of our caregivers taking care - alzheimer's family ... · vision statement all those with...

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Photo L to R: Deb Selsavage, Dominick DePetrillo, Mathew Barry, Kathleen Simington and Kathy Postiglione; all are board members except Dominick.

The Board presented Dominick with the first everDominick DePetrillo Volunteer Award in memory of Rose DePetrillo.

Support Groups 4Services 5Education Calendar 6Debbie’s Corner 7Volunteer Spotlight 8Meet The Board 8

www.seniorshelpingseniors.com AHCA#233133 • AHCA#233151

Companion and Homemaker Services by Seniors for Seniors. Escorted Transportation/Outings • Appointment Scheduling & Reminders

Alzheimer's/Dementia Companionship Support • Light Housekeeping Meal Prep, Planning, Grocery Shopping • Socialization

Call today for a free evaluation and service plan 352-610-9934Citrus, Hernando & W Pasco Countieswww.seniorshelpingseniors.com AHCA#233133 • AHCA#233151

Companion and Homemaker Services by Seniors for Seniors.Escorted Transportation/Outings • Appointment Scheduling & Reminders

Alzheimer's/Dementia Companionship Support • Light Housekeeping Meal Prep, Planning, Grocery Shopping • Socialization

Call today for a free evaluation and service plan 352-610-9934Citrus, Hernando & W Pasco Counties

TAKING CARE OF OUR CAREGIVERS

Vol. 20, No. 2 Summer 2017

Kearstin Harmon 9From Your Editor 9Lake, Sumter, S. Marion 10Thanks Volunteers 10Pasco, N. Pinellas, N Hillsborough 11The Villages 12

Upcoming Events 11Health With Nature 13Citrus Special Person Registration 14Focus On Fluids 14Wanderer’s Reunification 15Virtual Dementia Tour 16

Caregiver Stress 16When To Place Loved One 17Take Care Of Yourself 18You Cannot Do This Alone 19

http://seniorshelpingseniors.com/

2 Alzheimer’s Family Organization - Companion

Executive Director Kathleen WintersPresident Deborah SelsavageVice President Cheryl CourtrightTreasurer VacantSecretary Bernie FitzgeraldMembers Kathleen Simington Greg Perkins Kathy Postiglione Glen Scharfeld Karen Mercer Rick Wiggins Michael Benetto

facebook.com/AFO.FL

Scan this QR code with your smartphone. It will take you towww.alzheimersfamily.org. Download a free QR code reader

from the ITunes App Store or Android Market to read the QR code.

Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Mon. – Fri.Office: 461 Mariner Boulevard, Spring Hill, FL 34609Telephone: 352-616-0170Fax: 352-616-0174 • E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.alzheimersfamily.orgFacebook: www.facebook.com/AFO.FLTwitter: @AlzFamilyOrg

Administrative Associate Denise DamianakesMarketing & Media Specialist Kearstin HarmonYour County RepresentativeThe Villages Jackie Kuhn-Damron – 574-721-1177S. Sumter / S. Lake Pam Schmitz – 352-396-6927Pasco/N. Hillsborough/N. Pinellas Vacant

Vision StatementAll those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, and their caregivers, will have a better quality of life.

Mission StatementTo provide educational programs, support services and assistance to caregivers, families and individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia.

NewsletterEditor: VacantEditorial Staff: Steve Davis, James FinneganAll material in this newsletter is offered as information to our readers. The Alzheimer’s Family Organization does not warrant, endorse, or recommend any provider, program, or product.Others interested in supporting this publication may call the Organization office at 352-616-0170.The “Companion” is published quarterly by The Alzheimer’s Family Organization located at 461 Mariner Boulevard, Spring Hill, FL 34609. Subscription is free to members and advertisers. The Alzheimer’s Family Organization disclaims any liability for damages resulting from articles, opinions, advertising, or representations expressed or implied in this publication. Any comments or claims are made solely by the individual author and do not necessarily represent the views of any other Alzheimer’s Family Organization member or other persons, living or dead.

The Alzheimer’s Family Organization conforms to the Florida “Solicitations of Contributions Act” pertaining to charitable organizations:“A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE (1-800-HELP FLA) REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.”

Twitter@AlzFamilyOrg

ALZHEIMER’S FAMILY ORGANIZATIONFAMILY IS OUR MIDDLE NAME

The hot, humid days and summer storms are upon us! A time of year for thinking about being proactive about stay-ing hydrated, keeping loved ones indoors and out of the heat. It is also a time for caregivers to look out for themselves as well. Please try to remember to take care of yourself!

The staff and I have been planning and working on many activities since the Spring! We are work-ing on our annual Alberta’s Fashion Show, planning for our 17th Annual Tampa Bay Charity Golf Tournament and Walk Aware. We held our annual Pasco Challenge at Starkey Park in March. The day was beautiful and everyone seemed to have a lot of fun. Participation was down this year, as we competed against several other events that were held on that same day. We have taken several factors into consideration, and we will be making some changes for next year’s event. More news to come on this….

A special thank you to The Residence at Timber Pines for hosting a wonderful event, “Dueling Pianos”, to Sumter Place for hosting a carnival and to Summit Greens Women’s Club for their gala event on behalf of AFO. Your support of our organization is immeasurable. We are very grateful to both facilities, and the Womans Club for their continued support. We would also like to thank Wells Fargo, Lady Lakes branch, AFA and Pasco Aging network for our grant awards. The funds will remain local to provide the much-needed support for caregivers and their loved ones. THANK YOU!

As I reflect on this past year, it is hard to believe we have been in our new location for a year now! I guess it is not “new” anymore! The location has worked out very well and has made travel and accessibility better now that we are centrally located to the eight counties we serve.

I would like to say THANK YOU to all of volunteers, no matter what capacity you have volunteered for us, your support is heartfelt. AFO will make the month of April our Annual Volunteer Appreciation as we did this year. I hope to see you again next year! A huge THANK YOU to Watermark Assisted Living in Pasco County and Brookdale at Freedom Pointe in The Villages for being our hosts for these events. The food was scrumptious and the facilities are beautiful!

As the organization continues to grow, we learn from mistakes, make changes that are needed and strive for im-provement as successes. Currently changes to our web site are under way as well as our brochures. I am very excited about this as we move into the newest age of options in the world of technology! Kearstin Harmon has joined our team as the new Marketing & Media Specialist. She is a true ray of sunshine! Be looking as she brightens us up!

Enjoy the sunshine, stay safe in the storms, reach out to us for support and as always, know that the job you do as a caregiver, no matter what capacity, is deeply appreciated by those that cannot tell you that.

With Peace, Kathleen

Non-Profit Community Benefit Organization Serving West Central FloridaCovering Citrus, Hernando, Northern Hillsborough, Lake, Southern Marion,

Pasco, Northern Pinellas, and Sumter Counties

WORDS FROM THE EXECUTIVEDIREC TOR

Kathleen M. Winters,Executive Director

https://www.facebook.com/AFO.FL/

https://twitter.com/alzfamilyorg

https://alzheimersfamily.org/

We try to correctly spell all names. However, if we have not done so, please let us know and we will correctly spell it for our next issue. Also, if you do not want to have your name listed, please let us know when you make your contribution. We appreciate each and every one of you who have donated, contributed, or become members of our Organization. Where would we be without you? Thank you for believing in what we do, and for helping us fulfill our commitment to preserve the independence, quality of life and personal dignity of persons afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias, and their caregivers throughout the Central Florida area.

ANNUAL APPEALPriscilla BlountPhyllis Umphred

DONATIONSDay-Break Club of The

VillagesSally MaustBernard & Maryann

RanalloSummit Greens Womens

Club (Dinner)Sumter Place (Carnival)Kim Washington

FRIENDSCatherine KettermanArdie MillerBernard Stegmeyer

MEMBERSHIPRuth AultJaye Bellfy

Generous Donations & Memberships from March 1, 2017 to May 31, 2017

D O N A T I O N S , C O N T R I B U T I O N S & M E M B E R S H I P S

Alzheimer’s Family Organization - Companion 3

Frederick BrownPatricia CruverShirley DuvallRudy FojtikJoan GarmanSusan GarrettKathy JohnstonRobert McAndrewMiriam MohrLora MorrisonAlan MunsellJeanne OdomJoyce OlivaIris OttoJeraldine ParkerJack RupprechtEleanor ScheuermannJoan SchofieldJerry ScovelHerb & Dianne TerryJoan ThaxtonCarol ThomasGeri Wayne

MemorialsMemorialsKathryn ArvanisDay-Break Club of The

Villages

Sue C. BessPhyllis MotlDay-Break Club of The

Villages

John “Jack” CoyFred BrownDay-Break Club of The

VillagesSeasons Design Studio

Phillip O. CreelAnnette BreitBruce & Betty CameronThe Christensen FamilyMary Foley & Candy

LangtonLoreen GualtieriNorma HeavenCurtis & Helen KingRodney & Patricia KinzerCarl & Diane LawsonMitch & Wanda MulinskiThomas & Georgian

SokiraTierra Del Sol North

Social Club

Corinne GoldmanSally MaustIrene McGee

Lad MenorcaMichael & June

Vanderveen

Ron MergenMike & Linda McCabe

Edward NabbDay-Break Club of The

Villages

Below is a Facebook message posted by Sheryl Bass. Sheryl’s Mom, Wanda Lukasik, lost her battle with Alzheimer’s disease and knows all too well the affect this had on her Dad, Frank, and the family overall. Sheryl wants people to know about this disease and the hold it has on the entire family. The AFO became aware of this family while on a visit to Sumter Place in The Villages. Frank felt it very important that Sheryl’s message get out to others.

