Driven by faith - HERE FOR ALL

Weekly Tips & Resources During COVID-19
April 19, 2020
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." ~  Isaiah 41:10
This is the 3rd 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 j ulie@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.
*NEW Certified Peer Support Specialist WARMline. This is not a “hotline,” which is for emergencies, but a WARMline, for having a caring voice to talk with during the lockdown.
CALL 888 PEER 753 (888-733-7753)
10:00 AM to 2:00 AM, 7 days a week

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
My Life My Quit program is available for teenagers that want help in quitting vaping.

Excessive drinking while under under the Stay-at-Home order can be a real problem to your mental and physical well-being. Are you concerned you may be drinking too much? Try this Cocktail Calculator.
Family Caregiver Tips from Be Our Guest Staff

Hello to all our families - we are counting down the days until we can again be together! Hope these weekly tips and activities will help you during this stay-in-place order.

We are blessed with a wonderful music therapist, Joyful Noise Music Therapy Services , who shared these videos to keep you upbeat and moving with your loved one at home. Have Fun!!!

Links to song videos:
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.
Tips for Seniors
from Beth Newman, Community Liaison (formerly Resource Advocacy)

For seniors who were already struggling with mild depression or isolation, facing this new normal, is compounding those fears and creating new struggles mentally and emotionally. They are being inundated with information via news, newspapers, word of mouth and are becoming fearful of their own and their family’s vulnerability.   

Seniors that are facing Alzheimer’s disease or Dementia are faced with even bigger challenges trying to adapt to the new normal. Their routines have been altered and they do not have the security they once had. 
    
So, what can we do? Here is a list of suggestions that can be helpful for family members, friends, neighbors to keep our seniors mentally, emotionally, and physically safe. 

  • Phone calls, and if technologically savvy, Skype, Zoom or FaceTime
  • Visit through a screen door
  • Send 'thinking of you' cards
  • Have children make pictures to send to seniors
  • Play games either over phone or via Skype, FaceTime, etc.
  • Have the senior journal their thoughts, fears, emotions 
  • Write letters to loved ones that are no longer with them (obviously they won’t send the letter, but often just writing how they are doing and expressing how much they miss them, will help the senior feel better)
  • Write letters to friends from adult day or their friends from the senior centers
Special Ministries Rescheduling Activities
All Special Ministries activities through April have been cancelled in accordance with the Governor's orders. At this time LCCC Special Ministries team is working on the May schedule which we hope to resume starting May 18 . Check our website page or Facebook page for updates.  

We look forward to when we can again come together with all of you to enjoy the many activities our team is excitedly planning.  
Gudrun's Tips for Families: Looking Back on This Time

When the restrictions are lifted, sometime in the coming weeks, you’ll hear a lot of talk about “returning to normal“. But will “normal” be the same as it was before? 
 
We will find ourselves inundated with advertising from every industry, encouraging us to return to living our lives exactly as we used to. This will be very enticing, because of all the things we have been unable to do. We will be expected to jump right in, as if we have been missing out on everything that’s important.
 
I encourage you to look at the positive changes you may have seen in the past few weeks. Families are eating meals together regularly, playing games, making the time to have phone conversations (not just texts) to check in on friends and loved ones. Enjoying time outside in the fresh air shouldn’t be something we just do to pass time because we cannot be in the office or at the gym.
 
When we walk outside and pass strangers (at a good distance, of course) we acknowledge them, often exchanging a few words about their dog, or the weather. Let’s do this once social distancing is no longer necessary. Embrace these “new normals” (some of them) and just make them "normal." 
 
Maybe we can all slow down a little after this; pay attention to the world around us, removing some of the pressure to fill our time and be busy. Time is a gift and really it is all we have.
Katie, Volunteer Caregiver Coordinator, delivering food & basic needs items to an elderly veteran.
YOUR Donations at Work...
Your donations are bringing help and relief to local seniors! Our Volunteer Caregiver Dept. received a call from a local elderly Veteran who has been living off beans and rice for 2 weeks, unable to get out and was looking for help with food and basic needs. With your help, we were able to pick up and deliver groceries and basic need items and will continue to help the countless number of seniors we are continuing to serve in the coming weeks and months. God Bless!
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 are:

  • Tuesday 12pm-8pm
  • Wednesday 9am-5pm 
  • Friday 9 am-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 .

THANK YOU to ALL Essential Workers!

God Bless you all and may he keep you safe as you continue to serve during this unprecedented time in our world!
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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!
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