Driven by faith - HERE FOR ALL

Weekly Tips & Resources During COVID-19
April 26, 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
Thank you for letting us come into your homes these last 4 weeks! We hope you have found our weekly tips, resources and updates helpful and enjoyable during this crisis. Know that though this is our last weekly e-newsletter, we are here for you. You can call us or e-mail us - visit our website for contact information.

We will resume our regular monthly e-newsletter in May with the exception of updates on services and activities.

Please check our Facebook page where we will continue to post 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.
Struggling with Addiction?

Our current health crisis which has changed the world that we are currently living in has added a stress to all of our lives that we are struggling to find our way through. For some, they bake, exercise, read, clean or a host of other activities. Others, though, may experience a toxic stress with overwhelming feelings of isolation and gloom, anxiety and depression and may turn to or increase their use of substances, alcohol or drugs. 

If you or a loved one are experiencing these feelings and struggling with addiction, please call our Clinical Case Manager, Jessica (24/7) at 517-375-1652 or attend one of the many telehealth or virtual support groups listed below. 


We are here for you! There is HELP. There is HOPE.
*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
TIPS and Resources for Parents of Teens

Validate your Teenagers Disappointment - For many the most painful part of the corona virus crisis will be losing important experiences: high school sports seasons, proms, theater productions, high school and college graduations. And while we’re all missing out on very valued activities, adds Dr. David Anderson, PhD of the Child Mind Institute, “it’s especially problematic for teenagers who are wired in their brains to think about novelty and pleasure seeking and seeking out new frontiers to be limited in this way.”

Give them room to share their feelings and listen without judgment (or without reassuring them that everything will be fine). Some will be worried about missing activities expected to help them with college applications and scholarships. Kids are understandably wondering how this will affect their futures. Again, give them room to share how they are feeling and acknowledge the real stress they may be under. Then express confidence in your child’s ability to rebound.

Visit the Child Mind Institute for more information on supporting your teenager and young adult at home.
More information us available at: https://poverty.umich.edu/stimulus-checks/
Tips from Be Our Guest Staff
-Family & Caregivers of Individuals in Assisted Living

The CDC has provided guidance on  infection control and prevention of COVID-19 in nursing homes . This guidance is for the health and safety of residents. Precautions may vary based on local situations. 

  • Check with the facility regarding their procedures for managing COVID-19 risk. Ensure they have your emergency contact information and the information of another family member or friend as a backup.
  • Do not visit your family member if you have any signs or symptoms of illness. 
  • Depending on the situation in your local area, facilities may limit or not allow visitors. This is to protect the residents but it can be difficult if you are unable to see your family member. 
  • If visitation is not allowed, ask the facility how you can have contact with your family member. Options include telephone calls, video chats or even emails to check in. 
  • If your family member is unable to engage in calls or video chats, ask the facility how you can keep in touch with facility staff in order to get updates.
Tips for Seniors with Dementia and Other Memory Related Diseases
from Beth Newman, Community Liaison (formerly Resource Advocacy)

In addition to all the usual tips of maintaining routine and staying active, visit with your senior! This is a great time to hear family stories or find out something about your senior you never knew before. Remember, even if you have heard the story a thousand times before, it is the first time telling it for the senior. Depending on what stage of dementia or other memory related disease the senior may be at, they may not be able to tell you what they had for dinner, but they can tell you what happened when they were 5. Bringing out the family photo albums can spur their story-telling.

Also, it is very important to limit the amount of information that the senior (or ourselves) is watching. Though the media has done a wonderful job informing society, many seniors are now at the point of being fearful. They are afraid to even go outside of their home in their own yard, they are faced with growing numbers of confirmed cases and death every day. They are worried they and their loved ones will be next. We may answer questions regarding a loved one’s health and safety multiple times in a day, just remember patience.
If you have any concerns or know of someone that needs help you can still reach the Community Liaisons, Beth or Melodie, @ 517/545-5944. If you are concerned about a senior’s well-being you can call Adult Protective Services @ 855/444-3911. There is also a senior’s Friendly Help Line @ 800/971-0016. If you are worried that a senior may try to harm themselves, you can reach out to the Suicide Prevention Line @ 800/273-8255 or you can call Community Mental Health @ 517/546-4126.
Special Ministries Brings Smiles

On Monday, April 20, the sister-in-law of one of our Special Ministries participants had set up a little Make Pauline Smile car parade. I could not resist. Anything for Pauline! After talking about it with my family, they decided to join in the fun also. 

The morning of we decided to do multiple “drive by's!” So around 3:00 PM my husband Preston, youngest daughter ShyLinn and I grabbed our "We Miss You" sign and headed out. Our first stop was in Howell at the Golden Triangle Apartments, then to Burwick Apartments, Burckart Ridge, Pauline’s house, Briarwood Home, and last, but certainly not least, Lake Shore Apartments.

All together we visited and put huge smiles on the faces of 15 beautiful people and we plan on hopefully doing it again on Friday the 24th!!! This is a great way to see my friends and stay safe.  (submitted by Brooke Sporer, Special Ministries)
-Brooke
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. 
Your Donations Help Seniors on Limited Fixed Incomes...

Your support helps LCCC continue to provide Michigan Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP) Services along with other services during COVID-19 ……

With your help, one of our MMAP Certified LCCC Senior Community Liaisons staff assisted a Senior with healthcare coverage costs greater than their current monthly budget. The Community Liaison assisted with applications resulting in:

  • Elimination of Medicare part B premiums - $1,626/yr.
  • Two months retro coverage to recoup additional premiums - $289
  • Food support - over $100/mo.
  • Extra Help application approval lowering the cost of Drug coverage - avg. $4,900/yr savings.
 
The approval of the Medicare Savings Program or the Extra Help program allows a beneficiary to make changes to Medicare coverage. The LCCC Community Liaison provided the senior with plan comparisons of Medicare coverage options, explanation of benefits and analysis of cost of each option for budgeting so the Senior could make an informed decision. 

After the senior chose to continue with Original Medicare, the Community Liaison connected the senior for application to the Medigap Subsidy Program to reduce the Supplemental coverage monthly premium, thus saving $672/yr. The Community Liaison assisted with enrollment into the senior’s choice of a different Medicare Drug Plan at an additional savings of $355 for the remainder of 2020. This is possible because of YOU! Thank you & God Bless.   

If you are 60 or older, please call Melodie Valvano or Beth Newman today with questions or to see how we can help you. 517-545-5944
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 .
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.
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