Senior Concierge Services

Dear Friends,

Often our clients say they have a limited budget and entertainment/going out  is expensive. So, I have decided to try to find something fun or purpose-driven to do that is no or low cost for the first week of Spring.

With the latest issue of Mimi's Magazine in hand, I circled all of the areas that interested me on Mimi's Calendar. Here's a sampling of local happenings.

- Planning for the Future, a free lecture at Huntington Woods Rehab Center in Westlake on March 20th.440.835.5661

- Forget-Me-Not-Cafe, a free arts enrichment and socialization cafe for memory loss, a the Farrell Foundation Studio in Westlake. 440.414.0434, ext. 2

- Glass Etching, create your own glass plate, at Bay Village Library 440.871.6392

- Drop In and Download, learn how to use E-books and emagazines and more at the Bay Village Library on Wednesdays. 440.871.6392

- Wow Factor 150 Yea5rs of Collecting Bold Clothes, at Porter Library, on March 22nd, 440.871.2600

- 4th Annual Angels on the Avenue, Rocky River Civic Center, March 24th, 440.360.0640.

I'm amazed, there seems to be something for everyone from craft shows, to free art and poetry classes, to nutrition lectures and more. So, do a little homework at the beginning of each week and you too will discover free movies, concerts and tours through our beautiful MetroParks.  Truly, the list is endless. Check my blog for ideas, or request our newsletter for additional ideas by calling me at 440.360.9010 or emailing me at [email protected]

Here's to putting a spring in your step, Jane

P.S.To get on Mimi's mailing list call 1.800.866.0107

I find myself longing for sunlight and fresh air. How about you? These past few days Mother Nature reminded us of what's right around the corner. With temperatures in the 60's, a welcoming, warm breeze, people in shorts walking their dogs, my mood picked up and a smile crossed my face. 

Remember, spring is only 25 days away. So, plan your garden or flower pot, begin to bring out your lighter clothes from hiding. Keep an eye out for many of our favorite signs of life: birds, daffodils, tulips, and yes sunshine. Brighter days ae just around the corner. 

Bring it on,Jane

Today's Affirmation: I love life and life loves me.

I always like to start the New Year out on a fresh note. That means everything is in its place with minimum clutter.

Many of you know, last year I moved from a home with 3,000 square feet to an 800 square foot condo. I must say I have no regrets. My new mantra is, "Small spaces, work less and live more"

I find that the downsizing and ridding myself of clutter has made me happier, with a feeling of control. I have surrounded myself with things that I truly love, so my home is my sanctuary.

I couldn't have done this without the help of The Lang Group. Located in Lakewood, this small, and mighty company is comprised of a trustworthy team who have a penchant for organization. The team's leader, Natalie Lang was super to work with. Before, one thing was moved, we talked about a strategy for getting the job done and created a vision for what the end product would look like.

If you're looking around your home and are eager to get a fresh start, may I suggest calling The Lang Group for a complimentary consultation. The services are affordable, and they are are locally owned, and operated. For more information contact: 216.255.0634 or [email protected]

It's a New Year, a time to examine and reset. While I don't establish resolutions, I have adopted one simple goal. Every month I plan to honor someone whom I have encountered with a letter recognizing their good work, demonstrated kindness and compassion. I plan to send it or personally present it to the individual and to their supervisor.

Imagine what would happen if everyone did this. The world would be a better place. So, I am challenging my readers to do the same and Make A Difference in someone's day or life starting in 2018.

As always, please share your results.

Here's to spreading joy,

Jane:)

Try these ideas at home when caring for someone who requires memory support.

Visual Stimulation – Aside from the brain, the eye is the most complex and incredible organ in the animal world. Vision is our most important sense, the one through which we gain most of our information, and the one that offers the broadest range of possibilities for stimulation.

As long as there is light, everything is visible, and potentially stimulating. Simply, vision is what happens when light enters the eye and is turned into electrical impulses by the eye’s retina. These impulses travel along the optic nerve to the occipital cortex of the brain. The brain then “sees” the image that the eye sends. Visual stimulation is brain stimulation, and brain stimulation is what we are after.

Visual stimulation for people who have Alzheimer’s can involve light, color, shape, or motion, or a combination of those elements. Gently animated lights, kaleidoscopes, colorful paintings, nature movies, fiber optic Christmas trees, a glorious sunset: all examples of visual stimulation. Some can have the added benefit of stimulating memory: a sunset might dredge up a memory of a similar sunset in the person’s past. He may remember a classic painting from a visit to a museum or from an Art Appreciation class in college. Light for visual stimulation.A most basic form of visual stimulation for Alzheimer’s and dementia is bright light therapy. This is totally passive, but can be effective for sleep and mood enhancement, especially in winter. Not everyone has access to a light source as bright as is needed for this, so provide much opportunity as possible to be in direct sunlight. Other sources of light, especially if they move or change color, provide a different type of visual stimulation. Avoid overly bright lights, except for lights that have been designed specifically for bright-light therapy, Also avoid lights that appear to move quickly or flash as these can cause confusion and over-stimulation. If you can find one, or still have one, the Lava Lamp® is a good source of soothing light stimulation. Don’t forget natural light. Bright objects that hang in the window, or even outside, and reflect the rays of the sun; stained glass trinkets that color the sunlight and allow it to shine through; mirrors that reflect incoming light and brighten the room; these all add stimulating possibilities to the environment.                                                                                                                                            Visual Stimulation for Alzheimer’s and Dementia,
By John Schmid on October 22, 2009 Alternative Therapy, Sensory Stimulation

Ah summer—an amazing time of year when fresh produce abounds. Many of summer’s fruits and vegetables are brimming with secret health benefits. Here are four particularly good food and beverage choices in the summer—as reported on in EatingWell Magazine.   Nothing says summer like fresh sweet corn. Did you know that two antioxidants—lutein and zeaxanthin—in corn may act like natural sunglasses, helping to form macular pigment that filters out some of the sun’s damaging rays? It’s true. The same antioxidants may also help lower your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration—the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 60.  

