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Choices ~ Healing ~ Love
October 1, 2004 Volume 7 Issue #1
Publisher & Editor: Gail R. Mitchell -

WELCOME
JOURNAL EXERCISE
UPDATES AT THE SITE
CAREGIVERS' CONCERNS
NEWS
INFORMATIVE CAREGIVING ARTICLES & INSPIRATION
MESSAGE BOARDS & EMAIL BAG
JOKES & HUMOR
DISCLAIMER

Fall has arrived in New York City. It's my favorite season. Cooler fresh air and lots of wonderful energy... the leaves on the trees in the park, are slowly turning bright vivid autumnal colors and it's a beautiful time.

October is also the anniversary month of the launch of Empowering Caregivers which has now been up for six full years... As we move into our seventh year, (under the umbrella of National Organization for Empowering Caregivers}, we can look back and see tremendous growth. It is an evolutionary process and the organization is an energy unto itself; so it is crucial for it to guide us. We hope to continue to serve you with the caring understanding that we have always provided with the caregiver being our primary concern.

This coming year will bring some wonderful changes and we will reveal them to you as the opportunities arise.

Look for a special interview on Robin Arce and myself in Cooking Light's October/November issue. We are sorry to inform you that Robin will no longer be with us at the message boards or in the chats. We will miss her greatly and wish her much success and love on her journey. We are grateful for the time she gave to us.

Next month is the election. Do you know who you are voting for? I encourage you to please clarify each candidate's stand on caregiver relief, drug pricing and Medicare issues before casting your ballot. Please make sure their records represent their talk and that they are committed to assisting the nation's 54 million informal/family caregivers.

Last week I had the opportunity to see the movied "What The Bleep" which focused on quantum physics and quantum healing. It was an excellent film. It isn't appearing in many theaters so you can check to see where it is playing near to you if you are interested at www.whatthebleep.com. As a result of the movie, I purchased a book call t"The Hidden Messages in Wanter" by Masaru Emoto. His research and clairty of purpose helps us to rethink the world we exist in; and who we are in our bodies. "The book has marvelous photos of molecules of water showing how they are affected by our thoughts, words and feelings. Since humans and the earth are composed mostly of water, his message is one of personal health, global environmental renewal and a practical plan for peace that starts within each one of us." I had seen an exhibit of his at the United Nations and his photos have circulated online.

Check below in updates for our October 18th launch of chats with Leeza Gibbons members from Leezasplace.org. We have a new time schedule for our chats and hope to see you there. Janet B. Walsh who began the Long Island Alzheimer's Association and www.memoryconcepts.com has contributed an excellent article on exerising our brains and we have a special spotlight featuring Mardell Bonasso and her mother. So, without further adieu, I bid you all a memorable October.

May your journey be gentle and beautiful!
In Love & Light,
Gail
~

UPDATES AT THE SITE

National Organization For Empowering Caregivers NOFEC
Sign Up For Your Free Membership
Take Our Caregiver Survey

We invite you to join in our complimentary membership at: Join Us. While you are there, please take a few minutes to fill in the Caregiver Survey. Your input is extremely valuable and we will respect your privacy. Your support in filling in the survey will help us and our funders to reveal areas where programming is most needed and where it will be most effectivec. Survey.

~
New Chat Schedule

Our chats have been changed to new time periods. Monday through Thursday chats will be held from 8PM-9PM EST. See Schedule.

~
Empowering Caregivers Welcomes

Leeza Gibbons: LeezasPlace.org Members
To Our Chats

Monday, October 18th

We are very excited and delighted to partner with Leeza Gibbons organization, LeezasPlace.org

Many of you are aware that Leeza has been making guest appearances on national television speaking on behalf of Alzheimer's Disease and other memory disease. He mother was diagnosed at 63 and she like all of us has become a caregiver. The diagnosis came shortly after her grandmother passed from the disease as well.

TheMemoryFoundation.org was founded to heal the patient, caregiver and the community at large. While they strive to assist with the day-to-day struggles of coping with this disease, their mission is much larger. They are committed to finding a cure.

