Saturday, February 20, 2010

Volunteer opportunities

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities



PLEASE BE A VOLUNTEER AT HUNT

As an activity director, you are asked to build a dynamic volunteer team. In the coming weeks, I will post volunteer opportunities at Hunt Nursing and Rehabilitation in Danvers, Masssachusetts.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Olympic activities

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Here is a dementia music activity


I was asked about Olympic activities since the Winter Olympics are beginning
Here are some thoughts

Watch a live or taped portion of the opening ceremony
This will get the paticipants in the mood. Remember it is the group leaders attitude and enthusiasm that make a big diffference in the success of an activity.

Have several events planned
trivia is always good-
even though you might have only one winner- you can have seoond third etc., best effort, best smile, best attitude. This way you can give everyone a chance to participate
-You always have those who like to shout out the answers
-For those who are shy or not as quick, I always ask them by name what they think.
Of course I am extra complimentary to these people

I will be posting more events anf more ideas.

If you cannot wait email alzzheimersideas@gmail.com

Friday, February 12, 2010

Thanks for being patient

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Here is a great Valentine's Day Activity for those suffering from dementia

I will be posting less frequently due to computer problems. Sorry for any inconvenience

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Leesburg facility keeps Alzheimer's victim, spouse under same roof

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Here is a great Valentine's Day Activity for those suffering from dementia


Orlando Sentinal

LEESBURG - Henri Couture believes a husband and wife should never have to live separately because one of them comes down with Alzheimer's disease, so he has opened a community for people with the degenerative brain disease.

At the 22-villa Hammock's Promise Community, an Alzheimer patient and the non-afflicted family member can live together with 24-hour on-site assistance. The villas have two bedrooms with conveniences such as a washer, dryer and garage.

This is different from typical facilities for Alzheimer's patients, which don't generally allow a loved one to live with the patient, Couture said.

"Separation causes unnecessary stress on married couples," he said. "I can't change the disease. I can't change the slow degeneration of the disease, but I can do my darndest not to remove them from your life."

Through Couture's setup, the non-afflicted family member can live with the afflicted one, and at the same time go out in the day to play golf, attend social groups, etc., while knowing their loved one is safe.

Well-minded family members "can have their life and not have guilt," said Kathy Haviland, executive director of Hammock's Promise.

Couture, 63, opened his first senior assisted-living facility in 1985 and has attended to the special needs of seniors such as those with Alzheimer's ever since. He and his wife, Ann Marie, currently operate Hammock's Promise and The Wedgewood Community in Leesburg, a senior independent-living community.

Couture said it can be hard for Alzheimer's patients to be separated from loved ones in a locked facility, but because the disease can cause these patients to wander off and/or get lost it's usually necessary they be in a secured facility away from family members.

He said forcing an Alzheimer's patient to live apart from their close family member or significant other can even worsen the effects of Alzheimer's because it causes the patient added stress.

"When you remove their loved one, they feel uncomfortable in that environment," he said. "You've removed that security blanket."

He touts Hammock's Promise as the solution.

For the Alzheimer's patient, there's a ......read all of Leesburg facility keeps Alzheimer's victim, spouse under same roof