A Day in the Life » Family Caregiving

How Can You Help People with Dementia Participate in Activities?

Debbie Stricoff — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:33:50 +0000

We’ve seen endless examples of people with dementia come to our center and are disinterested in activities. They’re resistant at first, but with a little time and patience, we’ve been able to engage every single person.

What is the key to helping them open up? Patience and the recognition that participating is about the process, not about the product. We don’t focus on the end result of the activity, but more on getting them to connect to any part of the process. If we try an activity one way and we don’t see engagement, we’ll try it in another way or we’ll try a completely different activity. We attempt to get participation in any way possible, no matter how small or if it doesn’t even relate to the project at all. We view success as any kind of connection that provides cognitive or physical stimulation.

Our Recreation Coordinator is so successful with the dementia population because she continuously tries different activities to see what works and what doesn’t. Ms. L. is a great example of this – she’s 86 years old, has moderate dementia and wasn’t interested in participating in most activities. Each time she attended, staff tried different types of activities to find out what might interest her. Nothing seemed to work until one day staff gave her a newspaper. In the past she had difficulty reading, but when given the paper, she immediately started reading and going through it carefully. You could see the joy on her face. Not only was she reading the paper but she started commenting on the stories! It was amazing that staff found a totally new way to interact with her. We shared this with her family and they now get her a newspaper to read at home everyday. You never know what simple activity will spark someone’s interest, provide stimulation and improve their quality of life!

As a caregiver, if you’re trying an activity with a loved one and it doesn’t seem to be working at that moment, don’t give up hope. Let it go and try it again later. Try something else. You never know what’s going to work, but once you find something that connects and provides stimulation, your loved one will let you know!

Discussion Groups for Seniors – A Great Way to Stimulate the Brain and Socialize!

Debbie Stricoff — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:11:52 +0000

At the VNSNY CHOICE Adult Day Center, we love discussion groups with our seniors. It’s a wonderful way for them to stimulate cognition, feel valuable, share opinions and socialize. Their humor and wisdom always make an impression and encourage us to think in new ways. Last week, we had a great discussion. We loved their answers and wanted to share with you…

What does the word “elder” mean to you?

Boss
Wise person
Teacher
Apostle
Have loot
A good neighbor
Pastor
Someone in charge
Experienced
Someone you respect

What are the gifts and contributions you make to our lives and world?

Words of wisdom to live by
Behave well
Teach
Ethics
Good manners
Strength
Respect for others
Affection
Faith
Honor
Know right from wrong
Know how to raise children
Know how to LOVE

How would you or your loved ones answer these questions? Might be a great way to stimulate conversation with a special senior in your life…

Falls Prevention – Educating People with Dementia

Debbie Stricoff — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:49:16 +0000

One of the wonderful benefits of being an adult day center affiliated with VNSNY CHOICE (http://2012.vnsnychoice.org/) is that we have access to experts to provide health education. Recently, VNSNY CHOICE Rehabilitation Consultants gave excellent Falls Prevention presentations to seniors in our dementia program. Although one might think that people with dementia may have difficulty understanding the information, we’ve been pleasantly surprised at how much the seniors learned and what good questions they’ve been asking about this important topic.

Since the presentations, we have seen noticeable changes in behavior that are helping our members live safely at home. Before, many of our ladies were wearing high heels to the center. After hearing the falls prevention information from the CHOICE Rehab Consultants, they’re now all wearing sneakers or flat shoes to the center.

Not only did the seniors learn from the health education, but our Home Health Aides learned much about identifying risks in the home. Last week, when our HHA arrived at a member’s home for van pick-up, the member crawled to open the door. She had just fallen in her living room. Thankfully the member was not injured, but given the new falls prevention information, the HHA noticed many falls hazards around the home including long extension cords, loose rugs and phone cords, boxes in the hallway and pocketbooks on the floor. When the HHA reported the hazards, center staff immediately notified the member’s Nurse Consultant. The nurse and family are now working with the member to make safe pathways and reduce clutter in order to improve safety in the home.

