Safe At Home Senior Care Twilight E-Newsletter: Spring 2015

In this Edition:

• Clients in Action

• Community Event

• Feature Story

• Spring Social

• Care Provider of the Quarter

• Training Certificates

CLIENTS IN ACTION: 

CLIENTS IN ACTION:  “Ce”

Ce is a long time Capitola resident who has lived here since 1945!  Ce is a fun-loving outgoing woman who has had more than her fair share of hobbies and adventures.  To call her an “adventurer” would be an understatement!

Ce and her husband “Babe” met one afternoon at the Ice Skating Rink. They were married on September 23, 1939 in Stockton, California.  Ce and her husband were married by the same minister who performed the ceremony for her parents and grandparents.  Several years later they moved to Capitola where they remained and shared many fun hobbies and activities together.  They went on to bowl competitively together while participating in two tournaments in California (Ce nearly bowled a 300!).  Aside from bowling, Ce was an avid Ice Skater, Volleyball Player and Golfer. She spent many afternoons golfing at DeLaveaga golf course; first on their 9-hole course then later graduating on to the 18-hole course.  Seeking thrills, Ce and her husband took up “jeeping”, the sport of driving off-road vehicles over rough terrain.  The pair also took up square dancing, which they did as partners for 25 years, traveling to many interesting destinations along the way! 

Today, Ce enjoys spending time with her family (including her Son, Daughter, Grand Children, and Four Great Grandchildren) her dog “Prissy” (whom she makes gourmet meals for) and visiting her local Greybears and Mid-County Senior Center.

Today, Ce enjoys spending time with her family (including her Son, Daughter, Grand Children, and Four Great Grandchildren) her dog “Prissy” (whom she makes gourmet meals for) and visiting her local Greybears and Mid-County Senior Center.

Ce first came to Safe at Home Senior Care at the insistence of her family members who felt she would be safer with the assistance of a skilled, trained, professional home care aide.  The family knew Safe at Home’s founder, Steve Glenn, through his affiliation with Capitola/Soquel little league.  Ce admits, she was a little reluctant to receive professional in home care initially because she has been such an independent person throughout her entire life and was not ready to let go of that independence.  However, once she interviewed her companion aide and got to know that individual she became more comfortable and accepting of the new situation.  Today, Ce and her care provider Helen enjoy regular afternoon visits together several days a week.  Ce and Helen have formed a tight bond with one another that allows Ce to maintain her dignity and independence while receiving the support she needs to remain safe and comfortable in her own home. 

COMMUNITY EVENT

“Recreation = Re-Creation:  Getting to the essence of our being”

In partnership with the Senior Roundtable of Santa Cruz, Safe at Home Senior Care hosted a free community event at the Seascape Golf Club in Aptos on April 9^th.  The event was designed to provide advice and inspiration to anyone who has been, is currently, or will be a care provider to an elderly individual. 

Dr. Marion Sommers, author of the book “Elder Care Made Easier”, is an award winning, nationally recognized geriatric care manager with over 40-years of experience in the field of elder care.  The title of Dr. Marion’s talk was “Recreation = Re-creation:  Getting to the essence of our being”. 

Dr. Marion shared stories of her experiences working with the elderly while offering insightful tips and advice on ways we can connect with the elder individuals in our lives.  While sharing a story of how she was able to assist an elderly Hungarian woman who did not speak English and had been misplaced in the wrong facility, Dr. Marion proclaimed, “I have learned to listen with my whole being.  My seniors always teach me lessons on how to live life fully on a regular basis.” 

The event was well attended with over 80 people in the community present to hear Dr. Marion’s advice and inspiring stories of turnaround in the lives of the elderly individuals she has helped throughout her career.  Doree Steinmann, producer, director, editor and host of the public broadcasting television show “Your Second Fifty Years” filmed the event.  The event aired on cable channel 27 (Comcast) and Channel 73 (Charter) at 6pm May 21^st and May 23^rd.  If you would like a CD copy of the event please contact Doree Steinmann at tvdoree@sbcglobal.net

YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT…

• 75% of adults 65+ report being a grandparent and the number of grandparents is growing at more than twice the overall population growth rate
• Adults over 50 account for up to 80 percent of luxury travel spending in America at over $150 billion a year.
• 82% of online boomers and seniors use the Internet to research health and wellness information
• “Millenials” are project to surpass the outsized Baby Boomer generation as the nation’s largest living generation
• 1 out of 3 seniors 65 years and older fall each year.  Falls are the leading cause of hospitalization due to injury for seniors

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE SUMMER?

Greybears Pancake Social (July 18^th from 8 am – 12:00 pm)  

Safe at Home Senior Care is volunteering to assist the Greybears organization by helping to serve meals to the Greybears elder community for their annual Pancake Social.  The event will take place on July 18^th from 8 am – 12:00 pm at the Greybears Thrift Store location at 2710 Chanticleer Ave. Santa Cruz, 95065.   

Safe at Home Senior Care Summer Social – Michaels on Main St! (August 6^th from 4 pm – 6 pm )

We will be celebrating and recognizing our great staff of care providers at Michaels on Main St. Thursday, August 6^th from 4 pm – 6 pm.  Free food and drinks will be provided on the outside patio overlooking Soquel Creek.  This event is open to our clients, their family members and organizations that we partner with.  Invitations will go out in July.  To RSVP, please contact Liz at liz@safeathomeseniorcare.com or call the office at (831)462-3500.    

