Wednesday, January 22, 2014

San Juan Villa, Seattle's 12th Man



With the Seattle Seahawks amazing run through the 2014 NFL Playoffs, the Seattle fans have been labeled as the best in the NFL. The self-designated "12th Man" has made a huge impact on the Seahawks' post-season success. Likewise, our very own team from San Juan Villa has been doing their part, representing the 12th Man. The following is an interview we had with San Juan Villa's administrator, Erin Parker:

Seems like San Juan Villa has caught the Seahawk fever? Yes we have!!!! There are a lot of die hard Seahawk fans and “12 men/women” in our community, including some of our Resident’s. In some ways, many of us have ALWAYS had the fever!

What impact has your SJV staff had on the Seahawks' playoff success? We immediately hung a 12 man flag in our entrance to the community when they made it to the NFC playoffs, and the staff participate in the “Blue Friday” craze! We think that subliminal support by all of the 12’s is one reason for their success. Not to mention they have the best Defense in all the NFL.

Has the "12th Man" brought your staff closer together? It has brought a sense of team to the staff. Those who were not interested before, hopped on that bandwagon and it has been a fun ride so far.

Who is the craziest fan on the staff? Our Maintenance Supervisor, Joey. That’s all he talks about all day, everyday!!!!! He gives the Twitter and NFL updates, and we talk about the news of the Seahawks everyday…….

Have any residents caught on to the excitement surrounding the Superbowl? There are a few. We make sure the staff set them up to watch the Seahawks every game day. Many of our resident’s are life long PNWesterners and have followed the team since they came to Seattle.

Score prediction for the Superbowl? 24-20 Seahawks!!!!!!!





Monday, January 13, 2014

Best Alzheimer's Books for Caregivers

Looking for a new read to bring in the new year? Take a look at this list of the "Top Alzheimer's Books" compiled by alzheimers.net:

Boundless Grace: Devotions From a Caregiver’s Heart (Lois Carter): This author tells how faith in God inspired her in caring for her mother through the difficult stages of dementia. It includes descriptions of how dementia affects people differently and how looking for those cheerful moments in the midst of the struggle can make all the difference.
Top Alzheimer's Books for CaregiversCreating Moments of Joy for the Person With Alzheimer’s or Dementia: A Journal for Caregivers (Jolene Brackey): A touching look at how to make the most of the moments you have with someone with Alzheimer’s, this book describes memory as a series of moments. And it helps educate people on the needs of a person with Alzheimer’s disease.
Chicken Soup for the Golden Soul (Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Paul J. Meyer): The Chicken Soup series comes highly recommended by our Facebook fans. In this particular collection, you’ll find stories from seniors such as Erma Bombeck, Tom Landry and Roy Rogers, who share their experiences through the golden years.
Inside Alzheimer’s (Nancy Pearce): Aimed at caregivers, this book stresses the importance of connecting with Alzheimer’s patients. And how building these connections can help create a more supportive care community. It also provides exercises to help exhausted caregivers energize their spirits.
Inside the Dementia Epidemic: A Daughter’s Memoir (Martha Stettinius): Chronicling her experience as her mother’s caregiver for eight years, Stettinius candidly portrays the challenges she faced and how she sought help. She structures the story in five parts, each one dedicated to the type of care her mother required as her dementia progressed, and tells an inspiring story of what life as a caregiver is really like.
The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for Persons With Alzheimer’s Disease, Related Dementing Illnesses, and Memory Loss in Later Life (Nancy L. Mace and Peter V. Rabins): Considered "the definitive guide on caring for people with dementia," The 36-Hour Day was originally published in 1981. Since then, it’s undergone several revisions to ensure that it provides the most up-to-date information on causes of dementia, how to manage early stages of dementia, finding long-term care options for people with dementia and more.
What are your favorite Alzheimer’s books?