The neurologist said Dementia/Alzheimer’s should be called “brain failure’ because the other names are nebulous and don’t indicate the severity of the disease to most folks.

As the patient’s brain slowly dies, you know they’ve changed physically, and the caregivers are often in shock! Patients are usually bedridden,

Thoughts from a Caregiverunable to move, and unable to eat or drink. There will be people who will scroll on by this message because Dementia/Alzheimer’s has not touched them. They may not know what it’s like to have fought that fight, or had a loved one who leads a battle against Dementia/Alzheimer’s.

For all the men and women, I know, I ask you a small favor. Only some of you will do it…. if you know someone who has led a battle against

Dementia/Alzheimer’s, still struggling or who has passed, please add this to your status for one hour as a mark of respect and remembrance…. copy and paste to support victims and families af-fected by Dementia/Alzheimer’s as there is NO CURE! There are NO SURVIVORS!!! Do this on behalf of all caregivers loving someone with this disease.

Love you, Mom!

Brookdale Northdale3401 W. Bearss Avenue, Tampa2nd Monday of each month at 10:00 AM4th Tuesday of each month at 5:30 PMLeader: India Shilo 813-961-1044

LAKEFor Caregivers Dealing with NewlyDiagnosed PatientsAtria Senior Living930 County Rd. 466, Lady Lake, FL 321591st Wednesday of the month at 10:00 AMLeader: Carol McCarthy 352-454-8303

Avante at Leesburg Nursing & Rehab Center(Free Respite Care During Meeting – RSVP to Dori)2000 Edgewood Ave., Leesburg, FL 347483rd Thursday of the month at 1:00 PMLeader: Doreen Watson-Beard 352-217-6476

Bridgewater @ Waterman Village(Free Respite Care During Meeting)500 Waterman Ave., Mt. Dora, FL 32757 3rd Wednesday of the month at 1:30 PMCo-leaders: Chaplain Alan Jones 352-385-1133 Debbie Garay 352-383-0051 x 313

Brookdale Clermont650 E. Minnehaha Ave, Clermont, FL 347111st Wednesday of the month at 4:00 PMLeader: Pam Schmitz 352-396-6927

Chapel of Christian Faith1401 Paradise Drive, Lady Lake, FL 321593rd Thursday of the month at 10:00 AMLeader: Martha Hyatt 352-748-7633

Clermont Adult Recreation Center 3700 S Hwy 27, Room 7 Clermont, FL 347111st & 3rd Tuesday of the month at 4:00PM Leader: Pam Schmitz 352-396-6927

Cooper Memorial LibraryRoom 221 (upstairs)2525 Oakley Seaver Dr., Clermont, FL 347113rd Thursday of the month at 2:00 PMLeader: Deborah Snow 352-406-8465

Crane’s View Lodge ALF & Memory1601 Hooks St., Clermont, FL 347112nd & 4th Tuesday of the month at 1:30 PMLeader: Toni Heminger 352-874-1153

Elan Senior Living at Spanish Springs930 Alverez Avenue, The Villages, FL 321592nd Wednesday of the month at 2:00 PMLeader: Cathy Jackshaw 352-300-1089

The Fellowship25900 US Hwy. 27, Leesburg, FL 347481st Monday of the month at 2:00 PMLeader: Pamela Schmitz 352-396-6927

North Lake Presbyterian Church975 Rolling Acres Rd., Lady Lake, FL 321591st Wednesday of the month at 1:00 PMLeader: Louise Shuey 352-753-82623rd Wednesday of the month at 1:00 PMCo-leaders: Louise Shuey 352-753-8262 Don Dati 352-259-5363

CITRUSCornerstone Baptist Church1100 W. Highland Blvd., Inverness, FL3rd Wednesday of the month at 1:30 PMLeader: Debbie Selsavage 352-422-3663

Crystal Gem Manor ALFYou Must RSVP10845 W. Gem St., Crystal River, FL 34428Last Tuesday of the month at 1:30 PMJune at 10:30 AMLeader: Debbie Selsavage 352-422-3663

Crystal River Library8619 Crystal St., Crystal River, FL 344282nd Tuesday of the month at 1:30 PMJune at 10:30 AMJuly 2nd Wednesday at 1:30 PMLeader: Debbie Selsavage 352-422-3663

Highland PlaceYou Must RSVP700 Medical Ct. E., Inverness, FL 344524th Thursday of the month at 2:00 PMLeader: Debbie Selsavage 352-422-3663

Seven Rivers Regional Medical CenterSenior Circle Center6201 N. Suncoast Blvd., Crystal River, FL 34428last Wednesday of the month 10 am to 12 noonLeader: Sue Simone 203-725-6888

Coming Soon! Sugarmill Manor8985 S. Suncoast Blvd., Homosassa, FL 34446Contact Samantha for more information - 352-382-2531

HERNANDOAtria Evergreen WoodsPool House7030 Evergreen Woods Trail, Spring Hill 346082nd Tuesday of the month at 1:00 PMCo-leaders: Lori Rocchi 352-397-1212 Mellaney Lesniewski 352-596-2055

Bayfront Health BrooksvilleMedical Arts Bldg. – Ste. 12017222 Hospital Blvd., Brooksville, FL 34601Meets the 2nd and 4th Monday of each monthCo-leaders: Bill Tuttle 813-712-9058 Donna Alford 813-469-5024

Brookdale Spring Hill10440 Palmgren Lane, Spring Hill, FL 34608Tuesday’s from 10-11 amLeader: Susan Myers 352-584-8591

The Residence at Timber Pines3140 Forest Road, Spring Hill, FL 346063rd Monday of the month at 2:00 PMLeader: Glen Scharfeld 352-835-7191

Timber Pines Country Club – Oak Room(Gated Community – must register with Sue to attend)6872 Timber Pines Blvd., Spring Hill, FL 346062nd Thursday of the month at 10:00 AMLeader: Sue Simone 203-725-6888

HILLSBOROUGHArden Courts14950 Casey Rd., Tampa, FL 336243rd Wednesday of the month at 2:00 PMLeader: Denise Wilm 813-963-6100 Executive Director

Early Stage Group (for early stage patients)

North Lake Presbyterian ChurchFellowship Center Room 2975 Rolling Acres Rd., Lady Lake, FL 321591st and 3rd Thursday of the month at 1:00 PMLeader: Louise Shuey 352-753-8262

Osprey Lodge Assisted Living& Memory Care1761 Nightingale Lane, Tavares, FL 327782nd Tuesday of the month at 6:00 PMLeader: Ruth Cantillon 352-253-5100

Regency Park Assisted Living andMemory Care(Free Respite Care During Meeting)15000 U.S. Hwy. 441, Eustis, FL 327262nd & 4th Wednesday of the month at 2:00 PMLeader: Rick Wiggins 352-661-9003

United Congregational Church302 N. St. Claire Abrams Ave., Tavares, FL 327782nd Wednesday of the month at noonCo-leaders: Cheryl Fletcher 352-409-5360 Lori Wintersdorf 352-267-4205

PASCO - CENTRALFlorida Hospital Wesley ChapelWellness Center - 2600 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.Wesley Chapel, FL 335441st Tuesday of the month at 10:00 AMCo-leaders: Michele Bonneville 813-991-7524 Lynelle Bonneville Cathy Bickham 813-618-0578

PASCO - EASTCARES Crescent Enrichment Center13906 5th St., Dade City, FL 33525Day of week and time TBD-Please call Melinda Norman for more informationLeader: Melinda Norman 352-518-9300

The Edwinola14235 Edwinola Way, Dade City, FL. 33523Day of week and time TBD - Call Darcielle Gray for more informationLeader: Darcielle Gray 813-567-6500 ExecutiveDirectorHeritage Park37135 Coleman Avenue, Dade City, FL 335254th Tuesday of the month at 4:00 PMCo-leaders: Nila Premer 352-567-8615 Mary Beth Lumbra

Zephyr Haven Health & Rehab Center38250 Avenue A, Zephyrhills, FL 33542Please call Nila Premer/Mary Beth Lumbar for more informationLeader: Chaplin Rick Barrisse 813-782-5508

PASCO - WESTThe Cottages5905 Pine Hill Road, Port Richey, FL 346681st Wednesday of the month at 1:00 PMLeader: Vicky Hudgins 727-364-4214

People touched by Alzheimer’s disease and other related disorders come together in a non-judgmental, safe environment to vent

their frustrations, share coping techniques, learn more about the disease and discover what resources are available to them.

