Thought for the Day "Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years.  We grow old by deserting our ideals.  Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul."  Samuel Ullman
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Photo by Annie Card Creative Services

Summerhill receives national honor

Summerhill's two memory care communities, The Meadows 1 and 2 - both of which opened in February of 2009 - are the recent recipients of an Excellence in Care Dementia Program of Distinction designation from the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, a national nonprofit organization. Summerhill is the first facility in New England to earn this designation and the 25th in the nation.

To earn the foundation's designation for excellence, 75 percent of employees must become qualified as dementia care providers. At Summerhill, all 53 employees from nurses and housekeepers to food service providers and maintenance workers have received the training.

Summerhill offers a support group and light supper to caregivers and families in the community coping with a loved one's dementia. It's held the second Wednesday of every month, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the facility on Old Dublin Road.
In cooperation with an Alzheimer's association, Summerhill also offers free educational programs quarterly for the public.
 

Serving southern New Hampshire, Vermont and northern Massachusetts.

"Life planning for families and their loved ones to ensure dignity and support independence."

Chrysalis Case Management facilitates independence and eases life transitions for persons with disabilities, elders and their families through in home assessment, care planning, coordination of services and advocacy.

Chrysalis Case Management will assist persons with long term care needs to maintain the highest level of independence by providing customized support services. Services are planned jointly with the individual and their family and caregivers.

Contact us today to take the first step.

Mark your calendar

Join us at the
Monadnock Senior Celebration Expo

June 29, 2011
8 am - 1:30 pm


Chrysalis Case Management will be talking with families about elder care planning

Article of the Month

 Steady as you Go
On the Watch for Falls

 

Many of us have had recent visits with an aging parent or are planning longer visits over the upcoming holidays. This is the time to be watchful and observant. What did you learn or observe about how your parent is faring? Did you become concerned about changes in your parent's ability to manage their affairs, their ability to care for themselves and their living space or to safely drive? Did you learn that there were recent episodes of falling?

To read more of this article, please click here


You realize a Geriatric Care Manager is needed when:

  • an elder needs advocacy in dealing with an overwhelming healthcare system
  • family of elders have limited time, resources and expertise or live at a distance
  • the family or caregiver is exhausted and needs support and guidance
  • there are repeated hospital or Emergency Room visits
  • family dynamics require objective consultation, and third party involvement
  • end-of-life issues require sensitive coordination of all servicing entities
  • responsibilities for coordination of care falls on other professionals, such as doctors, nurses, financial advisors, or attorneys that may go beyond the scope of their services or expertise
  • home care staff are taking responsibilities that exceed what they are hired to do
  • a change of living situation may be necessary and an objective evaluation with recommendations is needed
  • conditions in the home are deteriorating such as insufficient food, missing doctor appointments, filth in home and on the elder, home repairs are not being done
  • there are changes in the elder's health or mental status
  • there are multiple diagnoses/difficult situations, complicated decision-making and care coordination
  • an elder or involved family need a 'road map' after new diagnosis or hospitalization
  • there is limited or no social support
  • there is need for support and resources to maintain independence
  • there is disagreement among family members about next steps
  • there is a need for consistent, unbiased, accurate communications
  • existing caregivers need supervision and on-going training
  • elders or family are struggling with balancing safety and independence

Newsworthy Items

Cynthia Ward was recently designated an Excellence in Care Specialist by the Alzheimer's Foundation of America. The Alzheimer's Foundation of America selected Ms. Ward to join the team of experts committed to enhancing the quality of care and excellence in service to individuals with dementia and to their caregivers and families. She will be assisting the Alzheimer's Foundation in partnering with programs that provide services to persons with dementia. As a partner, the Excellence in Care Specialist evaluates the programs against a set of standards of care. Programs that meet the standards will be recognized as a "Program of Distinction in Dementia Care".

The Alzheimer's Foundation Program of Distinction was implemented in 2007 to recognize programs that meet quality of care standards. You can visit the AFA website at www.alzfdn.org for more information about the quality of service review process or to find programs of distinction, or call 1-866-AFA-8484.
See article from Monadnock Ledger

Area news from Chrysalis Case Management

Eldercare
Impact on the Workplace


Chrysalis Case Management will discuss the impact of elder and parent care concerns on caregivers in the workplace.

The presentation focused on:

1. Assessing the extent of the caregiver burden at your workplace
2. Economic impact on employers and caregivers
3. Strategies for achieving balance
4. Employer options to manage costs

Low Cost follow-up employer consultations are always available to  assist with evaluating the financial and personnel impact of caregiving.
 

Work Life Seminars

Chrysalis is available to provide seminars and workshops on "Balancing Elder Care and Work Life" and on the challenges facing the disabled, elderly and their caregivers. Presentations can be arranged for businesses, employer groups, organizations and professionals.
 

Caregiver Testimonials

"My sister and I really appreciate all of the great work that Chrysalis did to help us find the appropriate placement for our father.  As you can imagine, we are very happy that he is out of the nursing home and in a more normal setting where he has more privacy and can retain his sense of independence and dignity."  ~ Leslie M. 

Helpful Links

National Association of Geriatric Care Managers
New England Association of Geriatric Care Managers
AARP American Association for Retired People
National Family Caregivers Association
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
National Council on Aging - State and Federal benefits analysis.
Service Link - Connections for Independent Living and Healthy Aging in New Hampshire
HealthGrades - The Healthcare Quality Experts
National Institute on Aging - Offers information about doctor/patient communication, end-of-life care and alzheimer's disease. This is also an excellent resource site for caregivers.
National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information - Information about long-term care options/costs, etc. This site, which is sponsored by the federal government, targets people in the 45-70 age range, many of whom assume they will never have to face long-term care options.

Center for Medicare Services - For ratings on nursing homes and home care. Search Medicare election choices and use the Medicare Prescription Part D plan finder tool.

Alzheimer Association - Provides caregiver support and education; they provide a 24/7 helpline at 1-800-272-3900.

 
 


Chrysalis Case Management
PO Box 305
Weare, NH 03281
Phone: (603) 529-5173
Fax: (603) 529-5174
Cynthia@ChrysalisCM.com

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