Essential Tips to Keep Seniors Safe From Scams this Holiday Season

DecidingWhat is the Right Service for You

Fall 2019 Vol. 22 No. 4

Citrus County

thOctober 19

October 13, 2019

Inverness Florida

2:00 pm & 6:00 pmTickets: $10.00

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

What’s Inside:

Executive Director Kathleen WintersBoard President Debbie SelsavageBoard Vice President Bill TuttleBoard Treasurer Helayne CelanoBoard Secretary VacantBoard Members Michael Benetto Tyler Borowski Ron Francis vv Dr. Stanley Giannet Bobbie Miller Alexander PowellEditor Bill TuttleDesign Crystal RodriguezContributing Authors Maureen Campaiola Jackie Kuhn-Damron Lauren Ennis Lisa Honka Debbie Selsavage Kathleen Winters

SERVING�ALL�TYPES�OF�DEMENTIA

Administrative Manager Alicia VegeranoMedia Specialist Crystal Rodriguez Community Liaison Teresa Haver

Community Educators The Villages Jackie Kuhn-Damron 574-721-1177 Jakuhn@alzheimersfamily.org Lake County & S. Sumter Catherine Schmidt 352-702-7234 LakeCE@alzheimersfamily.org Citrus/Hernando/Hillsborough/ Pasco/Pinellas Call the office for more info 352-616-0170

Facebook.com/AFO.FL

AlzFamilyOrg

Alzheimer’s Family Organization

Contact Information Alzheimer’s Family Organization 461 Mariner Blvd. Spring Hill, FL. 34609

Telephone: 352-616-0170Fax: 352-616-0174Email: info@alzheimersfamily.org

www.alzheimersfamily.org

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

The “Caregiver’s Companion” is published quarterly by The Al-zheimer’s Family Organization. The Alzheimer’s Family Organiza-tion 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 per-sons, living or dead.

All materials 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.

The Alzheimer’s Family Organization conforms to the Florida “solicitations of Contributions Act” pertaining to charitable organizations: “A COPY OF THE OF-FICIAL 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, AP-PROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.”

Image Credits: Crystal Rodriguez, Wikipedia, Biography, Jackie Kuhn-Damron, Beatriz Perez Moya, Pablo Garcia Saldana, Autumn Mott Rodeheaver, GrandLiv-ing at Citrus Hills, Debbie TuttleSummer 2019 Vol. 22 No.3

Debbie’s CornerNostalgia Therapy

Support Groups - Pages 4 & 5Page 7

Featured ArticleEssential Tips To Keep Seniors Safe From Scams This Holiday Season

Page 8

From Your EditorDeciding What Is The Right Service For

You

Page 12

AFO More Than Just Alzheimer’sWe Serve All Caregivers Regardless

Of The Type Of Dementia

Page 18

A Joyus NoteNever Say Never

Page 19

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Guest ArticleGrand Livings All Female Memory Care Community Hits Perfect Note

Page 20

Words from the Executive Director

Fall is upon us and that means that many of our friends and AFO mem-bers will be returning from the North and joining us again until Spring. The holidays will be here before we know it! Welcome Back! I hope your summer was enjoyable.

Things at the AFO have been busy as usual. The 2nd Annual Bowling Challenge in Hernando County, with co-name sponsor, Atria, was held July 13th and was well attended. This was a great day of fun and comrad-ery for all. The winners of this year’s tournament were from the Brooksville Bowling lanes and coming in as runner-up was The Gun Slingers. The final score was very close, with only 6 pins difference. It was a real nail biter! Thank you to all who participated and supported the AFO.

The next big fundraiser, The Citrus County Walk-Aware for Alzheimer’s, is scheduled in beautiful downtown Floral City on October 19th with pre-registration on Friday, October 18th. This year the movie connected to this event, Mrs. Doubtfire, starring Robin Williams, will have two showings on Sunday, October 13th at The Valerie Theatre in Inverness. Many people do not realize that Robin Williams had Parkinson’s disease with Lewy Body dementia. The committee, Ed Youngblood and Deb Selsavage, our Board President, from Coping with Dementia, are once again spearheading this large event lasting two weekends. This event has grown in the last 2 years, with hopes of an even larger turnout this year. We at the AFO are eternally grateful to Deb and Ed for all their hard work and appreciate them taking on such a huge task.

Our new program, Melodies and Movement, funded by Lake County Health & Human Services grant, began a few months ago at Osprey Lodge, one of our corporate members. This program incorporates music and movement into the daily routine of the residents in the memory care unit. Science has shown that music can awaken those with Alzheimer’s disease and/or dementia, bringing their memories alive for a short time. This grant offers an excel-lent opportunity for those that are participating, and I look forward to hearing the outcomes being measured by the implementation of this program.

I am happy to also say that the AFO is the recipient of a grant from the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America which supports our Wanderer’s Reunification Program. This grant allows us to provide for free, Human Scent Preservation Kits and/or a piece of ID jewelry that will increase the chances of reunification of a person with dementia with their caregiver if they have wandered away. To date, over 50 kits have been given out in the eight-county service area, and one successful reunification that has been reported to us.

The AFO will be holding the last of our Caregiver Learning Events in September and October. Please see the dates and locations listed in the Education Section of this newsletter. This year we offered two learning days per county, and three in Citrus County. This is double of what we have done in the past as there was a request by caregivers to increase the educational opportunities and awareness in the communities we serve. All dates were a success and as we wind down with the last three, we are already looking into what 2020 will bring for educational opportunities. Any suggestions you may have for speakers of additions to these events is welcomed.

I look forward to the fall season, the holidays, and hope that each of you know that the AFO is here to help in any way we can. May you find peace and comfort walking this journey and learn from your loved one.

Respectfully,

Kathleen WintersExecutive DirectorAlzheimer’s Family Organization

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Afo support groups

LAKEBridgewater at Waterman Village(Free Respite Care During Meeting)500 Waterman Ave, Mt. Dora, FL 327573rd Wednesday of the month at 1:30 PMCo-Leaders: Coleen Connolly 352-383-0051, x313 Chaplain Robert Nickell 352-383-0051, x229 Brookdale Clermont650 E. Minnehaha Ave, Clermont, FL 347111st Wednesday of the month at 4:00 PMLeader: Nelson Zayas 352-435-5877Chapel of Christian Faith1401 Paradise Drive, Lady Lake, FL 321593rd Thursday of the month at 10:00 AMLeader: Martha Hyatt 352-748-7633Clermont Arts & Recreation Center 3700 S Hwy 27, Clermont, FL 34711 - Room 71st & 3rd Tuesday of the month at 4:00 PM Co-Leaders: Kristina Grasso 352-901-0380 Coleen McArthy 920-309-0989 Courtney Schmidt 352-901-3116 Nelson Zayas 352-435-5877 Cooper Memorial LibraryRoom 221 (upstairs)2525 Oakley Seaver Dr, Clermont, FL 347113rd Thursday of the month at 2:00 PMLeader: Christen Wilson-Lierman 407-557-0054The Cove at Tavares Village1501 Sunshine Pkwy, Tavares, FL 327783rd Monday of the month at 1:30 PMLeader: Pavah Kucharek 352-874-9860

Crane’s View Lodge ALF & Memory 2nd Floor Chapel1601 Hooks St, Clermont, FL 347114th Tuesday of the month at 1:30 PM Leader: Kristina Grasso 352-901-0380 Anna Ware 352-805-9968

First Baptist Church of Leesburg /South Campus25900 US Hwy 27, Leesburg, FL 347481st Monday of the month at 2:00 PMLeader: Catherine Schmidt 352-702-7234 Lake Port Square/A Brookdale Community800 Lake Port Blvd, Leesburg, FL 347484th Wednesday of the month at 2:00 PMLeader: Allison Church 352-728-8525, x232Lakeview Terrace331 Raintree Dr, Altoona, FL 327022nd Thursday of the month at 1:30 PMLeader: Cheryl Fletcher 352-409-5360

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 352-259-5363North Lake Presbyterian Church Early Stage Group (for early stage patients)Fellowship Center Room 2975 Rolling Acres Rd, Lady Lake, FL 321591st and 3rd Friday of the month at 10:00 AMLeader: Louise Shuey 352-753-8262 Opis Bayview Center 301 S Bay St, Eustis, FL 32726 4th Wednesday of the month at 1:00 PM Leader: Angela Jones 407-490-6765

CITRUSCornerstone Baptist Church1100 W. Highland Blvd, Inverness, FL 344523rd Wednesday of the month at 1:30 PMLeader: Debbie Selsavage 352-422-3663

Crystal River Library8619 Crystal St, Crystal River, FL 344282nd Tuesday of the month at 1:30 PMLeader: Debbie Selsavage 352-422-3663 Senior Helpers587 E Gulf To Lake Hwy, Lecanto, FL 344611st Friday of the month at 1:30 PMLeader: Jayme Shepherd 352-835-7191

HERNANDOAtria Evergreen WoodsPool Clubhouse7030 Evergreen Woods Trl, Spring Hill 346082nd & 4th Tuesday of the month at 1:00 PMLeader: Lori Wilson 352-596-2055 Bayfront Health BrooksvilleMedical Arts Bldg. – Ste.12017222 Hospital Blvd, Brooksville, FL 346012nd & 4th Monday of the month at 1:00 PMCo-Leaders: Donna Alford 813-469-5024 Bill Tuttle 813-712-9058

Forest Oaks of Spring Hill8055 Forest Oaks Blvd, Spring Hill, FL 346061st Wednesday of the month at 11:00 AMCo-Leaders: Leigh Dingle 352-683-332 Shabhan Blount Meridien Research120 Medical Blvd, Ste. 103 Spring Hill, FL 346093rd Wednesday of each month at 1:30 PMCo-Leaders: Kristen Hibbet 813-563-6009, x5007 Benjamin Germain 352-597-8839, x1307 The Residence at Timber Pines3140 Forest Rd, Spring Hill, FL 346063rd Monday of the month at 2:00 PMLeader: Bill Tuttle 813-712-9058 Timber Pines Country Club(Gated Community – must register with Sue to attend) Lodge - Oak Room6872 Timber Pines Blvd, Spring Hill, FL 346062nd Thursday of the month at 10:00 AMLeader: Sue Simone 203-725-6888

HILLSBOROUGHArden Courts of Tampa14950 Casey Rd, Tampa, FL 33624Frontal Temporal Degeneration & Alzheimer’s 2nd Sunday of the month at 10:00 AMLeader: Mary Anne Upham 813-786-8388 Caregiver Support Group for Spouses3rd Wednesday of the month at 2:00 PMLeader: Robyn Lindbeck 813-963-6100

Brookdale Northdale3401 W Bearss Ave, Tampa, FL 33618 4th Tuesday of each month at 5:30 PMLeader: Wenona Spencer 813-961-1044

Osprey Lodge Assisted Living & Memory Care (Free Respite Care During Meeting)1761 Nightingale Ln, Tavares, FL 32778 3rd Tuesday of the monthAlzheimer’s Café: 11:30 AM - 12:30PMSupport Group: 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Leader: Ruth Cantillon 352-253-5100

PASCO - CENTRALAdvent Hospital Wesley Chapel2600 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Wesley Chapel, FL 33544 Classroom 4B1st Tuesday of the month at 9:00 AMCo-Leaders: Michele Bonneville 813-991-7524 Lynelle Bonneville Cathy Bickham 813-618-0578

PASCO - EASTBaldomero-Lopez State VeteransNursing Home6919 Parkway Blvd, Land O Lakes, FL 346391st Thursday of the month at 1:00 PMLeader: Kathleen Miller 727-236-7659

Beach House Assisted Living & Memory Care at Wiregrass Ranch30070 FL-56, Wesley Chapel, FL 335433rd Tuesday of the month at 1:00 PMLeader: Kathleen Miller 727-236-7659

Heritage Park37135 Coleman Ave, Dade City, FL 335254th Tuesday of the month at 4:00 PMCo-Leaders: Nila Premer 352-567-8615 Mary Beth LumbraKeystone Place at Terra Bella Retirement Community2200 Livingston Rd, Land O Lakes, FL 346394th Tuesday of the month at 1:00 PMLeader: Kathleen Miller 727-236-7659 PASCO - WESTAtria Park of Baypoint Village 7927 State Road 52, Hudson, FL 34667Call 727-233-7215 for more details Brookdale Senior Living6400 Trouble Creek Rd, New Port Richey, FL 346533rd Tuesday of the month at 6:00 PMLeader: Sylvia Mencik 727-359-5430Elder Assistance4109 Little Rd, Ste. 102, New Port Richey, FL 346554th Wednesday of the month at 9:00 AMLeader: Melanie Holmes 727-255-3592

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

Grand Villa Senior Living Community6120  Congress St, New Port Richey, FL 346524th Thursday of the month at 2:00 PMCo-Leaders: Sylvia Mencik 727-359-5430 Dina Giannet 727-204-0083 Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point14000 Fivay Rd, Hudson, FL 346671st Tuesday of the month at 10:00 AMCo-Leaders: Laura Arnold 727-863-0176 Louise Vallee 727-967-6376

People touched by Alzheimer’s disease and other related diseases come together in a confidential, safe environment to vent their frustrations, develop and share coping techniques, learn more about the disease and discover what resources are available to them. All support groups are facilitated by trained individuals.

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The Watermark at Trinity 1960 Blue Fox Way, Trinity, FL 346551st Tuesday of the month at 10:30 AM Leader: Ed Cleaner 727-841-84402nd Tuesday of the month at 6:00 PMLeader: Jennifer Chianella 727-777-5063

PINELLASAtria Countryside3141 N. McMullen Booth Rd, Clearwater, FL 337612nd Monday of the month at 6:00 PMCo-Leaders: Sheryl Hanson 727-308-7190 Glayds Chaparro 727-308-7190Brookdale Senior Living Countryside3260 N. McMullen Booth Rd, Clearwater, FL 337613rd Friday of the month at 2:00 PMLeader: Amy Pajak 727-726-5090

Market Street Memory Care Residence833 E Lake Rd N, Tarpon Springs, FL 346884th Thursday of the month at 2:30 PMLeader: Linda Pinke 727-202-9314

SUMTERAmerican House Day-Break Club Support Group7676 Rio Grande Blvd, Wildwood, FL 347851st Tuesday of the month at 1:30 PMCo-Leaders: Cindy LaDow 574-721-0700 Larry Koenig 760-703-0913

Brookdale Place at Freedom PointeRSVP to 352-674-3950 - Light Lunch is served1700 El Camino Real, The Villages, FL 321592nd Wednesday of the month at 12:00 PMLeader: Tonya Bolling 352-674-3950Cypress Care Center 490 S. Old Wire Rd, Wildwood, FL 34785Every Monday of the month at 9:30 AMCo-Leaders: Phyllis Petty 352-748-3191 Joyce Barney 706-897-3131

Elan Buena Vista All Dementias Stroke/Parkinson’s Related Demen-tias 5867 E County Rd 466, The Villages, FL 321623rd Tuesday of the month at 4:00 PMCo-Leaders: Jessica Smith 352-561-8450

Elan Spanish Springs (Free Respite Care During Meeting - Must Call To RSVP)930 Alvarez Ave, Lady Lake, FL 321594th Thrusday of the month at 3:00 PMCo-Leaders: Paige Booth 352-300-1089 Keary Jenkins Mission Oaks10780 N US Hwy 301, Oxford, FL 344842nd Monday of the month at 2:00 PMLeader: Cheryl Fletcher 352-409-5360

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Donations, contributions & memberships

CONTRIBUTORS/DONATIONSIBM EmployeeAlicia VegeranoThe Congregational Church-Summerfield FLUnited WayFrederick and Linda DanielsGail PetersenLou and Gennie EspositoTarget EmployeeRichard BeadleJimmie JohnsonAlva WilsonLaura Arnold’s Support GroupSue Simone’s Support GroupAndre BeaudryYour CauseMichael RatliffCarol BoydDolores Sassy LLC

NEW CORPORATE MEMBERSHIPSAtria Evergreen Woods

NEW INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIPSLinda BemissPatricia HerrmannAlexander Powell

Diane HampelKathleen CarpenterDaniel and Donna HurleyBarbara BuckBetty RobertsRichard AmmenNancy Hall RENEWED INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIPSEleanor ScheuermannEsteban Cuebas-IncleJoan ThaxtonDaniel and Marina SesterEd YoungbloodDeb SelsavageDennis and Marianne McDonoughRichard and Joan SchofieldLinda and Robert BecknerMichael BenettoBernie Fitzgerald Laura Mancini

RENEWED FRIEND MEMBERSHIPSRebecca HadawayTheresa Wolfe

IN MEMORY OF DONATIONSPatricia Lawrence IMO Jean HartDay-Break Club of the Villages IMO George MillerLynn and Nancy Hazelton IMO Gail Brown Daniel and Donna Hurley IMO Ruby MolitarJodi and Anthony Erickson IMO Betty BuranoskyPamela Harder IMO Betty BuranoskyDonald and Joni Scherer IMO Betty BuranoskyHerman and Janice Stauffer IMO Betty BuranoskyJudy Knafel IMO Betty BuranoskyScott and Shyla Downing IMO Betty BuranoskyMarc Kingery IMO Betty BuranoskyDenise Kus IMO Betty BuranoskyRebecca Barr IMO Betty BuranoskyCamblin Leonard IMO Betty BuranoskyJulia Belanger IMO Betty BuranoskyBarbara Siska IMO Betty BuranoskyJennifer Zimnowski IMO Betty Buranosky

Generous Donations & Memberships from June 14, 2019 to September 13, 2019

- Thank you -

New Covenant United Methodist Church(Free Respite Care During Meeting - Must Call To RSVP Space is Limited)3470 Woodridge Drive, The Villages, FL 32162Every Thursday of the month at 10:00 AMCo-Leaders: Pat Kronk & George DunneContact Congregational Care Office 352-750-4529

Sumter Place in the Villages(Free Respite Care During Meeting)1550 Killingsworth Way, The Villages, FL 321624th Tuesday of the month at 10:00 AMLeader: Julie Stepp 352-674-3713

The Willows at Wildwood(Free Respite Care During Meeting - Must Call To RSVP)4725 Bellwether Ln, Oxford, FL 344843rd Monday of the month at 3:00 PMLeader: Debbie Purvis 352-430-0076 352-430-2924

Afo education 2019

Caregiver Learning DaysLearn helpful information about Alzheimer’s and dementia at our FREE Caregiver

Learning Events! These events last from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM unless otherwise noted, and includes

free Breakfast and Lunch! To register, visit www.AlzheimersFamily.org/Caregiver or call the AFO office at 352-616-0170. The Alzheimer’s Family Organization does

not endorse the services of any informational speakers. Presentations are for educational purposes only.

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Lake County October 11 - Waterman Village Retirement Community - 255 Waterman Av., Mount Dora, FL 32757

Sumter County October 16 - Trinity Springs - 12120 Co Rd 103, Oxford, FL 34484

ADRD TRAININGALZEHIMER’S DISEASE AND RELATED DEMENTIA TRAINING

• Are committed to serving caregivers

• 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

State Required Dementia-Specific Training

Alzheimer’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 58-A5.0191, F.A.C.

Our Trainers...

2020 Caregiver Learning Days coming in the next issue!

Debbie’s corner

There is still so much we do not know about what is happen-ing in the minds of persons living with dementia. Why do they sometimes get so far afield from reality?

As the people presumably in touch with reality, we see their thinking as flawed, fictional, and delusional. We are troubled when they believe things that are just not real or never hap-pened. I would suggest that in order to be a good caregiver, this is a point of view we must step away from.

One thing we do know is that short term memory is the first to degrade with the onset of dementia. Then the loss of memory often moves backward until they lose recollection of huge segments of their life.

But we see remarkable exceptions to this rule. Sometimes, people with dementia retain vivid memories of earlier times. Their current reality becomes a version of an earlier time in their life.

When this happens, it should be considered a blessing and a useful tool for better care; not a troubling delusion. This is an opportunity to better bond by meeting them in their reality.

Even for those of us of sound mind, nostalgia is often not accurate to the way things really were. We filter out the bad and focus on the things we enjoyed about the past and cre-ate our own “Good Old Days.” I wonder how different this is from a person living with dementia.

Nostalgia TherapyDebbie Selsavage, CDP | Coping With Dementia | AFO Board President

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By accepting rather than discounting “de-mentia reality,” a new practice called Nos-talgia Therapy has emerged. Memory Care

facilities are beginning to decorate their rooms with artifacts from the era when their residents were young. I know of one that had a 1956 Chevy in its building!

We are seeing new senior day care facilities that look like a 1950s town, complete with diner, movie theater (that shows old films), and old-style hardware or drug stores. Seniors, with and without dementia, enjoy this environment.

Nostalgia Therapy works, and I think it can lead us to even greater understanding and acceptance of what is going on in the mind of a loved one living with dementia.

So, the next time a person with dementia tells you some-thing you know to be entirely untrue; don’t argue, just listen. Don’t refute their ideas; explore them. And when your moth-er mistakes you for her long-gone sister, don’t get your ego in a twist. Rather, smile and consider the idea that maybe she has recognized you as someone in her life that she dearly loved and is happy to see again.

Holidays are a busy time for all of us, including the scam-mers and fraudsters working overtime to cheat you out of your money or worse your identity. Unfortunately, seniors are targeted more frequently than any other population and for several reasons. • Seniors are most likely to have savings, own their

home, and have excellent credit—all of which make them attractive victims.

• People who grew up in the ‘30s, ‘40s, and ‘50s were generally raised to be polite and trusting. Con artists understand this and use this to victimize seniors, know-ing it is difficult or impossible for these individuals to say “no” or hang up on someone.

• Seniors are less likely to report a fraud because of several reasons: They don’t know who to report it to, they are ashamed they’ve been scammed, don’t realize they’ve been scammed, afraid their relatives may think they can’t take care of their financial affairs.

• Seniors make poor witnesses. Con artists know the effects of age on memory, and they are counting on them not to be able to supply enough useful informa-tion to police.

Thankfully there are several things you can do to protect your loved one from scams.

Check On Loved Ones RegularlyCheck regularly with your loved one. Stay in touch with them and maintain a good relationship so they feel safe talking to you about what’s going on in their life. Ask them about calls or visitors and check to see if they’re getting sus-picious letters. Keeping the lines of communication open is the first step in identifying trouble.

Talk About Scams and FraudBecause seniors tend to be more trusting, it’s essential to discuss with them scams and frauds that they are likely to encounter. Explain how important it is never to give out per-sonal information, bank information, or to give money away even if the person sounds sincere. Help them to understand that a legitimate caller will always allow them time to think about it and will provide proof of who they are.