AFO SUPPORT GROUPS

4 Alzheimer’s Family Organization - CompanionSupport Groups Continued on bottom of page 58

Respite Care FinancialReimbursement Program This program provides financial assis-

tance reimbursement to qualified mem-bers for respite of their loved ones. The caregiver arranges for their own respite care needs using either in-home services provided through a home health agency, neighbor, friend, or institutionally-based, short-term respite such as adult day care, ALF, or nursing home care. Applications and documentation are required for reimbursement of funds.

Wanderer’s Reunification Program The objective or goal of the Wanderer’s

Reunification Program is to identify and reunite a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or other form of dementia with their caregiver as quickly and as safely as possible, thus reducing the time of separation and trauma to the loved one. There are two options offered under this program;

1.) An Identification Bracelet or Pendant 2.) A Human Scent Kit Contact our office

for more information.Support Groups AFO support groups are for family mem-

bers, caregivers, and others interested in learning more about Alzheimer’s disease and coping skills. The meetings are free and everyone is welcome. For more in-formation and to verify meeting dates and times, please contact our office.

Companion Newsletter Published quarterly, the “Companion”

contains articles covering topics such as caregiving techniques, coping skills, and resources such as support group meeting times, the AFO educational calendar, and upcoming events.

Training / Seminars Training is provided for caregivers and

professional care providers to those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. ALF, Nursing Home, and Home Health Agency Dementia Specific Trainings are available to profes-sionals and approved by FPECA and the Florida Department of Elder Affairs.

Alzheimer’s Resources andRelated Books Helpful books in our library are available

for viewing at the AFO office or may be loaned out. The ‘36 Hour Day’ is also avail-able for $15.00 plus shipping.

Website The AFO website is a one-stop resource -

easy to use and full of helpful hints such as up-to-date community information, links, and educational videos. RESOURCE GUIDE Our resource guide offers a variety of services by county, that support care-givers with the many issues that may arise while caring for their loved one. Services such as, but not limited to; Elder Law, As-sisted Living Facilities, and Home Health Agencies.

Resource Line Calling the office during regular business

hours (M-F 8:00am - 4:00pm) provides information on caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or other dementia.

Speakers Bureau Alzheimer’s Family Organization mem-

bers are available to speak to community groups, clubs, and organizations about Alzheimer’s disease.

Pardon My Companion Card These cards enable caregivers to provide

information about Alzheimer’s disease and an explanation concerning any un-usual behavior by the Alzheimer’s patient while in public.

Do Not Resuscitate Order Forms A properly executed DNRO stating the

patient is terminal must be signed by the patient’s physician. Emergency Medical Services are directed to honor a DNRO and provide the patient with comfort care only. The form must be with the patient and is available at the AFO office.

Emergency Evacuation Registration This service guides the caregiver through

the registration process in their local county for individuals with special needs for safe evacuation prior to emergency situations.

Emergency Placement Directives This service allows caregivers the op-

portunity to ensure that, in the event of a caregiver emergency, the dementia patient will be cared for. All pre-arrange-ments are made by the caregiver with help from our resource lists.

For more information please call 352-616-0170

Support Groups continued from page 4

A F O S E R V I C E S


First Baptist Church New Port Richey6800 Trouble Creek Road, New Port Richey, FL 346532nd Thursday of the month at 1:00 PMLeader: Lois Peterman 727-849-4210

Grand Villa6120 Congress St., New Port Richey, FL 346531st Wednesday of the month at 6:00 PMLeader: Carole Pollard 727-937-6943

Oakview Terrace7220 Baillie Dr., New Port Richey, FL 34653Last Tuesday of the month at 11:00 AMFor more information please call 727-842-9899

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point14000 Fivay Rd., Hudson, FL 346671st Tuesday of the month at 10:00 AMLeader: Laura Arnold 727-863-0176 727-808-2053Villas at Sunset Bay7423 Kauai Loop, New Port Richey, FL 346531st Wednesday of the month at 1:00 PMand Last Wednesday at 6:00 PMCo-leaders: Laurie Pearce 727-359-0637

The Watermark at Trinity 1960 Blue Fox Way., Trinity, FL 34655Day of week and time TBD - call Wendy Morrison for more information 727-777-5063

PINELLAS - NORTHBrookdale Tarpon Springs1651 Pinellas Ave., Tarpon Springs, FL 346893rd Tuesday of the month at 6:00 PMLeader: Carole Pollard 727-937-6943

SUMTERBrookdale Place at Freedom PointeRSVP to 352-674-39501700 El Camino Real, The Villages, FL 321592nd Wednesday of the month at 1:00 PMLeader: Zullie Oliveras 352-674-3950

Homewood of Freedom Pointe1475 El Camino Real, Lady Lake, FL 321594th Tuesday of the month at 11:00 AMRSVP to 352-750-3800Co-leaders: Zullie Oliveras 352-750-3800 Rhonda Rea 352-396-9156

Mission Oaks10780 N US Hwy 301, Oxford, FL 344842nd Monday of the month at 2:00 PMLeader: Cheryl Fletcher 352-409-5360

Sumter Place in the Villages(Free Respite Care During Meeting)1550 Killingsworth Way, The Villages, FL 321623rd Wednesday of the month at 1:30 PMLeader: Angelica Barnes 352-674-3713

New Covenant United Methodist Church(Free Respite Care During Meeting)3470 Woodridge Drive, The Villages, FL 32162Every Thursday of the month at 10:00 AMCo-leaders: Louise Shuey 352-753-8262 Rochelle Holcombe 352-259-1243 Diane Golab 352-751-1219 Leslie Switzer 352-274-3673 Ken Stewart 352-350-2960

For Caregivers Who Have PlacedTheir Loved OnesNew Covenant United Methodist ChurchRoom 1 (Free Respite Care During Meeting)3470 Woodridge Drive, The Villages, FL 32162First Thursday of the month at 10:00 AMCo-leaders: Jackie Kuhn-Damron 352-259-1243 Nancy McGee

Grief Group For CaregiversNew Covenant United Methodist Church(Free Respite Care During Meeting)3470 Woodridge Drive, The Villages, FL 321624th Thursday of the month at 10:00 AMLeader: Louise Shuey 352-753-8262


AFO EDUCATION 2017

Support Group Leader TrainingFor New/Present Support Group Leaders • Free to the Public • 9:30 am to 12:30 pm

CALL OFFICE FOR LOCATION AND DATES

Caregiver LearningMembers $10 • Non Members $15 • 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Includes Continental Breakfast and LunchØ Senior Helpers Mobile Virtual Dementia Tour will be available at some events.

Citrus - July 28 Citrus Memorial Hospital School House, Highland Blvd, Inverness, FL 34452 Virtual Dementia Tour Bus from Senior Helpers

Hernando - August 25 The Residence at Timber Pines, 3140 Forest Rd, Spring Hill, FL 34606 Virtual Dementia Tour Bus from Senior HelpersN. Hillsborough - Sept. 15 Arden Courts of Tampa, 14950 Casey Rd., Tampa, FL 34624Pinellas - September 28 Arden Courts of Palm Harbor, 2895 Tampa Rd., Palm Harbor, FL 34684East Lake - October 20 Waterman Village, 255 Waterman Avenue, Mount Dora, FL 32757East Pasco - October 27 Rosecastle of Zephyrhills, 37411 Eiland Blvd., Zephyrhills, FL 33542

Dementia and Alzheimer’s Training

State Required Dementia-Specific TrainingAlzheimer’s Family Organization’s (AFO) Dementia-Specific curriculum has been approved by the Florida Policy

Exchange Center On Aging (FPECA) for the Florida Department of Elder Affairs for purposes of meeting the training requirement of S.400.452, F.S. and Rule 58A-5.0191, F.A.C.

Our trainers…• Are committed to serving caregivers and patients.• Relate to the needs of your staff.• Their knowledge is based on the latest research and data.• Are part of a community based local organization – a resource that continues after the training is completed.

The Alzheimer’s Family Organization does not endorse the services of any informational speakers.Presentations are for educational purposes only.

SPONSORSHIPS ARE AVAILABLEYOU MUST REGISTER FOR ALL EDUCATIONAL EVENTS

Call 352-616-0170 | Go to www.alzheimersfamily.org

CITRUS COUNTY• Citrus Memorial HospitalHERNANDO COUNTY• The Residence at Timber PinesHILLSBOROUGH COUNTY• Arden Courts of TampaLAKE COUNTY• Waterman Village

Thank You For Your Support • Educational EventsSOUTH LAKE COUNTY• First United Methodist Church - Clermont Event• Admire Care• Angels Care Home Health• Benton House• Compass Research• Cornerstone Hospice & Palliative Care• Four Corners Health & Rehabilitation• Mobile Physician Services

EAST PASCO COUNTY• Rosecastle of ZephyrhillsWEST PASCO COUNTY• Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point –

Hudson

PINELLAS COUNTY• Arden Courts Palm Harbor

SUMTER COUNTY• New Covenant United Methodist Church • Comfort Keepers• Atria Senior Living• Sumter County Sheriff’s Department• Cornerstone Hospice & Palliative Care• Compass Research• Concierge Home Care• Coping With Dementia


DEBBIE’S CO R NER Debbie Selsavage,President and CEO,Coping with Dementia, LLC

Caregiver must learn to seek, accept assistance from third parties

Most people caring for their spouse or family member living with dementia feel a strong obligation to provide the best care they can. This is good, but not when they believe they are the only one who can provide that care. Perhaps they are among the minority who still stigmatize the disease and want no one outside of the household to know what is happening. Or perhaps they feel that no one else understands and loves their dementia person as much as they do.