Video: How To Prevent Trips and Falls In The Home

Poetry in Pediatrics

Sandra McTernan, MSN — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:29:04 +0000

For families that care for an ill child at home the work is 24/7, and the stress of daily care can take a toll on everyone. But much research on home care in children supports that these children often do so much better at home. They continue to maintain their role within the family. Surround yourself with those that love you, and you love and anything is possible. Here is a thought:

H — Happiness lives there;
O — Overwhelming love and safety;
M — Me and my family, strong together;
E — Everyone I care about is there.

And that spells HOME. Support at home to care for these children is where VNSNY plays a strong role. We have infants and children in our care that are thriving at home. Keeping families together is our goal.

What is VNSNY CHOICE?

Debbie Stricoff — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:10:03 +0000

Ms. N., an 85-year-old female living in Queens, joined VNSNY CHOICE and the VNSNY CHOICE Adult Day Center a few months ago. She lives with her family, but they work during the day, and she needs help to remain safely at home.

Last week when she arrived at our Adult Day Center, she appeared lethargic. Our staff spoke to her about the change in her condition, but she didn’t realize there was anything wrong. She showed staff a paper bag filled with medications and told them that she wasn’t sure how to take them. The Day Center staff immediately called Ms. N.’s VNSNY CHOICE Nurse Consultant.

On the afternoon that the phone call was placed, Ms N.’s Nurse Consultant visited her at home and worked with her family to set up her medications properly. Thanks to the coordination of care in the VNSNY CHOICE Managed Long Term Care Program, Ms. N. quickly returned to her energetic self, and her caregivers were grateful to have a system in place to manage her medications. This is just one example of the services and assistance that VNSNY CHOICE provides to help people with long-term care needs live safely at home.

VNSNY CHOICE (http://2012.vnsnychoice.org/) understands how much your home and community mean to you. CHOICE has a variety of health plans to meet you needs:

Designed for people with Medicare, VNSNY CHOICE Medicare offers three health plan options that include prescription drug, doctor and hospital coverage – plus EXTRA benefits that don’t cost extra. Find out which Medicare plan is best for you. You can call for a free information guide that can help you make the right choice: 1-866-583-7126.
CHOICE Managed Long Term Care is a health plan designed for people who need help with day-to-day activities but want to remain in their homes. This health plan provides all the Medicaid long-term care and other health-related services you need to live well at home and in your community. For more information, call 1-855-AT-CHOICE (1-855-282-4642).

If you or a loved one needs long-term care and wants to stay at home in the community, VNSNY CHOICE may be right for you. Please call the above phone numbers for more information on how VNSNY CHOICE can help you live well at home.

Competency in Life Skills – Is Your Teen Ready?

Sandra McTernan, MSN — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:35:36 +0000

Life Skills is something we, as adults, take for granted since we feel pretty independent in all our daily living needs unless we suffer from some illness that requires assistance. But our children, specifically our teenagers, are poised at the ready to enter the big world of adulthood. Are they ready? Better yet are we ready? How do you prepare your teen or young adult out of college to handle daily independent living in a positive way?

Things are very different now then they were 20 or more years ago. To begin all teens should have some type of out of the home paying job. Why? So they can earn their own money and manage their own money. Parents, don’t buy them everything they ask for. Jobs within the household are good too, but they should be expected as a part of living in your home. I am against allowances unless the job goes above and beyond, like shopping for the family, babysitting younger siblings, etc. Let’s face it, there are many bills that come every week that require consistent attention to stay afloat living independently. Opening a savings/checking account and managing a checkbook are skills that will stay with them a lifetime. Organization, community resposibility and living safely (i.e. leaving candles unattended and shutting off the stove when you are done, locking doors, etc.) have to be done always. So as you watch your kids grow and mature remember to TEACH too. They learn from you, so seting a good example gives them the skills to live independently.

I Came Here and I Woke Up!

Debbie Stricoff — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:05:10 +0000

Last week, we had our annual New Year’s Eve party and as always, our seniors had some great new year’s resolutions and thoughts to share. One of things I love about working with this population is being inspired by their perspective and wisdom. As we toasted to 2012, I had chills looking at all the smiling faces, and seeing everyone laughing and loving each other. As many of them said, they would be home alone if they didn’t come to our center. As I told them, we’re so grateful they choose to share their time with us, because they give LIFE to the VNSNY CHOICE Adult Day Center!