Ask For ProofEncourage your loved one not to do business with anyone who can’t provide their business name, address, and tele-phone number in writing. Let them know that asking for proof of these details will likely scare off a scammer and prevent them from being victimized.Should they get a call from a Government agency, ask that agency for an official letter. If they get an email from a bank, show them how to always login on the official web page, or call the bank directly for advice.

Essential Tips To Keep Seniors Safe From Scams This Holiday SeasonLisa Honka, Senior Living Advisor, Founder - Your Key To Senior Living Options

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Play The Waiting GameLet your loved one know that if they’re in doubt, they should hold off on responding until they talk to you or another trusted caregiver. Explain that anyone who pressures them to take action or give personal information immediately is likely a scammer. Remind them it’s best not to buy services from door to door handymen, or respond to phone calls asking for money or personal details for charity donations, computer re-pairs, etc. Remember by keeping the lines of communication open with your loved one; they’ll be more likely to speak with you about the situation. When your loved one lets you know they’re concerned about something, check it out thoroughly and then help them respond.

Practice Delay TacticsDespite your best efforts, your loved one may still feel pres-sured or scared when someone calls. Practicing what to say will help your loved one feel confident in putting off the scammer. Phrases such as “I will speak with my family about your request” or “I’ll think about it” will give them the tools they need to take immediate action and protect themselves. Let seniors know that it is always ok to end a conversation or hang up the phone.

Install a Monitoring SystemA peephole, intercom, or wireless camera system are all great ways to help your loved one stay safe. These devices help seniors check on who is calling, and they can even ask and see credentials. The more distance you can provide between the senior and the con artist, the more protected your loved one will feel.

Use The Do Not Call RegistryPut your loved one on the DO NOT CALL REGISTRY. This should decrease the number of telemarketing calls but may not eliminate them. You can register their phone number at donotcall.gov, or get assistance by calling 1 (888) 382-1222.

Specific Scams To Be Aware Of • Phony Websites – During the holidays more than

any time during the year, scam artists lure you into a trap leading to phony websites designed to steal your information. Not all advertisements and links in online searches are legitimate. Teach your loved one how to verify the site is secure and encrypted before buying anything online by using these tactics: ‐ Review the sender’s address, as businesses will often

send emails with a proprietary address, like @afo.org; ‐ Look for misspellings throughout the email; ‐ Hover over links without clicking to see where they

reroute; ‐ Only enter sensitive information into a website that

begins with “https” as the “s” informs you that it’s

featured article

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secure and information entered is encrypted. • Free Trials – We’ve all seen those face creams and

diet pills advertised for free - all you need to do is pay a small shipping fee. If your loved one provides their credit or debit card information, they’ve unknowingly been enrolled (and charged) in more product offers that are difficult to cancel. Discuss with them how to stay away from offers that are too good to be true.

• Charity Scams – During the holiday season scam artists will pull at your heartstrings begging you to give to their cause. The best course of action when someone calls from a “charity” is to have your loved one say, “I’m sorry, but this year I’ve already donated to all the chari-ties that are important to me.” Then verify the charity at

Give.org if you’re still interested in giving to them. • Grandparent Scams - The “family emergency” scam

happens when someone calls pretending to be or rep-resent a family member, most frequently a grandchild. They will scare your loved one into believing a relative has been in an accident or arrested while out of town and they will request money be sent ASAP to help. If they receive a call like this, have them: ‐ Verify the situation by calling the family member in

question directly; ‐ Check with other family members to see if the claims

are true; ‐ Be suspicious if you’re asked to wire money or send

gift cards in place of making a payment with a credit card.• Free Gift Cards – Who doesn’t love free stuff around the holidays? Fraud-sters hope to take advantage of that desire through phishing emails and pop-up ads offering free gift cards. If your loved one comes across one of these offers you should not: ‐ Open the email as it can be a phish-

ing attempt but, if you do, don’t click the links. Instead, mark the email as SPAM or JUNK; ‐ Share any personal information to

receive the card as the scammers will use the information to steal your identity; ‐ Click the ad but close out of the app

or program you are using, clear your history and turn on your ad blocker.If you come across any of these scams this holiday season help protect yourself and others by: ‐ Keeping a close eye on your finan-

cial statements and quickly disputing any unrecognized charges. ‐ Submitting a report to BBB Scam

Tracker (whether or not you lost money) ‐ Filing a complaint with the FBI’s

Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)Unfortunately, in this day and age, the num-ber of scammers out there is growing fast, making it even more important than ever to know how to help our seniors stay safe. At the holiday season and any time during the year, being armed with the right knowledge and some honest conversations, you can help protect your loved one and show them how to be secure and safe.

For nearly 25 years, Arden Courts has cared for individuals living with many different types of dementia.

Alzheimer’s

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© 2019 HCR Healthcare, LLCAssisted Living Facility License #9193 and 9709

Lisa Honka was born and raised in Cincinnati, OH and the only girl in her family!

She attended Michigan State University and met her hus-band there in the dorm they shared. Her husband Paul was born just across the river in Covington, KY. When they first met, Paul liked to tell her that he first saw her as a toddler in the supermarket both their mothers shopped at.

Lisa and Paul were married on Lisa’s birthday, 30 years ago and have lived in many different locations throughout their marriage. They settled in the Villages after visiting Lisa’s sister-in-law and falling in love with the lifestyle. They have been Villager’s for six years.

Her greatest accomplishment in life is her two children. Her oldest son Nicholas lives in Denver, CO and is a business ana-lyst for National Corporate Housing. Her daughter Marissa lives in Orlando Florida, works for Disney and will be pursuing her master’s degree in the spring.

Throughout Lisa’s career she has been a strong advocate for seniors and has raised many funds for causes such as the Alzheimer’s Family Organization. She created the widely at-tended Bling Fling and to date has raised over $7,000 to help the AFO with their work. Lisa is a strong believer in educat-ing seniors about the choices available to them.

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Lisa Honka Maureen Campaiola, Director of Marketing and Business Development - Your Key To Senior Living Options

She works tirelessly to raise awareness of the resources in the community, not only through her work with her company Your Key To Senior Living Options, but by the countless educational opportunities she sponsors. Her mission is to ensure all seniors live out their days safe, happy and thriving.

Stanley M. Giannet, Ph.D., who joined our Board in January of this year is the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Faculty Development/College Provost at Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC). Dr. Giannet is a Managing Principal of Giannet Consult-ing Services, Inc. He has significant experi-

ence in executive, leadership and organizational consultancy and training. He has provided consultation services and pre-sented lectures and motivational addresses to almost every industry sector -- globally -- from healthcare and education to law enforcement and non-profit organizations. He holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and numerous additional degrees and certificates. Stan has history with the AFO, having been involved in the grass root efforts of the development of the or-ganization, offering his expertise and support for many years. Stan represent Pasco County on The Board.

Meet the board - a series

Dr. Stan Giannet & Alexander PowellKathleen Winters, MS, LN | AFO Executive Director

Alexander Powell joined our Board in November of 2018. Alexander represents The Villages on The Board. He first joined the AFO as a supporter and committee mem-ber for our Villages Walk. Alexander is the Di-rector of Sales for Harbor Chase of Villages Crossing, Retirement and Assisted Living Fa-cility located in Lady Lake. Alexander has an MBA from St. Leo University. Alexander is married and he and his wife (and their dog) are excited to be expecting their first child in January of 2020.