These or any other excuses to be a sole caregiver are wrong. They will lead to pain, suffering, and exhaustion, and possibly a poorer quality of care than you intended to provide. I want to talk about the importance of a third person, for the benefit of both you and your loved one.

Many times, I have seen a caregiver’s health decline from the overwhelming task of caring for a person with dementia 24/7. With an intense focus of the care of their loved one, they often ignore their own health and feelings, or rationalize that it will eventually be over and then they can get back to normal. This disease can last a long time, and sadly, the stress of caring can sometimes take the caregiver first, which is the worst possible result for both parties.

A “third person” can actually be many people just helping you from time to time. It may be a friend, neighbor, church member, family member, or even someone from a companion service. Avoiding care-giver burnout may require a team to perform different tasks such as taking out the garbage on schedule, seeing that the lawn is tended to, picking up grocer-ies, cooking meals, or just sitting with your loved one. Individually, these tasks may seem incidental, but every moment that you can clear your mind, rest, and tend to yourself is solid gold.

Acceptance of help with your caregiving task should come sooner rather than later. Get your loved one familiar and comfortable with your helpers. When a person with dementia accepts having someone else in their home, the relationship will be more accepted and “natural” as they inevitably decline.

But I also want to talk about the importance of a

special third person – an individual who has the understanding, skill, and compassion to provide emotional support and assist with tasks beyond the incidental. Hopefully, you have access to a friend or relative who has experienced the disease; who really understands what you are going through. Finding and attending a support group is very important, support group leaders may know someone who has already traveled this path. There are many listed in this newsletter.

This special third person may be able to more ef-fectively communicate with your loved one than you can. This is not because you are a bad caregiver, but because they have a different perspective that is not clouded by the “family dynamic,” the learned and ingrained behaviors we all have that may shortcut or confuse good communication.

This is a concept that many caregivers are not open to. “How can anyone provide better care than I can, because I know my loved one better than anyone else.” We must learn that with the progress of the disease, the “normal” time-tested relationship ceases to work. As the person with dementia changes, the caregiver must change as well. This is not easy! The old ways we got results – our speech patterns, vocabulary, body language -- no longer work. The caregiver – in the throes of this change – is usually the last to understand why. This is when a special third person can help.

Accept the fact that your journey is not a “sprint” but a “marathon.” Actually, maybe we should think of it as a “marathon relay” where it is necessary to pass off the baton of task from time to time in order to get to the finish. To be the best caregiver you can, you need to become open to the idea of the third person, whether this is a special person or a team. Better still if you have both.

Accept help! You owe it to yourself, and when you take care of yourself you can take better care of your loved one.

As the person with dementia changes, the caregiver must changeas well.

http://www.seniorlivingonline.com/


A FO INFOR MATIO N

I am excited to spotlight the founder of the Alzheimer’s Family Organization, Dominick DePetrillo, for our summer issue of The Companion. The Board of Directors and I felt that the organization needed to honor Dominick and his vision which became the AFO, in an effort for his legacy to live on after his retirement in December of 2015. As a result, the AFO has developed the Dominick DePetrillo Volunteer of the Year Award, in Memory of Rose DePetrillo.

Dominick started the AFO because he found himself as caregiver for his mother Rose, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Dom saw that there were little to no services offered for caregivers in the local area. As a result, his vision and commitment to caregivers came to be what the AFO is today.

It seemed only fitting that the first recipient of this award be Dom. Dom realized the importance in the role of the vol-unteers in the success of this organization, past present, and future. Volunteers are the foundation that the AFO was built upon. His vision for support groups, which is run by dedicated volunteers, covers all of the eight counties the AFO serves. To date currently 56 groups run each month. Volunteers are the backbone of many of the fundraising events held each year by the AFO. Again, Dom put this process into place, knowing the man hours that are needed to run a successful event. With a staff of six, there is no way possible these events can run smoothly without the help of our volunteers.

Dom is married to his beautiful bride Judy of 50 years and they live in New Port Richey. He and Judy have two daughters and two grandchildren, one boy and one girl. Dom and Judy moved to Florida in 1977, after retiring from law enforcement in New York. His Mother, Rose moved in with he and his family as he cared for her until she passed from the disease.

Dom is enjoying his retirement by playing pickle ball and traveling. Dom will serve as a volunteer on the committee that will develop the criteria for the future recipients of the Volunteer Award that will be presented annually during the month of April, which is nationally recognized as Volunteer Appreciation month.

This year our volunteers were honored in three locations; Watermark Assisted Living in New Port Richey, the AFO office

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

By Kathleen Winters

Meet The Board –A Series:

Kathy Postiglione joined the Board in November of 2016. Kathy has been the Chief Operations/Sr. VP of Business Opera-tions for Gulfside Hospice and Pasco Palliative Care, located on Collier Parkway in Land O’Lakes since 2014. In this role, she oversees the clinical operations for patients. Kathy began her career with Gulfside Hospice in 2004 as their Director of Nursing, and then moved into the position of VP of Operations & Chief Operations Officer.

Kathy was born in Colonia, New Jersey and moved to Florida because she and her husband had always dreamed of living here, so they decided to make that happen. Kathy and her husband John live in Lakeland and they have three children and one grandchild.

Kathy has an AAS in Chemistry, a BS in Nursing, and a MBA in Healthcare Management. She is also a certified healthcare compliance professional. Kathy serves on the fundraising sub-committee on the Board and assisted on the Fashion Show fundraising committee which was held on June 21st. Kathy brings several wonderful ideas to the fundraising sub-committee.

Kathy has always had a passion for caring for the ill and the elderly and for community education. She feels very blessed to have met a variety of different people throughout her life and has had so many wonderful experiences that have shaped her and influenced her values. We are grateful for Kathy’s passion and desire to serve on our Board and allow us to gain from her experience with the mission to make the AFO a better, stronger organization with all efforts to provide quality services to our caregivers and their loved ones.

Kathy Postiglione,

BSN, CHC, MBADomonickDePetrillo

in Spring Hill and at Brookdale of Freedom Pointe Assisted Living in The Villages. Each year our volunteers will be hon-ored in the same manner, and the recipient of the Volunteer Award will be honored at the event in their local community and be presented with the award by Dominick, the Board President and myself. The impact that Dom’s vision has made on the countless number of caregivers is difficult to be put into words. On behalf of the Board of Directors, myself, the staff, and all those touched by that vision, we thank Dominick with full hearts for seeing the need for caregiver support and education, and being dedicated enough to making that hap-pen. Thank you, Dom!


461 Mariner BoulevardSpring Hill, FL 34609

Telephone: 352-616-0170Toll-free: 888-496-8004

Fax: 352-616-0174Cell: 727-207-7377

www.alzheimersfamily.orgwww.facebook.com/AFO.FLwww.twitter@AlzFamilyOrg

[email protected]

A FO INFOR MATIO N

Welcome To Kearstin Harmon!Please join me in welcoming Kearstin Harmon, as our

Marketing & Media Specialist…the newest member of the AFO team! Kearstin has been with us for 3 months. She is a native of Brooksville, Florida and graduated from Hernando High School. After graduation, she at-tended the Art Institute of Tampa where she studied Media Arts & Animation and has since then studied at Pasco Hernando State College. She is the youngest of three daughters. Growing up, she spent her summers in the outdoors, fishing, exploring, and working with her dad in his welding shop. As she grew older her interests moved indoors where she spent much of her time sculpting, painting and practicing HTML codes. She happily admits to being a Mommy’s girl, whom she gives credit for her silly personality.

Kearstin is a Board member of the Junior Service League of Brooksville where she serves as the Recording Secretary. She is also the chair for the Adopt-A-Road and Public Relations with the League. Her hobbies include

photography, collecting nature, painting, sculpting, baking and graphic design. She enjoys all types of music, from hard rock to bluegrass and even opera. She enjoys singing, but says she isn’t very good at it! She is in a relationship with her boyfriend Ted, who she shares her singing abilities with.

Kearstin has a strong background in graphic design and web development, and is extremely creative. She was most recently employed for three years at Print Shack of the Nature Coast and Beacon Theatres prior to that. We are very happy to welcome Kearstin and her fresh ideas in bringing us into the new age of technol-ogy and graphic design!

We look forward to working with Kearstin and if you go to our web site (in progress) and our Facebook page you see some of her wonderful work.

