Norwell, MA: (781) 659-1877

Sandwich, MA: (774) 994-2212

71 Route 6A, Sandwich, MA 02563

Ellsworth, ME: (207) 667-0870

We're very pleased to present this quarter's Cahoon Care "Caregiver of the Quarter" recognition to Cassandra Stewart-Palmer.

Cassandra cannot remember a time when she has not been enthusiastic about helping and caring for people. Over the last 10 years as a CNA, her appetite for helping others has fueled a passion in her that unquestionably led her into pursuing a career in nursing. Cassandra's experience and skill set is vast, ranging from home care to private health care, rehabilitation, and hospice. She has supported individuals who needed assistance with ADLs, memory care, geriatric care, and traumatic head injuries, and is proficient in ulcer and colostomy care, amongst many other skills from which her clients and patients have benefited.

Two of the first observations we made about Cassandra were the high standard of professionalism to which she holds herself accountable, and the compassion and dignity with which she provides care for clients. These impressions were further solidified when a client's family member made a call to let us know how particularly fond she was of the connection Cassandra had with her parents. Before long, we were contacted by multiple families requesting Cassandra as their loved one's lead caregiver - the ultimate compliment! Cassandra has set the bar high for the entire team in how to provide quality care for individuals.

It is said that the way to a person's heart is through their stomach. However, meal preparation for the person you are caring for can be especially challenging when the individual is from a culture completely foreign to you. Meals are not only about providing nutrition and energy to a person, but also connection, nostalgia, and celebrating one's heritage. Understanding this, Cassandra set out to learn a new skill. Lack of knowledge about or experience in cooking this specific ethnic cuisine never entered Cassandra's mind as a reason not to try to provide meals that delivered comfort, familiarity, and nutrition. When asked how she conquered the unknown, Cassandra modestly explained that doing simple Google searches and watching YouTube videos prepared her for the ultimate culinary test.

If you thought the story stops there, however, you would be wrong. Cassandra explained to the client that she was trying to learn how to prepare the meals she so loved, but was not certain the recipes she found online would be to her liking. The client responded with an open invitation to teach Cassandra everything she knew! So into the kitchen they went, where Cassandra was graced with personal instruction for preparing recipes dating back several generations.

It is a special gift to be able to understand that our clients have incredible things to share with us, and to take the opportunity to accept the wealth of knowledge and talents they can pass on. In this case, embracing something unfamiliar resulted in both caretaker and client enjoying an ongoing activity they can participate in together. Additionally, it provided a sense of purpose and familiarity for the client. Our only regrets are that Cassandra has kept the family recipes secret, and that there were no leftovers!

Life happens to us all, and Cassandra is no exception. She awoke very ill one morning and was unable to go to work. However, she was more concerned about not being there for an important outing her client had that day than about how lousy she felt. Despite feeling incredibly ill, Cassandra provided detailed instructions about everything that had to be done in preparation for the outing and the timing in which these preparations had to be completed to ensure that her absence would not adversely affect the client. At the risk of sounding kitschy, Cassandra embodies the sentiment that there is no "I" in team.

Cassandra has earned the respect of all she has encountered throughout her career with Cahoon Care due to the exacting standards she sets for herself, as well as her professionalism, accountability, and overall extraordinary caregiving.

We're celebrating some important employee anniversaries this quarter:

Kara Perkins - 7 years

Geralyn Ziino - 6 years

Chelsea Curtis - 5 years

Marion Brown - 4 years

Ruth Brittain - 3 years

Michelle Campbell - 3 years

Emmanuella "Nuella" Ekute - 3 years

Debra Gray - 3 years

Jean Harrington - 3 years

Yovemyl O'Connell (HHA) - 3 years

Maria Luz Walsh (CNA/HHA) - 3 years

Geslaine Augustave - 2 years

Brenda Cater - 2 years

Eunice Dodenhoff - 2 years

Arlene Eaton - 2 years

Mable Nelligan - 2 years

Amijean Perry - 2 years

Suzana Rosa (CNA) - 2 years

Christine Salvato - 2 years

Penny Winters - 2 years

Amber Ames - 1 year

Heather Lounder - 1 year

Sheila Parenteau - 1 year

Kristen Ramos (HHA) - 1 year

Summertime can be a fun and wonderful season to enjoy the outdoors - but it can also present dangers in the form of heat injuries such as heat stroke.