LeezasPlace.org was developed in response to the challenges Leeza and her family encountered while seeking specific and needed support. The program has already begun setting up wonderful centers. Leeza's Place is a multifaceted reprieve, for both caregivers and the recently diagnosed, that integrates educational programs, connective social activities, emotional support, and intergenerational programming designed to help you navigate through your community?s continuum of care. Leeza's Place was designed to ensure that others experiencing what the Gibbons family encountered would have access to new, supportive settings created for the purpose of educating, empowering and energizing.

The whole approach in body, mind and spirit mirrors the approach and vision of Empoweirng Caregivers / NOFEC and we feel this is a connection that will continue to grow and evolve in order to reach more caregivers; thus helping them to transform their caregiving into exeperiences t their experiences into more loving, healing and powerful ones.

The chats will being on Monday, October 18th and will run Monday through Thursdays from 8PM-9PM EST. We will be featuring two new hosts from the field of caregiving:

Once again, welcome...

Mary C. Fridley
Questions & Answers
October 2004

Alam Cohen
Why Your Life Sucks . . . and What You Can Do About It

Beth Witrogen McLeod
Caring For A Parent With Alzheimer's Disease

Or click on this link:
Featured Guest Experts
~

NEW CAREGIVING ARTICLES AT THE SITE

If you are interested in submitting an article(s) please go to: Submit. You will find a form for submitting your article, bio/profile, copyright permissions, etc. Please review our guidelines for acceptance, submit and we will notify you upon acceptance.

Breast Cancer – Who Is At Risk and Understanding The Process - Fact Sheet Part I by National Cancer Institute
Part 1 explains what breast cancer is and who is at risk.
Article

Breast Cancer - Planning Treatment - Fact Sheet Part II by National Cancer Institute
Part two offers a list of cancer detecting techniques and symptoms. Article.

Breast Cancer - Methods of Treatment - Fact Sheet Part III by National Cancer Institute
Part III offers a descriptive list of available treatments for cancer. Article

.Stages of Cancer - Fact Sheet Part IV by National Cancer Institute
Stages of cancer and how they affect the treatment plan.
Article

Breast Cancer - Side Effects And Detail About Treatments - Fact Sheet Part V by National Cancer Institute
The article describes some side effects and detail about treatments of cancer. Article

Breast Cancer -Support For Women And Advances In Research - Fact Sheet Part VI by National Cancer Institute
Part V discusses support for women with cancer, recent advances in research, causes and preventions..Article

Life Revealed In Data You Leave Behind by Syndey Tremayne
The author suggests writing down what happens in your life and write about your family members. This will help you in the future to make proper decisions in assigning a financial advisor.
Article

Diminishing Elder Power — The Discount Prescription Drug Plan by Gema G. Hernández
Medicare provides an opportunity to sign up for Prescription Drug Discount Plan for the elderly. The article lists pros and cons of the Plan. Article

Helping Children With Autism Learn by Dr. Bryna Siegel,
Imitation is a very crucial conduit through which the one- to four-year-old child normally takes in a tremendous amount of information. Dr. Siegel discusses how to apply this to an autistic child.
Article

Consumer Directed Care In Danger Of Extinction by Dr. Gema Hernández
Dr. Hernández describes what Consumer Directed Care can and has done. She also discusses why the government is not moving forward with it and what we as caregivers need to know about its value. Article

~
In Memory

Mary Ann Evans aka PrairieGal's father in law passed on Thursday. He had benn suffering for a long time so the family is relieved that he is home. My thoughts are particularly with Mary Ann as she continues to care for her dad. October 5th is a time of grief, healing and celebration at is the day of her mom's passing whom she cared for as well.. May your journey be gentle and nurturing PG... our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Our thoughts and prayers also go out to Sunny 55 aka Linda, who moved back to Montreal to be with and care for her mother. Her mom passed a month after her arrival. It was truly a gifted blessing for Linda to uproot herself as she did. May your healing be gentle and nurturing Linda...and I hope you will find joy in Montreal again.

~

CAREGIVERS CONCERNS

The 21st Century Brain

In the 1970’s it became evident people needed aerobic exercise on a weekly basis to stay healthy. Before then, athletes and sports enthusiasts were generally the only people challenging their physical body for the purpose of staying fit and healthy. Then the exercise craze began; gyms and workout sites opened up all over the country. Exercise apparel became big business. Personal trainer became an accepted and worthwhile occupation. We now acknowledge exercising and keeping physically fit as an important part of living longer and staying healthy. Today, we can reap the benefits of the exercise explosion. We are living longer with the help of medical advances particularly with cardiovascular disease and orthopedics. New knees and hips plus clear arteries will give us plenty of extra years to enjoy life. But now as we age we are seeing how vulnerable we are to mind robbing diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Living longer but without our mental faculties can be very frightening.

Just as we needed to be educated about physical exercises over thirty years ago, we now must be educated about “keeping our minds fit.”

Research is currently being conducted around the world to gain knowledge of how to prevent memory loss. More and more evidence is pointing to a “cocktail” for memory loss prevention.

The first ingredients will help ward off a host of ailments. They include:

  1. Stop smoking
  2. Reduce alcohol intake
  3. Eat a nutritionally balanced diet and control portion size
  4. Maintain good blood chemistry by controlling blood pressure, cholesterol, homocysteine levels and weight

An annual physical is a must each year. Before your appointment with the physician you should make a list of all of your questions and concerns. It would be preferable if you could get this list to the doctor before you meet. If you are concerned about your memory you must discuss this with your physician. If someone who knows you well and cares for you mentions concern about your memory, even if you do not recognize it, you should also bring this up to the doctor. Memory loss can be a symptom of more than 100 different disorders and the majority are treatable. A clear understanding of your physical health will enable you to identify the areas in which you may need some help.

Unless you are sure you are receiving all of your appropriate nutrients through the food you eat daily, it would be wise to take a multivitamin. Buy your vitamins and supplements from a reputable source, above all a product line that does not add sugar, salt, starch, yeast, artificial coloring, flavoring or preservatives. Take a good look at your daily diet and be honest with yourself. Are you a meat lover, hate fish, and eat vegetables only when dripping in butter? You are working against your brain and life longevity. There are supplements that can give you the benefits of a well-rounded highly nutritious diet without forcing you to eat what you do not like. In all likelihood, you know what you must reduce –bread, pasta, dessert or fatty food. Replace butter with olive oil, add garlic to your food whenever appropriate, eat whole wheat pasta and satisfy your sweet tooth with an assortment of nuts and fruits, especially blueberries.

Keeping your brain and mental status healthy will also include the following ingredients:

  1. Get enough sleep, preferably 7-8 hours
  2. Exercise physically, minimum 3 times per week
  3. Keep hydrated with plenty of water
  4. Reduce stress
  5. Maintain a good attitude
  6. Keep your mind stimulated

We are very lucky that mental stimulation can come in many forms. What we need to know is that the premise of keeping our minds stimulated involves learning new things everyday. Sequencing is important in our activities to stimulate the brain. Juggling, ballroom dancing, and chess are some of the more challenging methods that involve keeping focused and planning ahead.

Making use of your non-dominant hand for daily activities such as brushing our teeth or using a mouse for the computer is exercising our brain. Listen to a complicated musical piece, learn a new language or practice joke telling. Remember, it should be fun but it must have a level of difficulty to be worthwhile.

Massage your scalp for good blood flow. Be kind to yourself and practice random acts of kindness. Make new friends and be a good friend. Anything worth having is worth working to keep, so remember to grow new brain cells each day.

Janet B. Walsh

Janet B. Walsh is the Chairman and CEO of Memory Concepts, a Web based Mental Fitness Program Offering Mind Strengthening Exercises Designed to Reduce the Risk of Memory Loss and Increase Brain Capacity for a Healthy Lifestyle. Ms. Walsh is also Founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation and is the recipient of numerous honors and awards for her work in the field of memory loss E-mail: Info
of visit the website: www.memoryconcepts.com

Top Of Page

IMPORTANT NEWS

CAREGIVING: A Series of Classes At CUNY, New York City

This course will provide support and guidance to caregivers, helping them move into this role with greater knowledge, awareness, and ease. Each session will begin with a presentation on relevant information and resources, followed by a question-and-answer and discussion period. You may sign up for the series, or for individual sessions. If you would like to attend these programs but are unable to do so due to caregiving responsibilities, our office can provide you with a list of volunteer programs and cost-effective alternatives for hiring an aid.