We have experienced some changes in our Board of Directors membership since the Spring Issue of The Companion. Our Board President, Attorney Matthew Barry, has resigned as he has taken a new position in the Sarasota area. Unfortunately, I could not convince him to commute! May was Matthew’s last meeting. We wish him nothing but success in his new endeavor and he will be missed! Deb Selsavage, was elected as the new President of the Board. We are excited to have Deb step into this role and will provide her with all the support she needs to be successful.

Additionally, Sue Simone, 1st Vice-President on the Board has also resigned. Sue has been instrumental in her role on the Board as well as on the Marketing committee, and as Editor of The Companion newsletter bringing us new ideas and strong leadership. Sue was a huge support, and continues to be as she volunteers her time in other ways since resigning. I wish Sue the time to enjoy life and know that she has made a differ-ence here at the AFO. With this resignation, the Board has voted to change the structure of the Executive Committee from two Vice-Presidents, down to one.

Cheryl Courtright will now stand as the Vice-President on the Board. Cheryl was serving as 2nd Vice-President.

John Jamison, who served on the Board as Treasurer re-signed in March and we are cur-rently seeking a new member to serve in this capacity. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in this position, or Board member-ship in general, and I will be happy to meet with you to discuss the roles and responsibilities.

I would like to welcome two new Board members to the Alzheimer’s Family Organization: Karen Mercer, Community Outreach Coordinator, with Parady Life & Annuity located in The Villages and Michael Benetto, VP & Market Leader with BB & T Bank located in Spring Hill. It is very exciting to have Karen and Michael join this Board of Directors as they bring their enthusiasm, experience, and commitment to the AFO. Welcome aboard!

From Your Editor: DID YOU KNOW?By Kathleen Winters, Executive Director


Community Educator’s Report:Lake, Sumter and South Marion Counties

By Pam Schmitz

Even though “health fair” season is officially over, we haven’t been slowing in Lake and Sumter Counties. There were several health fairs in the area and AFO participated at Hawthorne, Hazelton, Avante of Mount Dora and Cornerstone Hospice in Clermont. Health fairs give us the opportunity to share information about AFO and meet a lot of very nice people!

In April, we held our Caregiver’s Day at the First United Methodist Church in Clermont. We had a wonderful turn out. Check out our Facebook page for some great pictures from the event. We focused on Communication and Behavioral Issues – thank you to our speakers, Deb Selsavage, Coping with Dementia, who discussed Early On-Set to Mid-Stage and Chaplin Rich Beher, Cornerstone Hospice & Palliative Care, who covered End Stage. Our feedback from the event has been wonderful – thank you to those attendees who let us know how much you learned and enjoyed the experience. Of course, we have to thank our spon-sors, without their support AFO would not be able to bring our Caregiver Days to you. I want to thank the First United Methodist Church, Four Corners Health & Rehabilitation, Angels Care Home Health, Cornerstone Hospice & Palliative Care, Admire Care, Benton House, Compass Research, and Mobile Physician Services. We also had a “surprise” table at this event. “The Fidgets”, the wonderful group of volunteers who make the fidget laps robes, had a table, and provided a lap robe to anyone who wanted one. I believe they gave away 66 lap robes that day. A special thank you to my Committee-Deb Snow, Toni Heminger and Christen Wilson-Lierman – we make quite a team ladies!

We have more to be “thankful” for….in April the Summit Greens Women’s Club in Clermont held a fund-raising dinner dance with live entertainment, a silent auction, raffle, and DJ. Thank you to the SGWC for their generous donation to AFO. This is one group of hard working ladies who contribute a lot to South Lake County.

AFO has also offered several community presenta-tions called – Dementia Basics 1, 2, 3. We presented at Osprey Point Nursing Center, Bushnell and the Cl-ermont Arts and Recreation Center, Clermont. We are scheduled to present in July at Opis Bayview Center

in Eustis. If you have a club or organization who would like a presentation don’t hesitate to contact us. We could address dementia basics, educate on the services provided by AFO such as Respite Care, Wanderer’s Identification Program, or the Scent Kit Program. Knowledge is power!

We are also very excited to announce two new sup-port groups in South Lake. The support groups will meet the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 4:00PM at the Clermont Arts and Recreation Center, Room 7, 3700 S Highway 27 in Clermont. If you are a caregiver, please consider coming to a support group. If you have any questions, give me a call. Pam 352-396-6927.

We look forward to expanding our services in South Lake and East Lake County. If you have an up-coming event planned, need a speaker for your group or just want general information please contact us. Remember, FAMILY is our middle name.

A FO INFOR MATIO N

ThankYou

VOLUNTEER S

Office Volunteers:Tony Casella Sue SimoneDebbie Fitch Art ColinGreg Perkins Carol Pomeroy

Pasco Challenge:Kathleen Mengle Cindy GuarinoEd Youngblood Debbie VollmersDeb Selsavage Kelli DavisAlan Ritchie Sara RuddMary Ann Ritchie Angel Cook & her wonderful team of students

Office Volunteers:Tony Casella Sue SimoneDebbie Fitch Art ColinGreg Perkins Carol Pomeroy

Pasco Challenge:Kathleen Mengle Cindy GuarinoEd Youngblood Debbie VollmersDeb Selsavage Kelli DavisAlan Ritchie Sara RuddMary Ann Ritchie Angel Cook & her wonderful team of students


A FO INFOR MATIO N

Community Educator’s Report:Pasco, N. Pinellas and N. Hillsborough Counties

By John BrinkerAs the Community Educator for Pasco, Pinellas, and

Hillsborough County, one of my main focus points has been to grow the Support Groups within each county. We all know to well the daily struggles a caregiver goes through, not to mention the lack of care for themselves that takes place way too often. So I am happy to announce that we have added three new Support Groups in East Pasco (CARES Crescent Enrich-ment Center and The Edwinola in Dade City) in East Pasco (Arden Courts in Tampa) and in West Pasco (The Water Mark at Trinity). My goal is to have numerous Support Groups set up throughout the Pasco, Pinel-las, and Hillsborough county region in order for the caregiver to have a choice so that it will reduce their travel time to and from their Support Group session. Which for some, could make all the difference in the world whether or not they will be able to participate depending on their location. Caregiving is a tough and isolating experience and caregiver support groups are filled with people in similar situations. So since our mission is based education and support services, we cannot have too many support groups so I will continue to my quest in growing our Support Group services throughout my coverage area. Having said that, if you know of anyone who might be interested in learning more about setting up a Support Group, please contact me for more information on how to become an AFO affiliated Support Group Facilitator.

As we continue to grow our Support Groups and host our charitable fund raising events, let us not forget about the people who facilitate those Support Groups, and assist us with our yearly events. And that of course is the dedicated and greatly appreciated volunteers that we have had over the years. That being said, we held our first annual “Volunteer Appreciation Day” at The Watermark at Trinity on April 25th. Since April is Volunteer Appreciation month, we felt that it was only fitting to recognize our volunteers in the same month. During the event, Debbie Selsavage, our newly elected Board of Director’s President, presented the 1st Annual

AFO Volunteer Appreciation Award to the founder and for-mer Executive Director of the AFO, Dominick De Petrillo. All of the other volunteers who joined us received certificates of appreciation as well for their yearly contribution and efforts. Without the volunteers within our community, the AFO would not be able to provide the educational programs, support services and charitable events in an effort to support the caregivers within the Pasco county community. We at the AFO would also like to thank Wendy Morrison and Jennifer Naster and the entire staff at the The Wa-termark for hosting this event to allow us to show our volunteers how much we appreciate all of the time and effort that they have put forth in supporting the AFO.

One of the other areas that our volunteers play a vital role in is our Caregiver Learning Day events that are held throughout the year. This is another area that I have been working on and we are always look-ing for volunteers who might be interested in getting involved with our mission so please go to our website, or you can call our office to learn more about how you can join us in supporting our caregivers. And please remember that we at the AFO are here to make for a better quality of life for the families and caregivers who are experiencing the daily grind of caring for a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia.

We are always looking for volunteers who might be interested in getting involved with our mission so please go to our website, or you can call our office to learn more about how you can join us in supporting our caregivers. And please remember that we at the AFO are here to make for a better quality of life for the families and caregivers who are experiencing the daily grind of caring for a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia.

http://www.seniorlivingguide.com/


A FO INFOR MATIO N

Community Educator’s Report: The VillagesBy Jackie Kuhn-Damron

It has been an exciting first 3 months for me as the Community Educator for The Villages. I have been busy learning my way around to the many areas in which I serve. Introducing myself to many as I learn of other services and sharing my role with AFO and how we can unite our efforts to provide a much-needed service to the community.

We had a fantastic opportunity on April 28th to recognize our many volunteers. A big THANK YOU to Brookdale, Denise Heise and staff for hosting this event. We had a very top notch desert bar and I know many went back for seconds! There is no question in our minds that we could not do what we do, without the assistance and dedication of all our volunteers. Volunteers have a heart of a servant and they serve without hesitation. “Thank you” to all our volunteers for your service. God, Bless you all!