Heat stroke is a condition caused by your body overheating, usually as a result of prolonged exposure to the sun or physical exertion in high temperatures. Because untreated heat stroke can quickly damage your brain, heart, kidneys, and muscles, it requires emergency treatment. The damage worsens the longer treatment is delayed, increasing a person's risk of serious complications such as permanent vital organ damage due to swelling - or even death.

Read more on our blog...

Although most people realize they should have some sort of advance healthcare directive in place, there is often a lot of confusion as to what type they need, and for what reason.

First, it's important to understand why advance healthcare directives came into being. They were created in response to increasingly sophisticated medical technology. A century ago, before recent technological breakthroughs and advancements in modern medicine, the dying process looked quite different than it does today.

While modern advancements can make dying much easer and less painful in many cases, the reverse can also be true - the medical care of the dying can instead become unnecessarily prolonged, painful, expensive, and emotionally burdensome to both patients and their families.

Learn more on our blog...

The Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's, held each fall, is the world's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support, and research. There are a couple of upcoming local Alzheimer's walks in which you may want to participate.

Cahoon Care Associates has a team for the South Shore Walk to End Alzheimer's. Click here for more information about the Plymouth walk on September 24, 2022. Click here to register for the Cahoon Care team.

Click here for more information about the Cape Cod Walk in Hyannis on October 2, 2022.

Referrals are a great way to earn EASY MONEY! You can earn up to $300 per referral. Maine Caregivers, call Stacey (207) 801-1633 and Massachusetts Caregivers, call Karen at (781) 635-4968 for details.

Below are recent referrals. Thank you to all who passed along a referral - and enjoy your referral payout!!

(referred Dakota Jewette)

(referred Liz Dedham-Campbell)

(referred Amanda Brown)

We're excited to announce 9 new members of the Cahoon Care team this past quarter...and some were referred by YOU:

JoAnn Ashfaq

Amanda Brown

Ruth Chandler (HHA)

Taylor Hawkins (HHA)

Kathy Hill

Dakota Jewett

Erica Lanpher

Maria Silva (HHA)

Sheila Watson

We're pleased to announce that Terry Bassett, Geralyn Ziino, and Sara Cole received employee appreciation baskets for their outstanding service!

Challenging situations happen constantly, and senior care is no exception. Most caregivers could tell stories about stepping into situations that have caught them completely by surprise.

It's important to try to handle these potentially horrifying situations in a way that protects both the dignity of the individual and the composure of the caregiver.

Click here or on the video above to see how Teepa Snow handles a challenging situation, and take your cues from the best!

Click here for five important points that will get you through the most challenging situations.

Click on the shell above to see this month's word search game. Be the first and last to click on the shell game within the first three days of receiving the newsletter to win a prize!

Last quarter's shell game winners were:

Ruth Chandler

Kate Dahlquist

Donna Levers

We hope you had fun playing and enjoyed your treat!

Caregiving is challenging work. Sometimes we all need to vent and get support. It's important to find an objective audience who is not as close to our experiences as we are, but who can still relate by experiencing similar situations.

If you are on Facebook, take a peek at this amazing support group. You never know - the message you need to hear may be shared there. You'll also have an opportunity to vent to people who will understand and embrace you with open arms.

Please don't forget, your team in the office at Cahoon Care is happy to help or be your sounding board.

Did you know that mirrors can be very disturbing - even terrifying - for someone with Alzheimer's disease or dementia? For some, seeing their reflection in a mirror can cause anxiety, anger, or even hysterical terror.

If your older adult starts acting irrationally without any clear triggers, look around the room for mirrors or reflective surfaces. Differences in lighting could also accidentally create a mirror effect. For example, in the evening and night an uncovered window looks like a mirror because the inside of the house is bright and the outside is dark.

Click here to learn about why mirrors and dementia can cause problems, as well as 10 creative ideas for covering mirrors to eliminate them as sources of fear and anxiety in dementia.

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