Volunteer Spotlight

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From your editor

Deciding What Is The Right Service For You Bill Tuttle, Chief Service Manager - Senior Helpers

When faced with the decision to place your loved one in a long-term care community, or to bring a caregiver into your home, you should first understand the differences in these services. In addition to that, you should know what the differences are in the various types of ser-vices. You will want to know if the community or company you are entering a contract with has citations or any other concerns. Being informed is the best way to determine which service you need, and what the companies background is. The place you will find licensing information is through AHCA. The Agency for Health Care Administration, otherwise known as AHCA, serves as Florida’s chief health care policy and planning en-tity. AHCA is responsible for the state’s Medicaid program, the licen-sure of all health care facilities, assisted living communities, nurs-ing homes, home health companies, nurse registry’s and so forth, and sharing health care information through the Florida Center for Health Information and Policy Analysis data. An easy way to look for this information is through floridahealthfinder.gov.The next step is to determine what type of service you need. Are you placing your loved one? If yes, what type of community are you searching for? An assisted living facility? A family care home? A skilled nursing facility/nursing home (also called SNF)? If you are looking for help in your home, do you need companion care? A home health company? A nurse registry? So many questions, how do you know what direction to go? Below is information taken directly from the ACHA website, explaining the differences in these services.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF LONG-TERM SERVICESLong-term care facilities are an option when caring for your loved one at home is no longer an option. The needs of care for your loved one will determine what type of long-term care community you will need.

Assisted Living communities are a residence for elderly persons or adults with a disability or need support and care such as help with meals, personal care, and other activities, but do not need the inten-sive level of care provided in a nursing home. These individuals have a residency choice available that still allows for independence while enjoying services provided in an assisted living facility. Residents in ALF’s are: no longer able to live independently in their own home or apartment, need assistance or supervision when eating, walking, grooming or in the bathroom, need assistance with medication(s,) need routine, simple nursing services but not 24-hour nursing ser-vices and need routine mental health services but not 24-hour nurs-ing services. If this is too great a level of care for you or your loved one, you might consider the alternatives to assisted living facilities.An assisted living facility may employ or contract with a nurse to take vital signs: blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and temperature, manage pill organizers and give medications, give prepackaged en-emas from a doctor’s order, and keep nursing progress notes. A resi-dent can also contract with a licensed home health care provider for nursing and other health care services, if the resident continues to meet the requirements to reside in an assisted living facility.

Memory care is a special kind of care provided to those with vary-ing degrees of dementia or Alzheimer’s. It involves creating a struc-tured environment that has set schedules and routines in place to create a stress-free lifestyle, safety features to ensure the health of a

senior, and programs designed to cultivate cognitive skills. When a senior is dealing with Alzheimer’s and dementia, they often require attentive and expert care, along with an environment that’s safe and secure. One of the goals of memory care is to help slow the pro-gression of Alzheimer’s or dementia while also enabling a senior to feel purpose, a sense of satisfaction and enjoyment daily. Memory care communities have trained staff, top-of-the-line resources, and expertly crafted activities to help accomplish this goal. For instance, a community may engage residents with brain fitness exercises and memory games, and by providing specialty food programs, both of which can help fight off the effects of Alzheimer’s and dementia. And it’s all done in an environment that can make a senior feel com-fortable and safe.

Adult family care homes provide full-time, family-type living in a private home for up to five elderly persons or adults with a disability, who are not related to the owner. The resident may have their own room or may share with another person. The owner lives in the same house as the residents. The basic services include, but are not limited to: housing and nutritional meals, personal care (help with bathing, dressing, eating, walking, physical transfer), give medications (by a nurse employed at the home or arranged by contract) or help resi-dents give themselves medications, supervise residents, arrange for health care services, provide or arrange for transportation to health care services, health monitoring, social and leisure activities. A resi-dent can also contract with a licensed home health care provider for nursing and other health care services, if the resident continues to meet the requirements to reside in an adult family care home.

Nursing homes, sometimes called skilled nursing facilities (SNF), serve both long-term residents and people who come for a short period for rehabilitative care (usually after a hospital stay). Some nursing homes also provide respite care, which is when a person comes for a short stay, to give relief to a primary caregiver. A nurs-ing home provides 24-hour nursing and personal care to residents. Nursing care is provided by licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and reg-istered nurses (RNs). Personal care is given by certified nursing as-sistants (CNAs) and can include help with bathing, dressing, eating, walking, and physical transfer (like moving from a bed to a chair).

DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOME HEALTH CARE PROVIDERSHome health care providers include companies and independent health care professionals. Listed below are types of home health care providers that are licensed or registered by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration to provide services in the home as well as information on independent health care professionals. You can find a list of these companies on Facility Locator on FloridaHealth-Finder.gov.

Home health agencies provide nursing care; physical, speech, oc-cupational, respiratory and IV therapy; home health aide and home-maker/companion services; home medical equipment; nutritional guidance; and medical social services in the patient’s home or place of residence.

13

Nurse registries arrange for nurses, certified nursing assistants (CNAs), home health aides, or homemakers/companions to provide services to patients in their home or place of residence. Nurse regis-tries arrange private contracts for nurses, certified nursing assistants, home health aides, and homemakers/companions to provide ser-vices to patients in a private home, assisted living facility, or adult family care home. If you use the services from a nurse registry, you should ask them who will be responsible to pay household employ-ment taxes, income withholding taxes, and unemployment taxes. If he or she does not pay these taxes, you may be required to pay them. Staff from a nurse registry are not employees of that company. Be sure you are asking the right questions to ensure you are not re-sponsible for taxes, workers compensation and so forth as they are considered independent contractors. A nurse registry is not respon-sible for monitoring, supervising, managing, or training a registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, certified nursing assistant, or home health aide referred by the nurse registry, however some nurse reg-istries do provide training prior to these individuals prior to referring them out.

Hospices provide nursing, physician, social work, and pastoral ser-vices; nutritional counseling; and bereavement counseling (dealing with the grief of death and dying) for terminally ill patients and their families. Additional services may include physical, occupational, speech, and massage therapy; home health aide and homemaker/companion services; home medical equipment and supplies; and respite services (temporary relief for the caregiver). The staff is spe-cially trained to help the patient and family members who are deal-ing with death and dying. These services are provided in the patient’s home or place of residence, a hospital, or a hospice facility.

Homemaker/Companion Services provided include housekeep-

ing, meals, shopping, and trips outside the home, but not direct care. These services can also be offered by a home health agency, nurse registry, or hospice.

An independent health care professional may provide health care services in the home, within the scope of his or her state license or registration, or within his or her training. Health care professionals can include registered nurses (RNs); licensed practical nurses (LPNs); physical, occupational, respiratory, and speech therapists; certified nursing assistants (CNAs); home health aides; and homemakers/companions.If you employ an independent health care professional, you should ask them who will be responsible to pay household employment taxes, income withholding taxes, and unemployment taxes. If he or she does not pay these taxes, you may be required to pay them.

Tips to consider when making your decision:

• What service do I need for my loved one?

• Visit a community unannounced (is it clean, are residents en-gaged, food quality)

• Interview staff and residents

• What are the fees and what services you are receiving for that fee?

• Look on Google for reviews by other clients and staff

• Am I considered the employer of a person from a Nurse Reg-istry?

• What type of training have the staff had?

• Look on the ACHA website; floridahealthfinder.gov for re-ports on the company

Thanksgiving and a Christ like Christmas

A Servant’s Heart, Jackie

It is hard to believe that we are entering the last three months of 2019. Where has the time gone? Yet it seems that we still have so much to accomplish in the next three months! We know with the holidays approaching, these next three months will go by fast.Our health fairs are being scheduled for the remainder 2019 and going into 2020. Health fairs are a great exposure for us in our communities. It is a great outreach for the caregivers who attend. Many share their stories of their journey or what they are currently going through.We had another successful “Fall Bling Fling” sponsored by “Your Key To Senior Living Op-tions” and hosted by Sumter Grand. Many do-nated their used jewelry and accessories to benefit this fund raiser for AFO. Thank you to Lisa Honka and her team and Sumter Grand for giving of their time and talent to provide this awesome event. This event is so exciting as many are waiting for the doors to open and rush in for great deals. A big thank you others who provided fund raisers this past quarter are Harbor Chase (Villages Crossing) and Lake Ridge Winery. Fundraisers are very important to the service of AFO being a not for profit organization.I have had several speaking opportunities this past quarter to help others learn more about the journey of Alzheimer’s. We know that it starts with being educated about this disease and how do we move forward in helping ourselves, the Caregiver and our loved one. We welcome two more support groups at Elan in Spanish Springs and Elan on Buena Vista. Thank you for joining the AFO Team of support groups.

Mark your calendars! 1. October 16, 2019 Caregiver Learning Day at Trinity Springs. Time 10:00am – 2:00pm. You can register online. 2. November 12, 2019 Candlelight Service in Memory of those with Alzheimer’s at Brook-dale Freedom Point from 4:30pm – 6:00pm.3. November 21, 2019 Patchington Women’s Clothing (Spanish Spring) Fashion Show Fundraiser for AFO. Village Sweeties will be present. Fashion Show starts at 2:00 pm. Come join the fun!4. We are also underway with our March 7, 2020 Family Support Walk to be held at the Polo Field. Begin putting your teams togeth-er and registering online.If you have a need to have someone speak at your club, organization or group and learn more about Alzheimer’s Family Organization an Alzheimer’s/Dementia, please contact me as it would be a privilege to serve you.Wanting to wish you all a blessed

The VillagesJackie Kuhn-Damron - AFO Community Educator

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Community Educators are in your area to educate and bring awareness. If you have a group, club or meeting that you would like to have a an AFO Educator speak at, reach out to us to sched-ule a date! Jackie Kuhn-Damron | 574-721-1177 | Jakuhn@alzheimersfamily.org

Community educators report

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Community educators report

Lake County Catherine Schmidt - AFO Community Educator

The summer is coming to a close, and fall is upon us. These last few months flew by with me having the pleasure of attending many of the support groups in and around Lake county. It was a delight to meet so many of you at the groups. I thoroughly enjoyed it! If you are not already at-tending a support group, let me take this opportunity to encourage you to do so. Doing so will not only be of benefit to you, but it will also help others in similar situations. The groups are a great way for caregivers to share experiences, frustrations, and receive encouragement. There are also a wealth of resources and tips that are being exchanged at the groups which many find so very helpful. Thank you to all of you who volunteer your time to facilitate these groups. It is much appreciated! We look forward to starting additional groups within Lake county to offer an even broader array of times and loca-tions.

The Harvest Grape Stomp fundraiser held at the Lakeridge Winery in Clermont August 17-18th was a success. A big thank you to those that volunteered for this event, as well as Angie DiMura for putting it all together.

Community Educators are in your area to educate and bring awareness. If you have a group, club or meeting that you would like to have a an AFO Educator speak at, reach out to us to sched-ule a date! Catherine Schmidt | 352-702-7234 | LakeCE@alzheimersfamily.org

Just a reminder…our upcoming Care-giver Learning Day is scheduled for Friday, October 11, 2019 at Waterman Village in Mt. Dora. This event will feature Josh Freitas of CER-TUS speaking in the morning. Josh has

a wealth of knowledge on dementia and Alzheimer’s and will certainly be a wonder-ful resource for everyone in attendance. We will also have a panel of professionals discussing what services are available in the community. The Fidgets will also be

there distributing the beautiful Fidget Lap Pads they donate to the community. We ask that you register for this event by calling our office at 352-616-0170 or visit www.Alzheimers-family.org/Caregiver to register online.

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when the person must depend completely on others for basic activities of living.

The AFO is here to serve all caregivers regardless of the type of dementia that their loved one has. AFO

serves caregivers in assisted living facilities, memory care units, home health companies, families, neighbors and anyone that is looking out for, or directly caring for any individual with the challenges of dementia regardless of what type. The services of this organization are here to support and educate caregivers and our community partners in any way we can. The

various programs offered at the AFO are not streamlined specifically for Alzheimer’s disease and can support any type of dementia.

It is very important that this message is shared in all eight counties served by the AFO. Please be sure to share with others you know who may be struggling as a caregiver. Look for some changes in our marketing strat-egies in 2020. If you, or anyone you know has questions, please be sure to call us at (352) 616-0170.

afo more than just Alzheimer’s

Recently it has come to my attention, that the public, and even many of our community partners, are not aware that the Alzheimer’s Family Organization provides services for caregivers who have loved ones with other forms of dementia besides Alzheimer’s disease. Many see our name, Alzheimer’s Fam-ily Organization, and think we only serve caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s disease. This revelation has made us begin to talk about how we market the AFO. You will begin to see some changes in this area.

September 2019, we celebrate 20 years as an independent 501c3 non-profit organiza-tion, so it doesn’t make sense to consider changing the name of the AFO. With that said, discussions are begin-ning to take place on how to be clearer in getting the word out of who we do serve. One of the first items at hand is to explain that Alzheimer’s disease is just one of the over 100 forms of dementia. Yes, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form, but there is a plethora of other diseases such as Parkinson’s, Lewy Body, Frontal Temporal Lobe, Vascular, TBI, Huntington’s and many, many others.

Dementia is a group of diseases with symptoms, which affect the way people think and interact with each other. It can often be linked to a disease or damage done to the brain. The National Institute on Aging defines Dementia as the loss of cognitive functioning—thinking, remembering, and reasoning—and behavioral abilities to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities. These functions include memory, language skills, visual percep-tion, problem solving, self-management, speech and motor skills are affected and the ability to focus and pay attention. Some people with dementia cannot control their emotions, and their person-alities may change. Dementia ranges in severity from the mildest stage, when it is just beginning to affect a person’s functioning, to the most severe stage,

We Serve All Caregivers Regardless Of The Type Of DementiaKathleen Winters, MS, LN - AFO Executive Director

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a JOYOUS note

Never Say Never Jackie Kuhn-Damron - AFO Community Educator

I want to introduce you to Paul (72) and Betty (76) Guertin. They were married on 6/7/2019. Their love story is about to be told.

Betty and past husband Roger were married 41 years. She became a caregiver following his stroke. She cared for him for 18 years. The last few years of his life he had stroke in-duced dementia. It was a long and difficult journey. After his passing in March of 2017, she was unsure where the years ahead of her would take her. It had been such a difficult time as she had lost 4 family mem-bers in a matter of weeks.

Paul and his past wife Ellen were married 46 years. She was diagnosed with Alzheimers and Parkin-son’s. Paul was a caregiver for 5 years. A friend had encouraged Paul to attend the support group at the NCUMC. For the next three years Paul attended this support group before Ellen’s passing. He took Ellen to the respite program (now called JOY Group). He states that was the best decision he ever made. Ellen never wanted to miss this special pro-gram. She would say we danced and ate cookies etc. It gave Paul the time he needed to be with those making this same journey. After Ellen’s passing, he could not wait to return to the support group to see how everyone was getting along. The support group had become his extended family. El-

len passed in December 2016. After her passing, Bob a friend who worked with the JOY group at NCUMC encourage Paul to attend a grief support group at St. Marks.

Paul and Betty met at this Grief Share Support Group. They provided a 6-week program which included social events to get them out of their homes. For Paul it was an instant attraction to Betty for her spirit of caring more for those around her

grieving, then her personal grief. I Just knew she was a wonderful person. Betty says Paul was the perfect gentleman, but she was scared to death to move forward. So, in May of 2017 a new journey began.

As we were visiting, they would each start telling a story and then they would laugh at each other, touch each other’s hands and listen with sympathetic ears to each other’s jour-neys. On one of the social events at Katie Belles it was rain-

ing, and Paul held the umbrella over Betty but not himself. As Betty put her arm around Paul to share the umbrella, Betty says, “let’s pretend we’re in love” and Paul says, “I am in love.” Betty said in her mind, she thought “who is he in love with?”

Because of Paul’s love for working with the JOY group, Betty became involved as well and they have been serving for over 2

years. They fell in love with those attending and the energy that this group provided. They were all their extended family.

Paul and Betty were married on 6/7/2019. They knew that many of those in the group could not attend the wedding, so they decided to bring the wedding to the JOY group. On June 13th the wedding was re-in acted. Betty was escorted down the aisle by resident AL, and resident Sheila was the flower girl. Pastor Jeff restated their vows, the couple danced their first dance and cake was served. What an amazing event for those in attendance. Carl had all those there raise a glass to toast the couple saying, “If you don’t know how God works – just look at these two” Everyone cheered! “We are so blessed to be sharing time with those on this journey. We receive more joy from those diagnosed with Alzheimers then we give back to them. “We are so thankful that Bob encour-aged me to go to a support group, because if I had not, I would have never met Betty.”

What brings the JOY in what we do can be summed up in these few words by Paul and Betty to give recognition to all those on this journey with Alzheimers:“They have forgotten all their differences but remember to

be kind and considerate of each other”.

THE END

Darrell Schultz was used to taking care of things. For 40 years, he owned a music store, which followed his military service and began with a parttime job selling pianos.

At home, though, his late wife, Pat, began struggling with her memory. “l took care of her and it was fine. It was no problem for me,” he said. “But even though you don’t want to admit it, things progress and not for the better.”

He became increasingly concerned what would happen to his wife if something were to happen to him. Darrell heard about Luminations at Grand Living, specifically Lavender Lane, an all female memory care community.

“l got this fantastic person on the other end of the line. She told me about the community and said I should come out and look at it.”

He and his daughter did. They told the Grand Living staff about Pat, and they toured Lavender Lane, Grand Living’s community created specifically for women with dementia. “We went home,” Darrell said. “And I just knew it was time to make the move.”

And then he made an unexpected decision. “Pat wasn’t com-ing alone. I was coming with her.” Pat moved into Lumina-tions, and Darrell moved into an indepen-dent apartment at Grand Living. Before, his wife used to ask that he sit with her all day at home, which could be difficult as he man-aged cooking and cleaning. “Here, she had great gals who to sit with her and would talk and things like that. I could tell she was happy,” he said. “I would go down and be with her at noon and for a couple hours and then again in the evening. I could give her my full attention, and she was happy. Our time together was one of real quality.”

Darrell even fine-tuned his piano-playing skills, playing while Pat sang along, invit-ing other residents from the memory care neighborhood to join along.

“If you have memory problems, music is so good,” he said. “Pat forgot many things but could always remember the words to ‘You are my Sunshine.”’

Darrell encourages other families whose

Grand Livings All Female Memory Care Community Hits Perfect NoteLauren Ennis, Marketing Communications Coordinator- Grand Living at Citrus Hills

20

loved ones need memory care to look at Luminations, where care revolves around entering a resident’s world, providing a safe and secure experience that creates moments of joy for them and their families. In Luminations, the exterior of each apartment is architecturally designed to personalize each en-trance; with windows featuring painted interior scenes to as-sist residents in finding their way home.

“The situation is different for everybody, but just look at a place like this and come out and see what’s available. Maybe the time isn’t right now. Maybe it’ll be in a year or two, but if you know it’s here it’s very comforting.”

As for Darrell, he acknowledges he probably doesn’t need to be at Grand Living, but there’s no way he’s moving.“What’s not to like? I like everything here. I’ve made so many friends here and I wouldn’t want to leave them for the world.” And the meals are incredible!

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Community Liaison Connections

Community HappeningsTeresa Haver, AFO Community Liaison

Fall is my favorite time of the year, cooler weather, decorations for of the upcoming holidays start appearing, everyone is gear-ing up for spending time with family and friends. After a few months of learning my new position and shadowing my team members, I have had a very exciting and eventful past several months.

Let me start by saying I am honored to be in the position of Community Liaison and representing the Alzheimer’s Family Or-ganization throughout the communities we serve. Some of my responsibilities include building partnerships, networking and overall public awareness of the many services the AFO provides, as well as sharing information with our team to help better serve our caregivers.

I attend and enjoy a variety of monthly meetings. The meetings have allowed me to connect with many wonderful people. I attend the monthly PAN (Pasco Aging Network), FALA of Citrus/Hernando (Florida Assisted Living Association), CRC (Commu-nity Resource Council), 4 C’s (Citrus County Continuity of Care), MM (Marketing Mania), etc. I appreciate all of the gratitude, welcoming with open arms and partnerships that have con-tinued and are new with the AFO during staff changes. I look forward to the continuation of working to better our communi-ties through our partnerships from these amazing groups.

I continued my connections attending and participating with a few of the AFO Support Group meetings. I wanted to become acquainted with knowledge of the success of the AFO’s many support groups and meet the amazing leaders. It was one of the most humbling experiences. I heard first-hand how rewarding, yet challenging it is to be a caregiver and the courage it takes daily to face the tasks at hand. Caregivers are real life superhe-roes in my book. Most importantly, I learned how important the Support Group meetings are to all involved and the need for continued services. I would like to give a huge “Thank You”, to all our Support Group Leaders whom facilitate the meetings and the generous facilities that offer space to conduct the monthly meetings.

I have had the honor of participating in numerous health fairs, throughout our service area for various facilities. Pasco County

invited us to be a vendor for their 3-day Annual Employee Benefit Fair held in Dade City, Land O’ Lakes, and New Port Richey. The event was very successful with an estimated 1,800 employees streaming through the vendors. I also participated in health fairs at several assisted living facilities such as Keystone Place Terra Bella, Atria Countryside, as well as an over 55+ community at Highland Lakes. I also participated with Arden Courts of Palm Harbor’s “Coping with Caregiver Stress”, with guest speaker Tam Cummings, PHD Gerontologist. The event was a huge success with nearly a 100 in attendance. Thank you to all that have asked us to be part of your amazing events. We look forward to more opportunities of sharing our services and building partnerships.

I would like to say a “Thank you” to the many organizations that have met with myself over the past several months to discuss how we can work together to provide our caregivers with edu-cation, support and services in our communities, Arden Courts (Palm Harbor & Tampa), Atria Evergreen Woods (Spring Hill), Turner, Fero, and Wilder Funeral Homes (Spring Hill, Beverly Hills, & Homosassa), Home Instead (Spring Hill), Westbrooke Manor (Zephyrhills), Rosecastle (Zephyrhills), Stedman Clinical Trials (Tampa), Forest Oaks (Spring Hill), Easy Living (Tampa & Clear-water), GillDawg (Port Richey,) Strickland Funeral Home (Crystal River), Brown Funeral Home & Crematory (Lecanto) Market Street Memory Care (Tarpon Springs), Suncoast Hospice (Palm Harbor), Senior Services Center (Citrus County), Gulfside Hospice (Land O’ Lakes). And a special “Thank you” from the AFO staff for the invitation to the beautiful networking Paint and Sip event at Rosecastle of Zephyrhills.

If you would like to make a connection or have suggestions, please feel free to reach out to our office and I will gladly make a connection. Until next year, Have a Wonderful HallowThanks-Mas.

I am very excited to announce our New Corporate Member-ship’s with Atria Evergreen Woods, Arden Courts of Palm Harbor and Arden Courts of Tampa. The Alzheimer’s Family Organiza-tion and I are looking forward working with each organization providing educational programs, various resources and support of those in our communities affected by such a devastating in disease striving to create a better quality of life.

I have attended numerous monthly meetings learning the many services provided in the 8 counties we serve. The meetings have been very resourceful with making new connections building community partnerships and aiding with updating our resource guide for services in those counties.

I plan on attending others over the course of November-De-cember to ensure as an organization we are fitting the needs and have all the resources and services our caregivers need. Over the next few months I am looking forward to attending numerous groups and meeting the amazing Support Group Leaders that are such an important part of the AFO’s success.

Bobbie MillerSenior Advocate

www.thatspecialplace.net | Central West Florida

That Special Placefor Seniors,LLC

Disabled VeteranOwned and Operated

We provide Placement & Referral Services FREE Free Consultations

727-207-2333

22

event re-cap

AFO BOWLING CHALLENGE

930 Alverez Ave. • The Villages, FL 32159www.ElanSpanishSprings.com

Assisted Living Facility ID # 12833

352-300-1089

The AFO had a very successful Bowling Challenge on July 13th, at Strike City in Spring Hill. This was the 2nd Annual Bowl-ing Challenge and is the main Hernando County fundraiser. We were very grateful to Atria Senior Living for transferring their co-name sponsorship over to the Bowling Challenge from the fashion show that was cancelled. Many of our sponsors were gracious enough to do the same. The event raised $17,511.00 after all expenses were paid out. This was an increase from last year. We had many sponsors included; The Residence of Timber Pines, Senior Helpers, Mortellaro Law & Meridien Research, Keller Williams, Dr. Le/Habitat for Humanity, 4 Corners Pharmacy, Solaris, Coping with Demen-tia, Jennifer Gardens, Right at Home, Barbara Epstein, Esq., Hernando Door & Window & Burn Bootcamp. We thank them for their continued support of the AFO. In addition, we have some very generous donations from; Community Founda-tion of Tampa, Trinity Medical Center/Bayonet Point Hospital, & Sandy Knapp. Nineteen teams battled it out for the top trophy which went to team ASRJ and the Gunslingers com-ing in just 6 pins behind. Strike City was disappointed to see the trophy go, especially since the winning team is from the Brooksville Bowling Alley. The trophy will sit there until next years’ event which will be held on Saturday, July 18th at Strike City. Thank you to all our generous community partners that

supported the event by way of donations of gift baskets. There were so many beautiful baskets to choose from! A special acknowledgement to Irene Thompson for her very generous donation of the signed Steve Stamkos hockey puck and signed hockey stick from the Tampa Bay Lightning. Those items were the top ticket seller! Thank you to all the wonder-ful volunteers and staff for the hard work and dedication to making this event successful again this year! We couldn’t do it without you!

We look forward to our July 18, 2020 event!

THANK YOU SPONSORS!CO-NAME

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SPLIT-CLUB +Deana Svoboda, Realtor

Keller Williams Tampa Properties

Dr. Le Advanced Gastroenterology & Hernando Habitat for Humanity

SPLIT-CLUBSolar Healthcare - Bayonet Point

4 Corners Pharmacy

LANE CHASERAtria, Strike City, Senior Helpers, Mortellaro Law, Meridien Research, The Residence at Timber Pines, Deana Svoboda

Keller Williams Realty, Coping With Dementia, Jennifer Gar-dens, Attorney Barb Epstein, Right At Home, JM Signs, Burn

Boot Camp, Hernando Door & Window, Dr. Le Advanced Gas-troenterology, Hernando Habitat for Humanity, 4 Corners

Pharmacy, Solaris Healthcare, Davis Family Hearing

IN-KINDHB Mobile Lube, Bayfront Health, Tracie Maler Group, Coping With De-

mentia, Senior Helpers, That Special Piece, Summit Imaging, Superior Resi-dences of Lecanto, Crystal River Health & Rehab, Color Street Nails, Gulfside Healthcare Services, Heron Pointe, Chick fil A, Always There Assisted Living, Superior Residence of Lecanto, Highland Place, Family Home Health, Davis

Family Hearing, Vitas, HPH Hospice, Events by Candi, The Grove Rehab, Life Care Center of Citrus County, Health Center at Brentwood, The Royal Dalton, Solaris Health & Rehab, Crystal River Health & Rehab, Brentwood

Retirement Community, Grandliving at Citrus Hills, Care Resources, Sandy Knapp, Mikes Auto Body

23

CORPORATE MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Help support the AFO, by becoming a Member today!

annual appealIt is that time of year again for us to reach out to you for your generous support of our Annual Appeal Campaign! Each fall the AFO makes this request in alignment with Alzheimer’s Awareness Month which is in November. Our non-profit organization assists caregivers and their loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia in your local community. AFO does not receive funding from any federal, state or local government entities. Without donations from individuals like you, keeping the doors open and providing the much-needed support services for caregivers would not be possible.

What many people do not realize, is AFO depends on fundraiser’s, memberships, bequests and donations to provide necessary services to caregivers. Your donations help sustain services and programs in the community and benefit more and more caregivers and loved ones each year. As an example, your donation in the amount indicated below will help provide the following:$25 = 8 Human Scent Preservation Kits $50 = 5 The 36 Hour Day books $100 = 4 Wanderer’s ID’s $200 = Expenses for a Learning Event $500= Support Music & Melodies Supplies $750 = Offset cost for educational materials $1,000 = 4 Respite Care Reimbursement $2,000 = Offset Cost for 1 Issue of the Newsletter

Please take a minute to consider your donation, ensuring that AFO continues assisting the individuals and caregivers in West/Central Florida. Remember that your gift is tax-deductible! Your donation will be recognized on our website www.alzheimersfamily.org, on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/AFO.FL as well as in the next issue of our Caregiver’s Companion Newsletter.

We appreciate your donation as do the many caregivers that benefit from our services…

THANK YOU, Kathleen M. Winters

JUST A FEW OF THE SERVICES THE AFO OFFERS:

Respite Care FinancialReimbursement Program This program provides financial assistance reim-

bursement to qualified members 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 members,

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

Resource Lists Our resource guide office a variety of services by

county, that support caregivers with the many issues that may arise while caring for their loved one. Services such as, but not limited to; Elder Law, Assisted Living Facilities, and Home Health Agencies.

Support Group Leader Training The AFO is always looking to provide support group

leader training to those volunteers looking to lead a group. To become a support group leader, please contact the office and we will arrange for training. Once trained, a leader will be able to facilitate a sup-port group, through the support of the AFO, which is a wonderful resource for caregiver’s as they walk the journey of Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementias.

Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) Curriculum & Training 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 Train-ings are available to professionals and approved by Florida Department of Elder Affairs and USF.

Caregiver Learning (Training Sessions) Caregiver Learning events provide caregiver’s with

important community resources as well as guidance and training on how to cope with the challenges of caregiving. Each event is catered to the needs of the community in which the learning event will take place, hence over the calendar year, providing a variety of topics and resources to support caregiver’s and their loved ones dealing with the day to day challenges of walking this journey.

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

at the AFO office or may be loaned out.

Speaking Engagements Alzheimer’s Family Organization members are

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

Memory Screenings Memory screenings are simple and safe “healthy

brain check-ups” consisting of a series of questions. This screening can provide a baseline for a person regardless of whether or not there is a concern of memory loss. This screening can also aid in a referral should a person have a concern about memory loss. A screening is not a diagnosis…but can provide guidance on the need for further investigation of a concern.

Pardon My Companion Card These cards enable caregivers to provide informa-

tion about Alzheimer’s disease and an explanation concerning any unusual 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 avail-able at the AFO office

NoN-Profit orgaNizatioN

U.S. PoStage

P A I DtamPa, fL

Permit #6328

HAVE YOU MOVED???If your address has changed,

please let us know!

461 Mariner BoulevardSpring Hill, FL 34609352-616-0170Info@alzheimersfamily.orgwww.alzheimersfamily.org

We help families and loved ones with all different types of dementia, we help with more than just Alzheimer’s!