Dot.
She recognized me immediately. Interestingly, Dot (and every other resident I’ve ever worked with) never knew my name. She knew me, though, all the same. I was the blonde lady who brought her the newspaper and took her on outings.
Dot had tears of happiness in her eyes as she introduced me to her fellow residents. “This is my old friend!” She told them.
We got to talking, and she told me about how she worked during the day, but stopped here for lunch. I knew immediately her “time-line” had changed since the last time I’d seen her.
“And my husband!” She said, suddenly. “He’s on a business trip right now, but he’s getting back tonight. Oh, I can’t wait to see him!” She smiled.
I was surprised to hear this news, but I smiled, too. He’s back, I thought.
“That’s great, Dot!” I said. “Do you think y’all will go out for dinner?”
We had a great conversation about her husband that afternoon—because he was back in her life. He was alive again.
Dementia gives people gifts, sometimes. It brings back happy memories and it brings people who have left back to us. Never reject that gift.
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Photo left to right: Ryan and Nora at museum dressed as native Canadians Inuits from frigid northern Canada; Grace, our graphic designer’s daughter all ready for her first Reconciliation; Our Graphic designer and family roller skating; Mishelle enjoying quiet time in her kitchen; All eyes on Rock Star Riley! Celebrating 100th day of school. Lots OF help from dad
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KUDOS
from Kelly
Lincoln Ledger
:
Surprise! Yes, we DO have men caregivers! There is a severe shortage of caregivers for home care. It is predicted by 2025 there will be 100 % higher demand than there exists a supply of caregivers. Finding special ones that meet our standards is even more exacting. But finding GOOD MEN??? This is a daunting task. The reality is, there is relatively little demand for men caregivers. Women prefer women caregivers. Most men also prefer women caregivers.
But our colleagues at Seabury at Home had a special request for a male caregiver. Luckily, Lincoln was available! Lincoln consistently goes above and beyond for our company and for his clients. He is Incredibly flexible, gracious and creative in finding interesting activities to keep his special clients busy.
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ALAN WEISS ON
HANDLING SETBACKS
Pain and Suffering
We all suffer setbacks, defeats, and failures. Welcome to the human condition. Some are serious and personal within our families and private lives. Some are serious and financial within our businesses and careers. We can’t avoid these, so we must learn to deal with them. I have met people who wanted to close up shop when a pet died. I’m not mocking that, I’ve lost pets and I’ve found it traumatic and nearly-crushing. But my advice has always been to get another pet and allow the soul of the prior one to live on through the new one. We need to turn to positive actions and not wallow in despair.
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REGINA'S
REFLECTIONS
The Beauty of Hospice
As this newsletter is sent to press, our company has the privilege of caring for FIVE clients (and their families) on hospice. This is an all-time high volume for us. We see it as a very positive sign, perhaps our hopes for hospice care being more accepted by families, at an earlier stage is finally reaching fruition.
As a private duty company, we of course depend upon and collaborate with our colleagues in hospice agencies to provide the Medicare funded hospice care services- nursing, home health aides, chaplain, social work, volunteers, medications, equipment, ancillary services as music therapy, massage and other professional assistance. See our “Providers We Love” column for our favorite hospice partners.
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A SURPRISING LIST OF 5 TIPS TO PREVENT DEHYDRATION IN SENIORS
By Ruby Cemental
Hydration is how seniors replenish eliminated fluids from the body. But there are multiple ways water leaves the body throughout the day. According to
well.blog.nytimes.com, there is a new way to measure this process, and it’s called the hydration index:
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The guiding principle behind the new hydration index is that some fluids last longer in your body than others, providing more hydration. After all, if you drink a cup of water and then immediately excrete half that amount in your urine, you haven’t added eight ounces to your water supply, but only four.”
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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
- Seabury Active Living Retirement Community, and Seabury at Home, Bloomfield
- The Hearth Assisted Living Southbury, Branford, Guilford, Madison
- Seasons Hospice and Palliative Care, Middlebury CT
- Masonicare Home Health and Hospice - Danielson, Derby, East Hartford, Mystic, Norwalk and Wallingford
- Regional Hospice Danbury Serving CT and NY
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Photos clockwise: Maple, Our graphic designer’s cat enjoy Sunday snuggles; Darcey checking in at the front desk at Hearth; Darcey with her best friend Bettye; Laura’s dog Bailey; Darcey keeping her eye on favorite client Gene; Tom’s cat Verdi refusing to give up the heating pad; Prince, Dawn and Ni’jhea’s cat; Kim’s cat Simba curled up on his back.
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WHY USE PRIVATE DUTY HOME CARE?
Every person between the age of 70-80 is:
On the path to a fall, will likely miss their medications and confuse their medicines all together, will go without meals on a regular basis, may suffer depression due to life's losses and/ or will miss out on life's joyful moments due to loneliness...
We know that we can make that ten-year gap between 70-80 and well beyond that so much better, safer and more joy filled. Let us help!
Always There Home Care is the only nurse owned and managed private duty company in Connecticut.
Our clinical expertise allows us to provide a wide range of services from providing personal care and meaningful engagement with seniors to managing complex chronic diseases in the home.
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GIVE US A CALL
together we will discover how we can best help you and your family.
Phone: 800.348.0485 ~ We are Always There
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