We would like to thank Sumter Place for their gener-ous donation to AFO.

In April, they held a Carnival and Antique Car Show with the proceeds from this event going to AFO. Check out our Facebook page to see Kathleen Winters our Executive Director receiving their donation at a special presentation. Thank you, Dawn Gregory, the staff at Sumter Place and all the attendees for making this such a successful event.

We trained seven new facilitators this last quarter to begin their journey of as-sisting in our support groups. There has been a great need to help those who

have lost loved ones with Al-zheimer’s so a new GRIEF Group has started at New Covenant United Methodist Church. Caregivers journey does not end once their loved one has passed on. So, grateful for the start of this new group.

It did not take long for the word to get out that I was available to speak to groups in The Villages. I have had the privilege of speaking to various groups and clubs with attendance being over 150. Getting my feet wet also as I participated in several health fairs that have been in the area. What a wonderful time to network.

If you have a need to have someone speak at your club, organization or group and learn more about Alzheimer’s Family Organization and Alzheimer’s / Dementia, please contact me as it would be a privilege to serve you.

A Servant’s Heart, Jackie

October 21, 2017Walk Aware for Alzheimer’sHistoric Floral City 8394 E. Orange Ave., Floral City, FL 34436

U P C O M I N G E V E N T S S A V E T H E D AT ENovember 4, 2017AFO 17th Annual Alzheimer’s Family Organization Tampa Bay Charity Golf TournamentCrescent Oaks Country Club 3300 Crescent Oaks Blvd Tarpon Springs, Florida 34688

For more information: www.alzheimersfamily.org

The Villages Certification Training


I N T H E K N O W

Simply Delicious!Baked Cheez-It Chicken Serves 4

Ingredients 8 chicken tenders1 cup sour cream3 cups Cheez-Its, crushed1/2 cup butter, melted

Provide And Engage With The Healing Powers Of NatureBy Greg Perkins

Being in nature, or even viewing a scene of nature, has shown that it can reduce discomfort such as fear, anger, anxiety, or stress and can increase pleasant feel-ings and general feelings of wellbeing. Exposure to the natural world not only makes one feel better emotion-ally but also contributes to one’s physical wellbeing by reducing heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones. There has been research that something as simple as placing a plant in a hospital setting, schoolroom or office has a posi-tive impact on reducing stress and anxiety. Study after study has shown how one’s environment can change an individual’s emotional and psychological state.

Start by taking inventory and asking yourself what can I do to leave the house with someone who you are caring for and get them involved with and in the natural world. Listed below may give you some ideas. 1. Go for a stroll outside or go to a park and enjoy

people watching while you are in the sensory-rich environment of the outdoors.

2. Many places of worship have beautiful surroundings and could also provide a spiritual connection for both you and the person you are caring for.

3. Parks with piers or shore area to sit and enjoy the sound and sight of the water. Bring chairs and snacks while you watch the seabirds and the fisherman.

4. Place comfortable chairs outside your home or porch so you can make a daily ritual of observing nature when the weather is right for you. Nature is all around you, and all you need is to step

outside and take a seat to observe it and provide not

only fresh air and sunshine but a wealth of stimulation from the environment that surrounds you and the activities that present itself to you.

Bring Nature Indoors: 1. Plants not only provide a sensory impact but also a

physical benefit by cleaning the air and providing oxygen to the area. Use plants that have comforting smells like lavender or Jasmine or others that will touch the senses of both you and the one you care for.

2. Provide bird feeders and/or bird baths within easy sight of a window with a comfortable chair to watch the interaction of the birds and listen to the sounds of nature.

3. Open drapes and shades to let the warmth of the sun embrace the house or room. Open windows when you can to allow the fresh and gentle breezes flow through the house.

4. Watch travels shows or rent travel DVD’s from the library.

5. Share time with travel magazines, or even a collec-tion of post cards that can take you away to places of nature and provide a starting place for conversation. Nature surrounds all of us and yet we forget or take

for granted the beauty, the magic, and the spiritual benefits it brings to us. Think outside the house and into the natural world as well as bringing nature into your home. You may find that nature and what it has to offer is greater than you ever thought.

Preparation • Preheat the oven to 375°.• Place the Cheez-Its in a large ziploc bag and crush them by rolling over them with a rolling pin.• Roll the chicken tenders in the sour cream and then in the Cheez-It crumbs.• Place them in a baking dish. Drizzle with the melted butter.• Bake at 375° for 40 minutes.


I N T H E K N O W

Here in Citrus County we are very excited about a new program that our sheriff’s department is rolling out for our residents that have Alzheimer’s and dementia and Autism. It is called the “Special Person’s Registration Form”. Providing the sheriff’s department with information about your loved one, that will be protected by the sheriff’s department, and only used if a 911 call is made is something to be excited about.

Once a person has registered their loved one, the informa-tion will be entered in to the department’s data base, when a 911 call comes in to the department for an issue/complaint, the dispatcher will be alerted that there is a person with Alzheimer’s or dementia at this location, this information can be relayed to the deputy going to this call, to be more

Special Persons Registration In Citrus Countyprepared. This is a very big step in the protection of a person living with Alzheimer’s and dementia and applaud the Citrus County sheriff’s.

We must always look at how we can keep our loved one safe, how to protect them from things that they no longer see as a threat.

The link is provided to submit this form online directly to the Citrus County Sheriff’s department. Please take advantage of this program and register your person living with Alzheimer’s and dementia today.

http://www.sheriffcitrus.org/register-someone-with-autism-dementia.php

WATER is such a basic element of our lives and so readily available in the United States that people are seldom aware of its importance. Yet, it is so essential to the human body, we cannot survive more than a few days without it. If deprived of water for even a short period of time, we begin to experience the physical consequences of loss of water, or dehydration. An Essential Nutrient

Take this important nutrient as directed. It may improve one’s current health, “energize” the body and prevent disease. It’s virtually free! The nutrient is water. Have you ever thought that you may not be drinking enough fluids? If you have, you are not alone. Many people do not adequately replenish their daily fluid losses and this puts them at risk for dehydration. It has been estimated that 75 percent of American adults may have mild, chronic dehydration. This can cause people to regularly experience unpleasant symptoms and may also increase the likelihood of developing certain medical conditions.

Symptoms of mild dehydration include: Thirst, Fatigue, Dry mucous membranes, Headache, Dark urine, Confusion/forgetfulness

Severe dehydration may have serious consequences and can result in a weak pulse, disorientation, shock, seizures, coma, and even death.

Chronic, mild dehydration may increase risk for: Blad-der and colon cancer, Gallstones, Kidney stones, Urinary tract infections

Seniors Must Focus on Fluids: Senior citizens are particu-larly vulnerable to dehydration. The sense of thirst diminishes as we age, resulting in a decrease in stimulation to drink. Cer-tain changes in the body cause an increased need for fluids for some of the older population. Kidney function tends to decline and there is more fluid loss in urine formation. Many senior citizens follow a high-fiber diet to relieve constipation.

Increased fluids are needed to work together with the fiber to promote bowel regulation. Also, if the elderly population must rely on others to provide them their fluids, they are at increased risk of dehydration. How much fluid do we need?

There is no one answer. Factors that affect fluid needs include age, size, and activity level. A warm living environment may increase fluid needs. Certain illnesses may increase needs or require fluid restrictions. It is estimated that adults lose eight to 12 cups of water daily. This fluid is lost through the normal body functions that produce perspiration, exhaled air, urine, and feces. We rely on what is consumed in our daily diet to replenish most of these fluids.

A quick guide to estimate fluid needs for healthy adults with normal weight, activity and living environment is to consume eight ounces of fluid for every 20 pounds. This is six-to eight eight-ounce glasses for adults weighing 120-to-160 pounds. These fluid needs are met by a combination of consuming water, other fluids and foods that contain water.

All foods contain some water, with some foods being par-ticularly plentiful, for example fruits and vegetables. However, 80 percent of the fluid needs are usually met from liquids in the diet. Liquids include pure water, milk, juices, and while not as healthy, soft drinks, coffee, and tea. Recent studies have shown that caffeinated drinks are not as dehydrating as once believed. People who regularly drink caffeinated beverages in moderate amounts adjust to the slight diuretic effect of caffeine, and these beverages contribute to the total water intake. Alcohol is dehydrating and does not contribute.

Some quick tips: Drink more water, always have fluids readily available, have a glass of liquid at meals and between each meal, increase fluids with hot weather and exercise and eat more fruits and vegetables

Senior Health: Focus on FluidsAn informational article from Senior Helpers® Submitted by Bernie Fitzgerald

I N T H E K N O W


This is a free program to those that have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or other form of dementia and willing to provide supporting docu-mentation of diagnosis. This has been made possible through a grant funded by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.

This progam also can be purchased if documenta-tion is not provided to those who have an interest. The purchase price is $30.00 for the bracelet or pendant, and $8.00 for the human scent preservation kit, with an additonal $4.00 to cover shipping costs should we need to mail it. The scent kits can also be obtained through any of our Community Educators.