FEATURE ARTICLE

Knowing When to Get Help

By Ryan Colligan

Director, Safe at Home Senior Care

For most of us independence is an important condition for a comfortable life. We each have our habits and methods of doing things, and life has a rhythm that just “fits” our personalities. But as people age and physical changes occur, we may find ourselves or our loved ones dealing with those changes ineffectively. Sooner or later the question starts ringing in our heads, “When should I look for help?”

But then we think, “Oh, I don’t need help. I have been taking care of myself my entire life.” Or “I can’t tell Mom or Dad what to do – they would never listen to me. He’s too proud, it’s not time yet, let’s wait.” So we wait and do what we can, all the while still wondering, “When should I look for help?”

This situation comes up all too often in our society. Many seniors struggle with their loss of independence even when they are not capable of caring for themselves without assistance because of changes in their physical condition that come naturally with age. Fortunately, we do not have to guess; here are some common indicators that help us determine when it is time to get help before a crisis situation occurs:

1. Physical Condition: Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with a medical condition (i.e. Alzheimer’s,) that affects daily living?
2. Personal Care: Are showers being taken regularly? Are teeth and hair being brushed and cared for regularly?
3. Nutrition: Is weight stable and is food being eaten regularly? Does all the food in the refrigerator have current expiration dates or is some food spoiled?
4. Mental Health: Is there difficulty in expressing thoughts or feelings or using the right words? Are there significant memory lapses (Forgetting the day or year or location) or major mood swings?
5. Safety, Security & Sanitation: Is the house in a disorderly fashion that might contribute to  the risk of falling? Have there been any falls in the past six months? Is trash piling up in and around the house?

Family members often see the changes in the way a elderly family member moves, acts, thinks and responds to situations around them, but dismiss them until one of two things happen:

1. The family begins to spend so much time helping the senior that they have little time for their own responsibilities or
2. The senior experiences a major physical or mental crisis like a hard fall when no one is around or become lost when they leave the house.

If you have a concern about even one of the indicators for yourself or a loved one, it is time to be open and honest about the concern. Address the issue and seek assistance before any of these becomes a crisis situation.

Santa Cruz is home to many professional agencies that offer specialized services for seniors in our community. These services enable our elderly population to continue living comfortably, safely and independently.

This article was featured in:

Aptos Times (December edition) add link: https://www.tpgonlinedaily.com/knowing-get-help/, Capitola/Soquel Times (December edition), Aptos Life (January edition), Live It Up (Santa Cruz Sentinel Spring edition)

For questions or comments you can reach Ryan Colligan by email at: ryan@safeathomeseniorcare.com or by phone at (831) 462-3500 x2

SPRING SOCIAL 

Beer Thirty!

We value the commitment and hard-work our care providers put into working with our clients each and every day.  Being a care provider is not easy work.  It takes a special individual to be a professional, caring, compassionate care provider. We are fortunate to have many of these individuals as a part of our Safe at Home team. We do our best to recognize these special individuals and the positive impacts they make in the lives of our clients.  One way we do that is to have fun together!

On Thursday afternoon, April 30^th, we celebrated the efforts and accomplishments of our great staff by hosting a social at Beer Thirty in Capitola.  Safe at Home Senior Care provided free food and drink tokens to all of our employees that attended. We also recognized the accomplishments of several outstanding individuals with certificates, awards and cash!  The event drew over 30 people and was a great time!  We encourage clients, client family members, individuals in the community and anyone interested in learning more about Safe at Home Senior Care and our award winning team to come join us in these fun events!

Our next event, the Summer Social will take place at Michael’s On Main, Thursday, August 6^th from 4pm – 6pm.  If you are interested in attending please RSVP with Liz at liz@safeathomeseniorcare.com.

For more details, please call our office at (831) 462-3500 or email at: info@safeathomeseniorcare.com

 

CARE PROVIDER OF THE QUARTER

Sidnee Destaillats-Brown!

Safe at Home Senior Care publicly recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of an outstanding Care Provider every quarter.  The “Care Provider of the Quarter” award is given to one individual who goes above and beyond to deliver extraordinary care to our Safe at Home clients. It was our honor to present the Spring 2015 award to Sidnee Destaillats-Brown!

Sid is an exceptional care provider whose recent service for her client far exceeded any and all of our expectations.  While servicing her client during the last few months of life, Sid stood strong, calm and composed through doctor visits, chemo treatments, ER visits, rehabilitation time, overnight care and the final stages of hospice care.   As a result of her commitment and ability to build a bond of trust with her client, her client was able to make important decisions while maintaining her dignity by taking comfort in the fact that her friend, Sid, would be at her side during her final days.  We are so grateful for the impact Sid was able to have on this woman’s life.  Sid built a bond with this woman that allowed her final stages of life to be as comfortable as possible in the comfort of her own home.  We appreciate and recognize your effort and commitment Sid and are extremely grateful to have you as a part of our team!

Congratulations, Sidnee Destaillats-Brown!

TRAINING CERTIFICATES

Safe at Home Senior Care offers ongoing training courses to our care providers.  These training courses are designed to further the development of our care providers by providing certified training courses on subject matters that are important to understand when caring for elderly individuals as a profession.  We recognize and reward the time, effort and energy our care providers put into further developing their skill set by providing hourly pay increases and/or cash bonuses for each training certificate earned.  Below is a list of our training certificate recipients for the Spring 2015 term: