Volume 1 Issue 8 | December 2018

This Is Alzheimers Coachella Valley!We Are Joyful!

Happy Holidays

Wishing you a Joyful Holiday Season!All of us at Alzheimers Coachella Valley thank you for your support this past year which has enabled usto grow and provide so much more for our families dealing with Alzheimer's/dementia.

During our first year, we have been able to serve more than 1,000 Coachella Valley residents in one ormore of our innovative, ongoing programs – Traveling the Journey Together, Club Journey, SupportGroups, Certified Dementia Caregiver Training Classes, Breathing Space respite scholarships, as well asanswering phone calls and providing one-on-one care consultations.

Our all-volunteer staff, including many top professionals from our medical community, logged in hundredsof hours providing support and professional services during these programs and keeping our office opendaily.

Most exciting of all: We outgrew our space and have been enjoying our larger space, Suite 134, still inthe Berger Charitable Foundation Center. We now have more room for participants in our programs thataverage some 25 to 40 attendees each time.

In addition to needing more space, the demand for more programs and services means we are addingtwo more support groups, another day and three new activities to Club Journey, plus three eight-weekTraveling The Journey Together sessions next year starting January 11.

As you can see, ACV is growing by leaps and bounds. The need for serving individuals withAlzheimer’s/Dementia and families in our community is ever-pressing.

As of November 15, we raised more than $65,000 through fundraising events, grants, individualdonations, and our Friends of Alzheimers Coachella Valley monthly giving program.

We could not have done this without your generous support.

Wishing you a joyful holiday season and healthy, happy New Year!

Dom CalvanoACV Board President

Thankful For New Office Furniture and ShelvingThanks to generous donations during ourNovember 1 Open House, we were able topurchase some much needed office furniture andshelving.

But there are still more items on the Wish Tree likefolding chairs, flat screen TVs, utility tables, andongoing operational costs.

Become a donor by "picking" an item from theWish Tree next time you're in our office, or youcan donate online here.

Become A Donor

Edie, Susan and Dom try out the newcouch in our lobby!

What's ACV Doing in the Community?

ACV Dementia TrainingCertification

Engaging the Community:ACV Speaker Series

Alzheimers Coachella Valley offers qualifiedspeakers on various topics related toAlzheimer’s/dementia both at programs in theoffice such as Traveling the Journey Together,and at various community events for organizationsand businesses.

Don’t miss these opportunities to learn more:

January 12, 2019 1-3 p.m. at Sacred HeartChurch, Palm Desert, Dr. Clifton Cole M.D. talksabout "Pro-Active Aging." On Feb. 6, 4-6 p.m., ACV co-founders Pat Kaplan,Alzheimer’s Advocate, and Edie Keller, LMFT, willtalk about “The Changing Face of Alzheimer’s” atSun City Shadow Hills, Indio.

March 2, 1-3 p.m., at Sacred Heart, Dr. VinitaVerhese will present "Health and Wellness: TheFunctional Medicine Way". March 14, 4-5:30 p.m. Pat and Edie will againpresent "The Changing the Face of Alzheimer's" atThe Springs Country Club, Rancho Mirage.

Each month our Dementia Training Certificationclasses are attended by some 30 students. Lastmonth, Edwina Dirk, RN presented "How To CareFor Clients With Sundowning."

Caregivers gain useful and practical knowledge onimportant topics and are able to ask questionsfrom the expert. Student feedback is alwaysoverwhelmingly positive both for the subject matterand for the delightful Edwina Dirk.

Classes are held the last Thursday of eachmonth, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Professional CNA &HHA caregivers can earn Continuing EducationUnits, one unit per each hour-long class. Classesare free and advance signups are required.

Call our office to register for our next class onDecember 27 on "How to Care for Clients withLewy Body Dementia."

Would Your Company Like toSponsor One Of Our UpcomingTraining Seminars?

The AlwaysBest CareTeam sharedinformationwith ourstudentswhen theysponsoredour OctoberClass.

This is your opportunity to introduce yourcompany and services to our ever growingstudent attendees.

You'll have a few minutes to address localcaregivers as well as a table to showcase yourbusiness.

For the $200 sponsorship we'll acknowledge yourbusiness on the flyers, mailings and in ournewsletter. Are you in?

Simply contact our office at 760-776-3100 andwe'll plug you into one of our upcoming monthlysessions!

Programs at ACV

Traveling The Journey Together

Travel the Journey Together speakers last month werePat Kaplan of Vista Cove at Rancho Mirage whotalked about local respite and day care resources andanswered many questions.

Kraig Johnson with Jewish Family Services and RonHeath, V.A. Representative, provided information andresources.

And Chef Dona Nill prepared and presented "Chicken 3Ways," with three easy-to-make healthy dishes -Roasted Chicken with mashed potatoes, a GreekChicken Salad and Chicken Quesadillas.

This session of TTJT concludes Dec. 7 when DomCalvano of A Custom Care Solution offers tips andresources for in-home health care.

Next session begins January 11. Pre-screening is

"The way we eat changes as we age," saidChef Dona Nill. "Recipes I made for a familyof five are not the way I eat today. I don'tshop for big bulk items. I cook for one andsometimes two, and at least once a month

required to ensure the program is appropriate forthe loved one with dementia. Maximum of eightcouples.

New Activities will be Cooking With Chef Dona Nilland Art Classes with Kathy Schuler!

Watch for Announcements and Sign ups!

entertain four to six friends. In my smallkitchen I can turn out a meal in 5 minutes.You can, too!"

One of Chef Dona's three delicious, easy-to-prepare meals is a store-bought fresh roastchicken with pre-made mashed potatoes andsteamed veggies.

Each week our Club Journey membersenjoy social time, gentle exercises, funactivities and lunch. Here's a look atwhat we do!

Volunteer Spotlight: Kristi-Lynn Lake, Personal Trainer

Every Tuesday morning, Club Journey participantslook forward to their “work outs” with Kristi-Lynn, aprofessional personal trainer and owner of In-JoyFitness.

Krissy leads the group with gentle warm up

exercises and breathing techniques for about ahalf hour. Afterwards, if anyone has some specificissues, she is happy to provide additional helpsuch as stretching to loosen a tight muscle ortechniques to relieve joint pain.

Krissy was inspired to become an ACV volunteerbecause, “I really just want to use what I’velearned about health and fitness to help as manypeople as I can.”

Her enthusiasm and skillful techniques inspireseveryone at Club Journey to stay active andhealthy.

A four-year Coachella Valley resident, Krissy lovesto hike and camp with her husband Anthony andtheir Australian/German Shepherd mix dog. Shesaid she is a die-hard LA Lakers fan – “I watchEVERY game!”

And her musical talent – drums – is inherited fromher dad, Dom Calvano. “I’ve played drums formost of my life,” she said.

“Club Journey is my favorite volunteer event thatI’ve ever done,” said Krissy. “You can feel the joyand gratitude even from the parking lot! I feelfortunate to be involved.”

Would You Like to be Involved?

Become A FRIEND OF ACV

If you have a heart for all of our innovative, successfulprograms that are making a big difference in the livesof those with Alzheimer’s/Dementia and their families,won’t you become a DONOR through our Friends ofACV program?

You can become a Friend with a monthly donationstarting at just $50 per month or more. Your donationis tax deductible and goes towards maintaining ouroffice operations and programs. You may be eligiblefor a logo cap or jacket depending on your Friendshiplevel.

Call (760) 776-3100 and find out how you can becomea FRIEND OF ACV today!

Hours – ACV is open Monday through Friday with variable hours. Please call (760) 776-3100 toschedule an appointment.

Our Tuesday Club Journey, Wednesday Support Group, and Friday Traveling The Journey Togethercontinue to meet at their regular times! And our December Dementia Caregiver Training class is onDecember 27, the fourth Thursday of the month, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Donations are always appreciated and needed. Click on the button below to donate on-line. Stop by theoffice or mail your donation to our office at 42-600 Cook Street, Suite 134, Palm Desert, CA 92211.

Become a Donor

Education Moment

At Alzheimers Coachella Valley, education is an important part of our services and support for familiesfacing Alzheimer’s/dementia.

When the difficult time comes to place a loved one in a memory care community, it is of the utmostimportance that families have confidence in their choice. When interviewing communities, here are somecritical questions to ask:

1. What is your philosophy about caring for those with memory issues?2. Do you involved families in your ongoing program?3. Will you notify me about changes?4. How to you handle behavioral changes? Is it medication or are your staff trained to managebehavioral changes?5. Activities: What does a typical day look like: Do you take into consideration the individual?Do the activities actually happen on an ongoing basis?6. Will you meet my family member and assess them? What if after they come t live her thereare changes?7. Will they be able to live her for the duration of their life? Do you have hospice?8. What is your staff-to-resident ratio? What is the average length of employment for yourstaff? Who does the staff training and how often?9. What if my loved one gets up at night? Will he/she be monitored and will that be a problemfor the staff?10. What are the visiting hours and how often may I see him/her?11. Pricing: Could you tell me about the fees? Is that a fixed amount or does it vary?12. What do I supply and you provide? Are there private rooms or just shared?13. Is there a price change if my loved one’s base line after placement changes? What are theprice increases based on and how much notice do I receive?

Alzheimers Coachella Valley | 760-776-3100 | info@cvalzheimers.org | Website

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