The objective of the Wanderer’s Reunification Program is to identify and reunite a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or other form of dementia with their caregiver as quickly and as safely as possible, thus reducing the time of separation and trauma to the loved one. There are two options offered under this program;

1) an identification bracelet or pendant 2) a human scent preservation kit.

Bracelet/PendantUsing the bracelet/pendant, the loved one will be

identified as having Alzheimer’s disease or other form of dementia, and in doing so, this will alert law enforce-ment or other individuals that should come upon the loved one that they have the disease and that their confusion is not the result of substance abuse or men-tal illness. The information contained on the bracelet/pendant will provide contact information for reunifica-tion with the caregiver either directly or through local law enforcement.

Human Scent Preservation KitWith the use of the human scent preservation kit, a

loved one with the disease can be located more quickly and in a more cost-effective manner than dispatching a helicopter with heat seeking equipment or multiple man hours for foot searches. Using a scent pad that has been correctly preserved within a sealed ster-ile jar reduces contamination of the sterile scent

The Wanderer’s Reunification Programarticle. It ensures that the K9 team is trailing the targeted person’s unique scent.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement statistics report that in 2016, there were 245 Silver Alerts issued through their Silver Alert Program for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other form of dementia. These numbers only reflect the number of individuals that are reported to have been driving a motor vehicle when they were reported missing. Of the alerts issued, only 145 reunifications resulted from this program. These numbers, as frightening as they may be, do not include the statistics for those individuals that have wandered away from their home, in public or from their caregiver by foot.

The Alzheimer’s Association reports that in Florida, in 2016, 510,000 individuals aged 65 years and above have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. With these staggering statistics of those afflicted with dementia, and no statistics to validate the additional numbers of individuals that have wandered away by foot, the numbers speak volumes for the need of a program such as The Wanderer’s Reunification Program. This program will allow caregivers and their loved ones liv-ing in the counties being served by Alzheimer’s Family Organization the additional support needed for an increased opportunity for the success of reunification should their loved one wander.

Use of either of these devices increases the chances of wanderer’s being found and reunified with a quicker response time, thus reducing the occurrence of ad-ditional trauma, both emotionally and physically. As caregivers are already pushed beyond their limits, the additional reassurance that reunification chances have increased using this program, it may offer that extra bit of peace of mind and support they need during this trying experience or in their day to day caregiving.

For more information contact:AFO Office at (352) 616-0170Community EducatorsJohn Brinker: Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Pasco Counties Pam Schmitz: Lake, and S. SumterJackie Kuhn-Damron: The Village

For more information please call 352-616-0170Would you like to advertise in this Newsletter?

I N T H E K N O W

16 Alzheimer’s Family Organization - CompanionStress, continued on page 17.

The Virtual Dementia Tour® (VDT®) The VDT is a scientifically proven experience that

builds sensitivity and awareness in individuals caring for those with dementia by temporarily altering par-ticipants’ physical and sensory abilities. This evidenced based program simulates changes associated with cog-nitive decline. Geriatric specialist, P.K. Beville, authored and invented the VDT as her post-graduate work. This patented program offers hope by providing practical ways to create an environment that supports the bet-ter quality of care and increase understanding of those with dementia. Second Wind Dreams has provided this patented experience to numerous organizations including the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Second Wind Dreams ensures that elders’ dreams are fulfilled ranging from the simple to the sublime.

The Virtual Dementia Tour: NHas been experienced by more than 1.2 million

people in seventeen countries. NIs evidence based, independently studied and

validated across cultures and time with consistent results across variables and clinical outcomes.

NImplemented in over one thousand healthcare facili-ties in the U.S., Canada and the UK in 2014 alone.

NIs used in over 200 colleges and universities as an adjunct to existing curriculum.

NMeets and exceeds the federal government man-date that requires additional training for every healthcare entity providing care to those with memory impairments.

Who is Senior Helpers?Senior Helpers is a community based service organi-

zation with over 260 offices, spanning across the U.S., providing non-medical assistance to assist friends and family in caring for a loved one. Caring for an aging loved one and managing the demands of your own life can be stressful. Senior Helpers manages the daily care activities so families and friends can enjoy quality time with their loved ones.

Senior Helpers services are designed so our clients get as much or as little help as they require, while the client continues to live independently at home. Our service schedules are flexible and are non-contractual, so you are not required to commit to a fixed length of time for our services. We conduct thorough Federal background screenings on all of our employees and we hire only the most professional and compassion-ate caregivers who are licensed, insured with Workers Compensation and liability insurances and bonded

when on assignment, while working as your caregiver.Senior Helpers sponsors the Virtual Dementia Tour by

bringing it to you, via the Mobile VDT, to professionally train employees within your organization.

Senior Helpers Contact Information: Bill Tuttle – Mobile (813)712-9058, Office (352) 835-7191

What is a Virtual Dementia Tour?Submitted by Glen Scharfeld, Board Member

Caregiver StressBy Greg Perkins

Stress affects all of us differently and presents itself in a variety of ways. What may affect one person in a negative way may be different for someone else. Stress is defined as a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. Caregiving is, and can be, a stress factor both physical and mental. Approximately 65 million Americans are caregivers to loved ones, and the less resources or money and support system the caregiver has increases the amount of stress one is under.

The caregiver stress can become debilitating result-ing in symptoms of: anxiety, headaches, depression, restlessness, sleeplessness, constant worry, lack of engagement socially, and anger. These are just some of the symptoms that can accumulate and can sneak up on you to make you think that these symptoms are normal. They are not. How to deal with the stress of caregiving:• Understand and accept what you are capable of do-

ing, not what you wish you could do. Understand and accept your limitations and appreciate your strengths.

• Accept any help and request assistance from friends, family, support groups and organizations that can benefit you in anyway. Remember you are not alone unless you chose to be.

• Socially engaged with others. You need others to share with and enjoy life and the interaction with others. Do not become socially isolated which will just enhance the negative stress factors.

• Learn to inhale deeply and lengthen your breath concentrating on it as you do so. This takes your mind off what was stressing you and relaxes your body.

• Talk to yourself mentally and realize what we say or think has a tendency, and is a factor, on how we see the day which in turn affects our actions and behav-ior. Program yourself to see a positive in everything you can, to rewire your brain and deal with less of the negative stressors that occur during the course

Knowing When To Place Your Loved One, Or NOTBy Jackie Kuhn-Damron

As a family member or someone close to an indi-vidual living with some form of dementia, you are no doubt aware of the challenges such a diagnosis can bring. Such challenges have also shown us that not everyone can be the “right” caregiver for these unique individuals. So many questions go through our minds as to know when is it time for me to place my loved one. It is without doubt one of the toughest decisions one must make.

Family members have made a promise years ago to their loved one that they wouldn’t ever put them in a nursing home. Some even feel like it’s their duty to care for their spouse or partner in their own home. Or, maybe they have had a terrible experience (or heard of one) with a nursing home and are fearful of making that choice.

There are situations where it’s clear that the time has come. These could include sever illness, injury or hospitalization of the caregiver or person with demen-tia, or the death of a caretaker. Those sudden changes often necessitate immediate placement and sometime individuals end up in facilities almost immediately with little time to research various places.

Keep in mind that if your health or emotional well-being suffers too much, you won’t be able to be much help at all to your loved one. Planning well can help you continue to be there for your loved one, so you can keep providing the love and support that she/he needs during the challenge of this journey.

Here are some signs to consider when your begin-ning to think the time is near for placement of your loved one.YYou’ve hurt your back or fallen when trying to lift

or move your loved one.YYour loved one’s Alzheimer’s/Dementia has pro-

gressed to the point where she/he tries to hurt you or exhibits other challenging behaviors such a paranoia or frequent anger.

YYour family member has wandered outside and become lost.

YYou’re dropping the ball with other responsibilities.YYour own health is declining.YYour relationship is suffering.YYou have surgery or another planned medical pro-

cedure coming up soon.YYour doctor has said that it’s time for nursing home

placement.YYour loved one has care needs that you really can’t

handle very well, despite your best efforts.YYou’ve had friends or family members repeatedly

express concern for you and encourage you to consider the option of a nursing home.

YYou already have tried other options to keep your loved one at home and they just aren’t providing enough assistance.

YFinancially, nursing home care can be more feasible than paying the amount of other services if needing 24-hour care.

If you answer “yes” to these questions, then it would be best to use this time to begin finding a facility you would be comfortable with and find out what the admission process is for persons coming from home or hospital.

There is no easy answer. To help you through this difficult decision, include your family members and individuals you trust to guide you in the right direction.

I N T H E K N O W


Stress, continued from page 16.of the day.

• Seek comfort and peace in your own spirituality through places of worship, prayer, chanting or any means that makes you closer to a higher source.

• Be physical and take walks, move around to music, or do whatever gets you from the chair and burning off some of the negative stress energy that you are accumulating. Yoga or some form of exercise would be helpful both for you and the person you are car-ing for.