Eating tomatoes could give you a little extra protection from the sun: consuming more lycopene—the carotenoid that makes tomatoes red -may protect your skin from sunburn. In one study, participants who were exposed to UV light had almost 50 percent less skin reddening after they ate 2 1/2 tablespoons of tomato paste.  

Watermelon helps us to stay hydrated, keeps our memory sharp and

our mood stable. It also helps keep your body cool (by sweating) during hot summer months. The good news is that you don’t just have to drink water. You can eat it, too: in addition to delivering skin-protecting lycopene, watermelon is 92 percent water.  

Sure, a tall glass of iced tea on a hot day is refreshing, but did you know it might also do your body good? Studies show if you drink tea regularly, you may lower your risk of Alzheimer’s and diabetes, plus have healthier teeth, gums and stronger bones. Tea is rich in a class of antioxidants called flavonoids. Regardless of the variety—black, green, oolong, white or herbal—maximize the power of tea’s flavonoids by drinking it freshly brewed.

 

First, let me say thank you to all those individuals who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom. 

I have both a grateful heart and much respect for Veteran's and their families. At SCS we proudly serve Veteran's and seek out ways to better educate individuals about benefits to which they may be entitled. To that end, I am posting the following information made available at Agingcare.com which is an outstanding resource for elder care and services. 

"What are the VA benefits for veterans and their caregivers, and how do I know if my loved one is eligible?"

Believe it or not, this is the most common question caregivers ask Debbie Burak, founder of veteranaid.org, about applying for veterans benefits. As the daughter of a WWII veteran, Burak is intimately familiar with the challenges that caregivers face when dealing with the VA. For nine years, she looked after parents who never had enough money to pay for their care needs. It was only after years of scraping together every dollar they could find that Burak discovered her parents had been entitled to approximately $165,000 in VA benefits that they'd never received.

"I'll never forget the expression on Mom's face when she realized the money she desperately needed was never going to come," Burak laments. The experience, as devastating as it was, inspired her to advocate for aging and ailing veterans, and to create a website that provides information for veterans and their caregivers.

Eligibility may be the key question for many caregivers, but there are several other areas of confusion and misinformation that could significantly impact the finances of people seeking to obtain VA benefits:

The VA doesn't recognize Power of Attorney (POA): "A POA is worthless to the VA," says Burak. "It has no standing; no merit." This revelation often comes as a shock to caregivers who are used to hearing about the necessity of getting a POA as part of planning ahead for elderly care. In order to manage a legally incompetent veteran's financial affairs, an individual must be officially appointed as the veteran's fiduciary, according to Burak.

You can expedite a VA application: The VA has specific rules in place to expedite the applications of people age 90 and older. If your loved one is in this age group, make sure that the VA office that's handling their application is aware of this.

You don't have to be ill to get Aid & Attendance: One little-known element of the VA program is that when a veteran turns 65 they are considered 100 percent disabled in the eyes of the VA. This means that they could be eligible for the lowest level of Aid & Attendance assistance, even if they have no major health conditions.

Benefits get cut off when a veteran dies: If a veteran dies before their spouse, any Veteran Aid & Attendance Improved Pension benefits being received by the couple will immediately cease. "People are just devastated to learn this because they're grieving and trying to make arrangements, and now they get to sit down and play the VA shell game all over again," she says. The "shell game" Burak is referring to is the one that requires the surviving spouse to submit a completely new application to the VA to get their benefits reinstated. Along with a death certificate, the surviving spouse (or their caregiver) must supply additional information and documents, including the deceased spouse's discharge papers; their marriage certificate; information regarding their income, assets and expenses; a physician's statement that details the surviving spouse's medical diagnosis and whether or not they can take care of themselves; and a statement from their long-term care provider (assisted living community, home care agency, etc.) that details their new cost of care information. Even if these documents have already been submitted to the VA, they all must be re-sent after a veteran dies. According to Burak, the average time to award a widow's pension is 10-12 months after it's been submitted, so it's important to start this process as soon as possible after a veteran passes.

What happens when you call the VA's 1-800 number: Burak has another tip for caregivers who call the VA to check on a loved one's application status. Make sure you're talking to the local VA office that services the area in which your loved one lives. Be aware that the 1-800 number for the VA automatically routes a caller to the VA office that's nearest to them. For long-distance caregivers, this is most likely not the same office that's in charge of their loved one's account. If the VA office they're directed to is not the same one that's handling their loved one's application, the caregiver won't be able to obtain any information since VA offices are not allowed to pull files on beneficiaries or applicants who do not live in their area.

In recognition of Memorial Day,

Jane