Gail Mitchell, Founder/President, National Organization for Empowering Caregivers in NYC; speaks nationwide on issues related to caregiving; creator, Empowering Caregivers, a major caregiving website that has had over three million visitors; author, more than 200 articles published in the U.S. and Canada.
4873 - 6 Wednesdays, October 20-December 1 6:30-8:30pm $135

Introduction to Caregiving
This session will provide an introduction to the unique role of the caregiver, and will consider how to respond positively to the challenges of caregiving. The session will focus on concrete strategies for promoting states of mindfulness and awareness and opening ourselves to forgiveness, healing, and love.
4874 - Wednesday, October 20 6:30-8:30pm $25

Getting Comfortable in Your Role as Caregiver
This session will address practical considerations that caregivers need to be familiar with. Topics to be discussed include How to Assess Your Loved One's Level of Need; How to Make Informed Decisions; How to Help Your Loved One Maintain His or Her Independence; and The Different Demands Placed upon the Caregiver When Caring for a Spouse, Parent, Relative, Child, or Friend.
4875 - Wednesday, October 27 6:30-8:30pm $25

Self-Care: Avoiding Stress & Caregiver Burnout
One of the most important aspects of caregiving is self-care. This session will consider the major causes of stress, its symptoms, and prevention; the importance of nurturing your soul; making time for your own needs; and knowing when and how to reach out for help and support.
4876 - Wednesday, November 3 6:30-8:30pm $25

Getting Proper Care for Your Loved Ones and Making Decisions about Placement
This session will cover aspects of care and placement issues. Topics to be discussed include Adult Day Care; Senior Centers; Assisted Living; Retirement Communities; and Nursing Homes, as well as transportation and meals-on-wheels programs. Also to be discussed are how and when to hire home care, how to choose an assisted living or nursing home, and how to break a promise you may have made.
4878 - Wednesday, November 10 6:30-8:30pm $25

Financial, Insurance, and Legal Issues
This session will cover financial, insurance, and legal issues, including wills, dnr's, proxy, probate, guardianship, and healthcare proxy.
4879 - Wednesday, november 17 6:30-8:30pm $25

Hospice, Death, Dying, Grief & Bereavement
This session will consider various end-of-life issues.
4880 - Wednesday, december 1 6:30-8:30pm $25

To register or receive a FREE catalogue of programs - (212) 817-8215 or send an email to" continuinged@gc.cuny.edu

~
Your Stories: Wanted

Please consider emailing me at: sgp2@cwru.edu , a small story of between 100 and 500 words, describing how some act of unselfish love for another, however small, was personally rewarding in any way for you. Maybe it just felt good to do good, or maybe you had some special insight.

There is a possibility that we will want to incorporate your story in a book, so please indicate if you would prefer anonymity or not. Also, please include you name and email address so we can respond.

Thank you very much for helping us out in this way. It means a lot.

With Every Best Wish
Stephen G. Post, President
Institute for Research on Unlimited Love
Room 214, School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University
10900 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44106-4976
www.unlimitedloveinstitute.org

~
"The Alzheimer's Monologues"
New York City: October 27, 29, 30 & 31

"The Alzheimer's Monologues", by Mary Crescenzo, will run in a limited engagement at the Producers Club, 358 W 44th, NYC, Oct. 27, 29, 30, 31. "The Alzheimer's Monologues" uncover the hearts and minds and the horrors and revelations of patients, their families, and the staff that care for them. For tickets and discounts for adv. sales, students, and seniors, go to: www.theatermania.com


States Thwarted On Medicaid Drug Prices

(September 28, 2004 - The New York Times News Service) -- Some states are paying far higher prices than others for prescription drugs under the Medicaid program, but data that would help them get a better deal are kept confidential by the federal government, a new report says. The report, by the Office of Inspector General in the Department of Health and Human Services, released Friday, was based on Medicaid prices paid on a sample of 28 different drugs in 2001. It found large variations on both brand-name and generic drugs. More

~
EDEN ALTERNATIVE.
The 2nd International Eden Alternative
October 24-27th
Tacoma, Washington

Conference: "Seasons of Eden: Tools for a Bountiful Harvest Honoring Elders, Empowering Caregivers, Building Relationships." (Oct. 24-27, 2004, Tacoma, Washington). Presentations by Dr. Bill Thomas and others. For registration and information, visit:

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New Law Adds Protections For Nursing Home Family Councils

Governor Pataki signed into law a bill that empowers and protects Family Councils at New York nursing homes (A793, S7582). Family Councils are groups of relatives of nursing home residents and other regular visitors that meet regularly to monitor and make recommendations about the care provided by individual homes and to bring resident complaints and concerns to the attention of nursing home staff. Family Councils enhance resident quality of life and improve the care residents receive.