Tuesday, January 7, 2014

When Your Parents Need Assisted Living


The following article was written by Jeff Anderson from aplaceformom.com
It can be a difficult moment when you come to realize that your mom or dad needs senior care in a setting like assisted living. As young children, we saw our parents as all-powerful sources of benevolence and care. It’s sometimes difficult to admit that the roles have reversed. But just as our parents kept us safe, sheltered and secure when we were little and vulnerable, we’re called on to return this love to our parents when they need a helping hand and a comfortable, safe place due to the frailties and ailments associated with advanced age.
Some of us will provide care to our parents in our own home for a period, but this is not always possible for all families, or always desired by the children or parents themselves.
Naturally, many families find themselves searching for assisted living, an intermediate level of residential care for seniors who aren’t safe living alone. Ideally, your parents can be full participants in the search; but when your loved one is impaired by Alzheimer’s disease or dementia you may have to proactively take more control of the decision making.
If you see that your parents need assisted living care, here are steps to help you find the right care:

1. Get Your Loved One Involved

The more involved your parents are in the search, the better. Of course you can do much of the legwork for them, but have discussions with your parents about their desires and preferences and, ideally, present them with a range of options. If your parent is in denial about his or her need for care, read our article about overcoming resistance in the situations.

2. Figure Out What You Can Afford

Like it or not, money is going to be a factor in most families’ searches. Look at what your family can afford on a monthly basis. Our guide to financing senior care page could be ahelpful reference. Look into veterans benefits and othercreative ways to pay for care. Some seniors and families may have to consider difficult options such as pooling resources form the senior’s grown children, selling a family home or even cashing-in a life insurance policy.

3. Get Connected with a Senior Living Advisor

This really could have been step-one on our list, as you can call us at any point in your search. But a good point for your initial consultation from an A Place for Mom Senior Living Advisor is after you have already done a little investigating into you what your family can afford. That way your Advisor can provide a list of seniors communities that meets the needs and preferences you have already established, and that are in your price range. This list of communities is an excellent starting point for your search. From there a logical way to proceed with the decision making process is through the process of elimination. For those families who ultimately cannot afford private-pay senior care and require state assistance in the form of Medicaid (not to be confused with Medicare), your Advisor will connect you with the appropriate liaison at the Area Agency on Aging so that you can get this process started.

4. Tour Senior Communities

No amount of time viewing photos, brochures, floor plans or reviews can substitute for an in-person visit to a community. Schedule visits for you and your parent at least three of the communities on your short-list. If you have—and your parent have—the time and stamina, it may be helpful to view up to five or six communities as your narrow the search. A good time to tour is during a meal, such as lunch, for example. Potential residents can try the food and get a good sense of the community’s culture; as most of the residents will be out and about during a mealtime. Based on these initial tours, narrow down your search down to two or three favorites. Perform follow up tours, perhaps even unannounced, to get a good sense for the community you and your parent are considering. Your Senior Living Advisor can make this process easier for you by arranging all your tours in one short call.

5. Come to a Decision

Whether your parent is choosing the community themself or whether you need to make that decision for parents impaired by dementia or Alzheimer’s, try to make sure that everyone in your family feels good about the choice. When possible, have conversations with your parents discussing the pros and cons of each option and try to find consensus about the right option. You can always bounce ideas off of your Senior Living Advisor during your decision making process and get his or her impressions of communities on your referral list. Another smart move is readingreviews of senior communities on SeniorAdvisor.com can also help your make a informed and confident decision. Finally, you can also check the background of an assisted living community you are considering with the licensing agency in your state that monitors assisted living.

6.Make the Move

If you’ve come this far in the process, there’s no sense needlessly delaying the process. It’s risky to procrastinate when a parent needs care, as the delay can lead to avoidable accidents and medical problems. Our article 6 Survival Tips for Moving Your Elderly Loved One has important information about helping assure this move goes smoothly. 


Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Happy New Year! 2014 - New Year's Resolutions

With the close of one year and the beginning of a new one, it is great to reflect on the past and look forward to the future, making new goals for the new year. Specifically, for those of us who have family or friends suffering from dementia, the new year is an opportunity to set goals on becoming better and more understanding Care Givers. What can you do to be a better care giver? Maybe it's being a better listener, or being more patient, or trying out new techniques or ideas with those we love. We can all do something! Here's to a wonderful new year and opportunity to improve. We wish you all a Happy 2014!

On the subject of New Year's Resolutions, the following is a link to a wonderful blog post by Bob DeMarco of Alzheimer's Reading Room. In it, Mr. DeMarco discusses his new year's resolution of "Being a Guide." It is an extremely uplifting read and may just motivate you while setting goals for the new year. Here's the link: New Year's Resolutions - Bob DeMarco.