Here’s some wishes and wisdom to start off your 2012 – enjoy!

I was in the hospital for 6 months and I couldn’t walk when I was discharged. I was so depressed after getting out of the hospital. I came back to the Day Center and you gave me a new outlook on life – I wish for health and happiness in 2012!
I wish for those I love to live a long, healthy life.
More understanding, respect and better hearts in the world
I thought I was going to pasture, but I came here and I woke up! Looking forward to more in 2012!
More wisdom, health and strength
More dancing in 2012!
In spite of all the difficult things going on in my life, I hope to enjoy the center as much as I can in 2012!

Home For The Holidays

Jeffrey Jue, PT — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 04:14:26 +0000

During the holiday season something to be thankful for is the health of loved ones. Recently the caregiver of a gentleman I was working with invited me to have a cup of her home made yogurt. To my surprise I didn’t know it was even possible to make yogurt from scratch and yes it was much better than the store bought version.

The caregiver simply wanted to express her gratitude to all the people who assisted her husband’s transition back home after a prolonged hospital stay. Although her husband was returning to a familiar environment, he was physically weaker and I worked with him to improve his strength and safety within the home.

The gratitude of this caregiver allowed me to refocus my attention to the thankfulness I have for my family this time of year. Have a peaceful week.

Children and Surgery

Sandra McTernan, MSN — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:11:35 +0000

Corrective pediatric surgeries happen everyday in most hospitals in the United States. For the most part, these surgeries are required for many different conditions and can be life changing. Corrective surgeries, for example, open doors for ambulation, normal cardiac function, normal diet consumption and opportunities for achievement. Families do there best to prepare themselves and their child for what may be a difficult road to recovery. It can be life changing in both good and bad ways. Bad in that some surgery recipients have complications and have great difficulty “getting back to normal” functioning. Case in point: 12-year-old child with Cerebral Palsy will require Physical and Occupational therapy after tendon release treatment for contracted legs. Already dependent on a wheelchair for mobility, this child will require exercises and strengthen to build up her leg mobility. Timing is most important. Therapy needs to start promptly and assist with regaining independence. Support of family, friends, health professionals and determination will get her through recovery, and hopefully as smoothly as possible. Teamwork of all involved will spell success. Home care services did and will continue to make a difference in this patient’s life.

Fighting Seasonal Depression – Adult Day Programs Are a Haven for Seniors

Debbie Stricoff — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:25:52 +0000

During the holiday season, if we’re lucky, we get to spend time celebrating with our loved ones, but for many, especially seniors, December can be lonely if loved ones live far away or have passed. Many seniors suffer from depression during this time of year, and we work hard to lift their spirits.

At the VNSNY CHOICE Adult Day Center, December is party month and we keep the celebrations going through New Year’s Eve. In addition to 4 holiday parties and a New Year’s Eve celebration, we have a Chanukah party, and an annual sing-a-long/ Santa visit led by our friends at Partners in Care, the home healthcare agency that provides us with our exceptional Home Health Aides.

This year, 3 of Ms. E’s daughters joined us for our Chanukah party. As they left, they commented to me “now I understand why my mother likes to come here everyday. It’s so comforting to know that we can drop in unannounced and see how well everyone is treated.”

Mr. B. wrote a beautiful thank you note for our holiday party. Here’s an excerpt of what the party meant to him: “Queens is known for diversity and this all comes together at the VNSNY CHOICE Center in Woodside, where regardless of one’s background, we are always among friends and surrounded by love. We’re celebrating the holidays with a year end round of parties. It’s comforting and reassuring to know that we senior citizens have a haven which is a great source of happiness, good cheer and camaraderie for all.”

A comment by our Recreation Coordinator says it best, “it feels so good to touch people’s lives.”

Thank you for allowing me to share our special moments and give you tips to improve quality of life for seniors. I hope you enjoy reading the VNSNY blog as much as we enjoy writing them. Wishing you and your loved ones a very happy holiday!