“Well-run nursing homes have always understood the value of Family Councils and have encouraged them, but too often administrators try to undermine and even retaliate against residents and their families and friends for Family Council activity,” said Robert A. Padgug, Executive Director of Friends and Relatives of Institutionalized Aged, (FRIA). “With the new law’s added protections and support for Family Councils,” he noted, “their numbers and effectiveness will increase, benefiting nursing home residents as well as the nursing homes themselves.”

Under it, facilities will be required to:

  • Make bulletin board space available
  • Notify relatives of newly admitted residents about the family council
  • Mail meeting and contact information, at least quarterly
  • Designate a specific staff person to respond in writing, within a fixed time frame, to council requests and concerns.
  • In addition, the bill recognizes the right of a family council to meet privately, to invite outsiders and to meet at least monthly.

Summaries of the bill, the bill text, and the bill’s legislative history can be found at bill

FRIA is a 25-year old, independent, consumer advocacy organization. It operates a free telephone help-line (212-732-4455) to assist New Yorkers with questions about nursing home placement, Medicaid, and nursing home care in general. FRIA operates the “Family Council Project,” which provides assistance to persons who wish to create and maintain councils. For additional information, visit the “Family Councils” page at FRIA’s web site, www.fria.org.


The Nature Of Life
Final Passages; A New Wave in Home Funerals

The Nature of Life includes the Eventual Miracle of Death, a rite of passage that deserves dignity and loving care. Imagine. . .creating your own home or family-run funeral.

Final Passages is dedicated to a compassionate and dignified alternative to current funeral practices.

“A Family Undertaking” explores the growing home-funeral movement by following several families in their most intimate moments as they reclaim the end of life, forgoing a typical mortuary funeral to care for their loved ones at home. On PBS Point of View (POV) See www.pbs.org/pov/pov2004/afamilyundertaking for schedules and information.

Final Passages P.O. Box 1721, Sebastopol, CA 95473, (707) 824-0268 Email: info@finalpassages.org, http://www.finalpassages.org/

~
Organizations Join Forces Creating:
Caring Coalition of Metro New York

The Hospice Alliance of Downstate New York, along with the Hospice And Palliative Care Association of New York State, the New Jersey Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, the National Organization for Empowering Caregivers, AARP, Friends & Relatives of the Institutionalized Aged, the New York Citizens’ Committee on Health Care Decisions, the Metropolitan Funeral Directors Association and the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association, have formed the Caring Coalition of Metro New York.

The members of the Coalition share the common interests of enhancing access to quality end-of-life information, education and services. The Coalition seeks to enhance networking opportunities, strengthen collaborative initiatives and promote quality end-of-life care for all residents of the Metro New York area. The goals of the Caring Coalition are to: educate the public about end-of-life care, enhance consumer understanding and participation in end-of-life decision making, encourage conversations about end-of-life issues and promote end-of-life care through the education of the professional community.

The Coalition believes it is essential for all individuals to know the choices they have in end-of-life care, to state their wishes and to ensure that all parties involved, family members, friends and health professionals alike, understand and respect those wishes. The Caring Coalition of Metro New York hopes to bring attention to the essential, but too often neglected, activity of advance care planning by establishing Life Planning Week in Metro New York during November. (November was selected, as this is traditionally National Hospice Month and National Family Caregivers Month.It will be launched with the Governor and Mayor of NY signing a proclammation declaring Life Planning Wekk as an ongoing, annual event.

The Caring Coalition is soliciting partners in the metropolitan New York area for Life Planning Week. If you represent a Metro New York organization that would like to become a partner in Life Planning Week, please e-mail us kmcmahon@hpcanys.org. or mcooke@cabrininy.org visit our website at: CCMNY or phone us at: 212.807.1204.

~
Caregivers, Contact The White House Today

The Lifespan Respite Care Act authorizes competitive grants to states to make quality respite available and accessible to family caregivers, regardless of age, disability, or family situation. The bill allows grantees to identify, coordinate and build on federal, state and community-based respite resources and funding streams, and would help support, expand and streamline planned and emergency respite, provider recruitment and training, caregiver training, and evaluation.