• Watch your nutrition intake and make sure you are providing yourself with the energy you need and do not hesitate to consume nutritional drinks under the guidance of your doctor. You cannot take care of another person if you do not take care of yourself.

• Find and do things that provide you with comfort. For example, smell your favorite candle or incense, eat foods that remind you of the past that you find comforting, watch shows or movies you enjoy or listen to music that you love. This is your environment also and you need to fill it with positive reminders.

• Talk to your doctor about the stress you are experi-encing and get their recommendation on ways that may be beneficial to you. You are not alone in experiencing stress that, at

times, can seem overwhelming. It is very helpful to know that others share in your experiences and go through the same feelings as you do. Support groups are very beneficial, not only in sharing experiences but finding how others deal with the day to day difficulties of caregiving. Always remember there is help out there and you are not alone.

I N T H E K N O W


Good Health – Taking Care Of Yourself Too.James Finnegan, MSW, LCSW, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Providing care for a loved one is one of the most important –and yet difficult and stressful jobs to do, but it is much more likely you will be able to undertake these critical responsibilities more effectively when you take care of yourself first. For many of us embarking upon a long car trip, we might plan ahead, prepare and anticipate with intricate detail to ensure every-thing goes smoothly. However, overlooking vehicle servicing and preventative maintenance could cause these best laid plans to become significantly altered, delayed, or even cancelled. In some scenarios, this may result in the vehicle being temporarily unavailable –or worse still, may need serious specialist repair over an extended time period.

Caregivers are the vehicle for providing their loved ones with the essential support, care, assistance, and supervision that they are dependent upon to continue their difficult journey. Caregivers suddenly breaking down, being unavailable, and even requiring specialist help over any length of time would be inconceivable to them and their loved ones –so preventative self-care should become a high priority for you. When caregivers take time to care for themselves, good things usually happen such as staying healthier, feeling better about themselves, with increased energy and enthusiasm so that they can keep on giving care.

Asking for and accepting help is a complex issue that requires some level of acknowledgement that having help may well make a real difference in your loved one’s quality of life and therefore yours too. This is not a reflection of your commitment or ability to provide the best care possible. Rather, it demonstrates the dedication, endurance, capacity and importance you place on your loved one. Some self-care strategies for caregivers to consider and explore further include:• Eating healthy and nutritious meals and snacks. When

busy caring for your loved one, it becomes easier to eat convenience foods whereas healthy eating can help create more energy to carry you through each day.

• Getting enough sleep and building-in arrangements that support you becoming rested (day-time naps, at least one full night’s rest weekly).

• Taking some exercise alone or with others may en-hance levels of sleep and energy. This could start off in small blocks of time and increase over each day and week.

• Ensuring regular medical and dental check-ups –even if you have been healthy, so that you can remain healthy.

• Create time for an activity that you enjoy –reading, listening to music, painting, doing arts and crafts, playing a musical instrument, cards, puzzles, etc. even if only for limited period each time.

• Consider reconnecting with social groups, friends, interest groups, church activity groups or even taking a class or course. Planning, organizing and scheduling regular short-term help and assistance towards your loved one requires patience, persistence, and flexibility but can yield extremely positive outcomes.

• Consider taking a class on caregiving –not that you don’t already know a tremendous amount on this subject, but it provides opportunities to learn about different ways to deal with challenging situations plus connects you to other caregivers who really under-stand and can be a mutual support and resource.

• Attending Church, Faith-based, or Spiritual events may be very important to you. Therefore, developing regular arrangements that enables you to attend and participate while knowing your loved one remains in good care is essential. Building caregiver’s spiritual and emotional capacity is equally as important as focusing on physical health and well-being. Talking to family, friends, neighbors, members of the community and specific group attending, may well generate a pool of trusted and dependable resources that can support you during these scheduled events.

• Respite care may be amongst the most important support services for caregivers. This could initially start with short periods of time providing your loved-one with care while you are out shopping, running errands, or attending appointments. It could develop into overnight care and supervision in-home with another trusted caregiver that enables you to take a complete break away for a short period of time to recharge your batteries and return refreshed to resume your caregiver role once again.

More information regarding these and other support strategies for caregivers can be found at Family Care-giver Alliance (www.caregiver.org) or one of the many dedicated staff from a caregiver support agency such as Alzheimer’s Family Organization about getting help. Take great pride in your incredible efforts, as being a caregiver is not easy and those who do it are very special.

I N T H E K N O W


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You Cannot Do This AloneBy Steve Davis, M.S.

The dynamics of caregiving for a loved one with dementia are quite complex. They include acknowledgment of being the individual tasked with providing primary care and also knowing that he/she will become progressively more dependent upon the caregiver, thus the process becomes more consuming and overwhelming. Many caregivers experience the stages of grief, whether in whole or in part, and a flood of other nega-tive emotions and conflicted ideations—being duty-bound, yet feeling trapped and enslaved, love, guilt, shame, etc. At a certain point, usually sooner than later, the caregiver’s entire identity is defined by the role of caregiver, with little if any life outside of caregiving.

Caring for a loved one with dementia is the most demanding and stressful caregiving responsibility. Universally understood as a “labor of love,” it is also a mostly sacrificial undertaking, with the caregiver realizing their loved one will never regain any level of independence. This is all vastly compounded if caregiver or loved one are experiencing additional diseases, illnesses, or other major stressors. A state of helplessness/hopelessness inevitably results. Consequently, the burn-out rate is extremely high. The negative impact on the primary caregiver’s overall health is oftentimes catastrophic, no mat-ter how successful he/she thinks they are at suppressing their emotions or detaching themselves from the process. Caregivers

frequently precede their loved one in death due to the distress and neglecting their own spiritual, physical, nutritional, and other health needs.

Reality check—YOU CANNOT DO THIS ALONE! Not properly. Without taking advantage of outside resources—which are in place and designed specifically to EQUIP YOU as the caregiver of your dear loved one—it is simply not possible for you to maintain optimal care for your loved one over any extended period of time. PLEASE• Contact your friends at AFO and your local ombudsman from

Dept. of Elder Affairs, to fully explore what the exhaustive community resources are that do exist (you may be pleasantly surprised) for you and your loved one

• Visit a variety of community-based caregiver support groups (meeting times/places are located here in the COMPANION) until you find one that you mesh with. The mere sharing of common experiences, frustrations, ideas and solutions; iden-tifying with others in similar predicaments, is very cathartic

• Check this issue of the COMPANION for other very helpful articles and information, including nursing facilities/ALF’s, that provide respite and other similarly helpful servicesTake a chill pill.GOD BLESS YOU FOR YOUR LABOR OF LOVE!

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Directions

Jennifer Gardens is a single level building, custom built specifically for Assisted Living and is family owned and operated. We have fully furnished private rooms all with spacious baths. No matter which type of accommodation is selected, Jennifer Gardens offers exceptional value. The safety of our residents is very important to us and therefore we have 24-hour video monitoring throughout the facility.

We have recently added an 18 bed Memory Care, for individuals and their families dealing with the challenges of dementia. This facility has being designed and built according to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of American excellence in design standards for people with Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

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How Will You Pay for YOURLong Term Care Costs?

Self Insure?•Have you started allocating funds

specifically for Long Term Care?•Can you save enough?

Government? Medicaid?•Are you willing to spend down your

assets?•Are you willing to give up your choice

of where you receive care?Plan While You Can!Let us put together a plan based on your needs and goals.

Timothy Hill352-650-2608

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Do you have the time?Do you have the passion?

Do you want to make a difference?The Alzheimer’s Family Organization has an

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How to Make a Bequest to the Alzheimer’s Family Organization

Enclosed is my tax deductible donation of $ _________Please dedicate my donation in honor of/in memory of:(Name) ___________________________________And notify: Name ____________________________Address __________________________________City _________________ State _____ Zip ________Sent by ___________________________________Address ___________________________________City _________________ State _____ Zip ________

The Alzheimer’s Family Organization needs your support to carry on all of the services we offer including support groups, the Helpline, the Newsletter and other activities to assist families coping with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.q YES, I would like to be a volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Family Organization.q YES, I would like to support the work of the Alzheimer’s Family Organization through

membership, which entitles me to receive the newsletter, updates on research and notification of caregiver days/seminars.

Name __________________________________________________________Address _______________________________________ County __________City _______________________________ State ______ Zip _____________Home Phone ___________________ Email ____________________________Enclosed is my tax deductible membership contribution of:q $50 Memberq $100 Friendq $500 Lifetimeq $1000 Alzheimer’s Angel

q $300 Corporate (organization, agency, nursing home or ALF)

q $500 Corporate Plus (organization, agency, nursing home or ALF)

Speak with your attorney about the advantages of estate planning and how your will can benefit both your loved ones and the Alzheimer’s Family Organization. If you already have a will, your lawyer may add a codicil to it. If you don’t have a will, the bequest can be included when your will is drafted.

We accept MasterCard, Visa

and Discover

Twitter@AlzFamilyOrg

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of our caregivers taking care - alzheimer's family ... · vision statement all those with...

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