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: Tom, Mishelle and Darcey enjoying a lake day; Mishelle meets Puccini; Nora and Ryan (Regina’s grandchildren, taking a bike ride in their new neighborhood. |
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FEATURE ARTICLE
Aging in Place: The Best Choice
A recent study of aging baby boomers shows an overwhelming propensity to remain in their current homes after retirement. Support services, such as healthcare, chore services and transportation enable elders to age comfortably in place. As providers and managers of health care at home, our initial assessment always includes a thorough home safety evaluation.
Consumers who plan to age in place and have the luxury of time to plan for such care, should take proactive steps to modify their homes while they are still financially and physically able. We heartily endorse the following modifications of The National Association of Home Builders:
Bedrooms: There should be at least one bedroom and one bathroom on the first floor. First floor living is a high priority for older adults. Most will soon face difficulty climbing stairs.
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Photo left to right: Ryan (Regina’s Grandson) is a Kindergärtner this year!; Grace (our Graphic Designer’s daughter) learning about different countries in her class; Riley (Kim’s granddaughter) says school is just PERFECT!; Mishelle on her first day of school. |
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KUDOS from KELLY
Our Everyday Heroes
Ruth D is a special and delightful lady. And a joy to all of us. She is bright, funny, well educated, with a variety of interests. In her apartment is a lovely assortment of mementos of her life of travel and adventure.
She actually started her own school in New York City. Obviously, education is at the top of her long list of interest areas. She is always pleased when one of her caregivers is either already attending school or contemplating it. This is an opportunity for her to turn on her “mentor role” Karenly is currently enrolled in a master’s program, much to Ruth’s delight.
A resident of Seabury at Home, she had access to all the wonderful activities on the Seabury campus. She never missed a yoga, class, art class, lecture, special event, book discussion or celebratory occasion.
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THANKS TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Building a monthly newsletter takes many hands (and Brains). Lest anyone assume I sit in my office (or bed) constructing what we hope will be a helpful, perhaps enlightening and always funny newsletter; let me disabuse you of that assumption. Right now.
In no particular order:
1. Al Nixon
2. Michael Geller and Phil Fornaci
3. Kim Burnette
4. Mary Dolan
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REGINA'S REFLECTIONS
Is this the light at the end of the tunnel
Children in School??
September 11 will be etched in our memories for decades. But this September our state was filled with commemorative events, under sunny skies and a sight unseen for months and sorely missed…. Children walking to school, many with parents, some biking, all happy. Finally!
When life returns to normal, which it surely will and needs to soon, there will be many “postmortems”, examination of all that we, while carefully complying with advice of “experts “may have made a bad situation worse.
Examination of failures, like New York, successes like Hawaii (INCIDENCE 65 CASES per 100,000), West Virginia (66 cases per 100,000 people) citation: Johns Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/us-map are instructive.
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10 THINGS TO HELP YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF
Alan Weiss, PhD
- Find someone or some cause to help. It needn’t be financial, you can provide coaching, information, volunteer for an activity, and so forth.
- Reach out to someone with whom you haven’t spoken for some time and ask if they’re doing well. If you can, offer help if needed.
- Don’t set up “sales meetings.” Set up “help meetings.” Find out what others need, don’t simply pursue what you need.
- Conform with the laws, but take advantage of the freedoms provided. If you need a negative test result to go somewhere you want to go, obtain it.
- Maintain perspective. Most people don’t get the virus, or get it and recover from it, or get it and don’t even realize it.
- Socialize, because today’s technology enables it. Use face-to-face means when you can, especially with distant family and friends.
- Stay informed. You can’t listen to just one news source or, heaven forfend, social media rants. Try to understand the facts as much as possible and base decisions on them.
- Pursue your hobbies and interests. Don’t feel guilty. Provide some enjoyment for yourself.
- Read some books you wouldn’t have otherwise read. Try classic fiction (Dickens, Tolstoy, Steinbeck, Fitzgerald) or biographies or history.
- Create a new promotional medium for your business. Start a new newsletter, blog three times a week, create podcasts, record videos, offer free webinars. ■
Alan Weiss is an international business consultant, a mentor and a friend
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Photos: Nora (Regina’s Grandaughter) deep in thought. Looking more like her mom every day; Nora and Ryan (Regina’s Grandson) climbing a tree in their new yard. |
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What She'd Like to Say to Her Daughter
By Dr. Diana Spore
You have graciously done so much for me.
Simply saying “Thank You” is insufficient -
Know that I love you, put my trust in you,
Rely on you to an unexpected degree, and
Hope that you will not begin to resent me
For needing so much from you now.
When I look in your beautiful eyes,
I remember the little girl you once were.
And see the strong woman you are.
I feel stronger walking by your side.
And I know deep in my heart,
That you only want the best for me.
If the day ever comes that you become
Fatigued and stressed taking care of me,
Know that I only want the best for you.
For you to remain healthy and happy.
To still be able to look me in the eye
And tell me what you need from me.
Our gratitude to the wonderful folks at Today’s Care Giver, a website dedicated to all caregivers, both professional as well as lay caregivers. Their resources for caregivers are wonderful. We will publish a poem each month written by a caregiver. All are remarkable. This one especially touched me. We have had the privilege of helping many devoted daughters who manage and provide care to their moms. You have our admiration and support. Always.
Regina McNamara
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And now, for some funnies... |
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And because we can't get enough humor, we present to you...
THE DAD JOKES
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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
- 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
- Farmington Valley Hospice
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800.348.0485 ~ We are Always There |
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