Status: The Senate has passed the Lifespan Respite Care Act (S. 538). The House bill has 134 cosponsors from both parties. Both bills have been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

White House Action: Contact the President and urge him to support the Lifespan Respite Care Act. Email Tracy Justesen, Associate Director for White House Domestic Policy at TJustesen@opd.eop.gov or call the White House at 202-456-1414 and urge support for the Lifespan Respite Care Act (HR 1083, S. 538)

*To Join the ARCH National Respite Network and keep up to date on the bill and NRC activities, please email Mike Mathers at mmathers@chtop.org , ARCH, Chapel Hill Training-Outreach Project, Inc.

For more information on the legislation, please contact Jill Kagan, ARCH National Respite Coalition at jbkagan@aol.com or 703-256-9578. Visit www.archrespite.org/nrc.htm

~
Medicare Will Pay for Alzheimer's Scan

Washington Post Medicare will start paying for specialized brain scans in some patients to help determine if they have Alzheimer's disease, the federal agency that runs the reimbursement program announced yesterday. More

~
Pfizer Ends Drug Cards for Elderly

Pfizer ended its widely used discount card for the elderly, leaving Medicare beneficiaries at least temporarily without access to reduced prices for popular medicines. More

~
9/11 Health Effects

Despite increasing evidence that the debris generated by the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York made many people ill, the federal government has not conducted a coordinated or comprehensive study on the health effects, according to a government study given to the New York Times. The report by the Government Accountability Office, which is scheduled to be presented to Congress today, also finds that there is no federal treatment program for people suffering from problems caused by the debris. More.

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NYC Department for the Aging Grandparent Resource Center is hosting a workshop entitled "How To Start a Grandparent Support Group"
Tuesday, October 5th, 2004
Where: NYC Department for the Aging, 220 Chambers Street, Room 324
Presenter: Susan Rosenthal, Coord. Of the NYC Self-Help Center

Topics will include:
Selecting a meeting site
Open vs. Closed Membership
What is Self-Help
Publicizing the Group
Outreach techniques
Keeping the Group Focused

Space is Limited. Register by September 28, 2004 by calling The Grandparent Resource Center at 212/442-1094 ID is required to enter the building.

~
NYC Department for the Aging Launches Website

The NYC Department for the Aging has launched a Caregiver Website that many informal caregivers will find useful. While directed at New Yorkers, the site has abundant information available in English, Spanish, Chinese and Russian with more language versions available soon. Site

~
Caregivers Get No Emotional Relief from Institutionalizing Relatives with Dementia

A University of Pittsburgh study shows that caregivers who make the difficult decision to place their relatives into institutionalized care don't feel relief from depression and anxiety. The leading researcher, Dr. Richard Schulz, said caregivers "continue to feel distressed because of the suffering and decline of their loved one as well as having to face new challenges such as frequent trips to the long-term care facility, reduced control over the care provided to their relatives, and taking on responsibilities such as coordinating and monitoring care." We need to understand caregivers' emotional distress, and educate them about the nature of long-term care facilities and their impact on patient functioning. More.

~
Alzheimer’s Foundation Applauds House Passage of Memory Screening Proposal

NEW YORK, NY September 10th—The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) today applauded passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of a proposal advanced by AFA to promote memory screenings as a tool that drives early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related illnesses, and encourages successful aging.

In applauding the legislative action, Eric J. Hall, AFA’s chief executive officer, said: "This is a critical first step in AFA's efforts to secure federal support for a national public-private memory screening initiative. We all need to stand together for care as this devastating disease continues to affect more Americans."

AFA, a nonprofit organization, unites grassroots agencies from coast-to-coast that provide hands-on dementia care. Its services include a toll-free hotline—866-AFA-8484, counseling, educational materials, a caregiver magazine, and referrals to local resources. For more information, call 866-AFA-8484 or visit www.alzfdn.org.

~
KOPE: “Creating Writing Healing Journeys”.
(Submission Deadline December 1st)

A We believe that sharing creativity and wisdom can be very rewarding and contributes to personal growth and recovery Currently; we are developing a literary project concerning the recovery and healing process following a Stroke. We are in the process of collecting and editing creative writing works on this topic. Our intention is to publish this collection in an anthology. Please contact us to confirm your interest in this project. Should you choose to participate, we would be grateful for your commitment to this expressive therapeutic process. We look forward to working together with you on this meaningful and creative healing project. Please share with us your personal experience of Stroke recovery, rehabilitation and triumph over tragedy, in your own words. We are hopeful that this writing experience will be meaningful and therapeutic for you as well as for the many readers we hope to reach. Your creative writing work will be cherished andTherapist / Educator
appreciated. Upon acceptance, your original submission will be edited and published in an anthology, a collection of approximately 30 nternational submissions. To share you story, please contact:

Liz Pearl, M.Ed.
Psychogeriatric Therapist / Educator
Email: lizpearl@sympatico.ca

KOPE Associates
“Creative Writing Healing Journeys”
584 Glencairn Avenue, Toronto, ON. M6B 1Z4
416. 781. 5418
~
Hispanic Heritage Month-Alzheimer’s Association Web Site

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15), The Alzheimer’s Association has created a special Web site that provides essential information about Alzheimer's and dozens of links to Spanish-language materials and Hispanic resources. There is lots of information and links to Spanish-language materials and Hispanic resources. The site can be viewed in English and in Spanish. Check it out at www.Alz org.

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INFORMATIVE CAREGIVING ARTICLES & INSPIRATION

Quotes

Emancipate yourself from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds.

Bob Marley

My humanity is bound up with yours, for we can only be human together.

Desmond Tutu

He who hath compassion upon others receives compassion from Heaven

Talmud

We can do no great things – only small things with great love.

Mother Teresa

Unlimited love was called agape by the ancient Greeks to distinguish the divine love from earthly emotions. Unlimited love means total constant love for every person with no exception.

Sir John Templeton

What would you do if you knew that you could not fail?

Robert Schuller

One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon--instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.

Dale Carnegie

When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.

Alexander Graham Bell

The thousand mysteries around us would not trouble but interest us, if only we had cheerful, healthy hearts.

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Top Of Page

MESSAGE BOARDS & EMAIL BAG

JOKES & HUMOR

Senior Moments.

A little old lady was running up and down the halls in a nursing home. As she walked, she would flip up the hem of her nightgown and say "Supersex." She walked up to an elderly man in a wheelchair. Flipping her gown at him, she said, "Supersex." He sat silently for a moment or two and finally answered, "I'll take the soup."

Two guys were discussing their aging wives. One was quite sure his wife was going deaf. The other guy gave him a suggestion to test her hearing. "Here's what you do.

Start about 40 feet away from her, and speak in a normal conversational tone and see if she hears you. If not, go to 30 feet, then 20 feet, and so on until you get a response".

So, that evening, she's in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he's in the living room, and he says to himself, "I'm about 40 feet away, let's see what happens".

"Honey, what's for supper?" No response. So, he moves to the other end of the room, about 30 feet away. "Honey, what's for supper?" No response.

So, he moves into the dining room, about 20 feet away. "Honey, what's for supper?" No response. On to the kitchen door, only 10 feet away. "Honey, what's for supper?"No response. So, he walks right up behind her.

"Honey, what's for supper?"

"FOR THE FIFTH TIME, CHICKEN!!"

~
Sex Drive

After examining his seventy-five year old patient, the doctor said, "You're in remarkable shape for a man your age."

"Yes, I know," said the old gentleman. "I have only one complaint. My sex drive is too high. Is there anything you can do for that, Doc?"

"Your what?!" gasped the doctor.

"My sex drive," said the old man. "It's too high, and I'd like to have you lower it if you can."

"Lower it?!" the doctor exclaimed, still unable to believe what the seventy- five year old gentleman was saying. "Just what do you consider 'high'?"

"These days it seems like it's all in my head, Doc," said the old man, "and I'd like to have you lower it a couple of feet if you can."

~
The Car Crash

After dying in a car crash, three friends go to Heaven for orientation. They are all asked the same question: "When you are in your casket, and friends and family are mourning over you, what would you like to hear them say about you?"

The first guy immediately responds, "I would like to hear them say that I was one of the great doctors of my time, and a great family man."

The second guy says, "I would like to hear that I was a wonderful husband and school teacher who made a huge difference in our children of tomorrow".

The last guy thinks a minute and replies, "I'd like to hear them say......LOOK, HE'S MOVING!!!!!"

~

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