Adult Day and RespiteA Newsletter for our ADRS participants and families | December 2016

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Adult Day & Respite Leadership TeamAdult Day DirectorTia Sauceda303.235.6995 | TSauceda@SRCaging.org

Site Supervisor Lacey Hayden303.235.6950 | LHayden@SRCaging.org

Family Care SpecialistLindsay Errett-Cohen303.235.6986 | LCohen@SRCaging.org

Activities Coordinator Ray Ocasio303.235.6960 | ROcasio@SRCaging.org

CNA CoordinatorJudith Baker303.235.6962 | JBaker@SRCaging.org

Administrative Assistant Joan Kubic303.235.6928 | JKubic@SRCaging.org

Front Desk ReceptionNancy Ramsey303.235.6961| Frontdesk@SRCaging.org

SRC Transportation303.235.6972

Closure Line303.235.6916

We will be CLOSED, Friday, December 23, and

Monday, December 26 for the Holidays. We will also

be closed, Monday, January 2, for New Year’s

Day.

Please join us for our Annual Holiday Family Dinner, Tuesday, December 13, 2016 from 5:00-7:00pm. This is a great event for our participants and families to share an evening together. We will serve a delicious meal with all the trimmings.

If you’d like to participate, we will be doing a gift exchange. Please bring one $10 (wrapped) gift for each person wishing to participate in the gift exchange.

Please RSVP to the Front Desk no later thanTuesday, December 6.

We hope to see you there!

Our Annual Holiday Family Dinner is Here!

Happy DecemberBirthdays!

Care Partner Class

Special ServicesWoody Creek SpaAvailable: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays Hydrotherapy Tub: $25.00Showers: $20.00Shave: $10.00

Seven Falls Haircuts & StylesKeesha Leavitt, December 21hair stylist and massage therapist

Thai Yoga S-t-r-e-t-c-h Massage Available: Every FridayPrice: $1.00 per minute

Golden Touch Foot CareAvailable: Friday, December 16 and Tuesday, December 20Price: $20.00

Contact the Front Desk to make reservations! 303.235.6961 frontdesk@srcaging.org

Jeanne J December 3Sandra N December 8Bob T December 16Al A December 18

Alzheimer’s Symposium Wrap upWe had a great time at the Annual Alzheimer’s association Symposium. We always welcome the opportunity to learn from industry leaders and network with colleagues. We were thrilled to see some of the Care Partners from SRC there! See below what it was like to attend first hand. One of our Care Partners, Diane, was able to attend and here’s what she had to say about the event.

“I needed help in understanding dementia. I am the caregiver for my mother who has dementia and lives with me. What had been working for her care was not effective as her cognition level declined. I believed if I knew how the brain was affected by the dementia, then I could give better care. I found it was more than that at the Alzheimer’s associations’ annual Education Symposium on October 31st.

Sharing knowledge is essential for caregivers so we can learn from one another. I learned foremost that the dementia brain is dying. There are a variety of dementias

that affect the frontal or temporal areas of the brain or both. Knowing the type of dementia will enable the caregiver to understand what will be affected first and then the care can be given accor-dantly. I learned that the person cannot change responses or behaviors to acceptable ones, but can be redirected to other activities. All activities and conversation have to be simple. The short-term memory is almost non-existent. I also learned that although the variety of dementias and Alzheimer’s are under the umbrella of Dementia, there are differences and similarities between them.

I learned I am the one that can change: since my mother cannot always act or think appropriately in a situation, but I can cue her when needed. I need to remember what she did as a young adult and her reactions to situations as she has told me over the years. Then I can help her to respond in the manner that is true to her thoughts and feelings. I do not take negative statements or words personally. She does not mean them that way and cannot always express her thoughts adequately . I need to address her anxieties and fears which relate to demen-tia. I use touch, comfort and understanding as I care for her.

I encourage all caregivers to attend the Education Symposium for information and to take with you the understanding and support the staff and speakers give. I talked with other caregivers who shared their experiences and frustrations and know that I am not alone, even when it feels like it.”

Thanks for sharing your point of view, Diane, we appreciate it!

MVP – Mayo MendozaMayo shows empathy, caring and compassion for our folks on a daily basis. She has an infectious smile, that paired with her sense of humor, makes her an appreciated team member by her co-workers. Mayo takes the time to notice the small things that our participants need, making sure to take the extra minute to give a hug or let them know she is there for them. Recently, for our Walk to End Alzheimer’s team she spearheaded ordering us matching shirts with superheroes on them- which made our team really stand out on walk day! Thank you Mayo for you dedication to SRC and for being a valued member of the Adult Day and Respite team!

Join us on December 15th from 10-11:30 when Lori Lemasters treats care partners to a bit of pampering and discusses the importance of self-care. This month’s class will take place in Dove Creak on the main floor of the Adult Day Program. Please RSVP to Nancy at the front desk.

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Our new in-house hair dresser and massage therapist will be here on Wednesday, December 21 You can

schedule your appointment with Nancy at the front desk.

Salon Sevices:

December Outings

Care Partner Support Group

3This month’s Care Partner Support Group will be on Thursday, December 8 from 10-11:30 am. Please RSVP to Nancy.

Holiday Happenings at SRC

December 7th, 2016, 12:30pm – 2pm (Back to SRC around 2:30pm)Hammond Candy, 5735 Washington St., Denver, 80216Cost: FreeJoin us for a tour as we learn the history of Denver’s own Hammond Candies.

December 14th, 2016, 11am – 2pm (Back to SRC around 2:30pm)Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave., Denver, 80204Cost: $8.00Join us for the fifth installment of the “Out and About” art series at the museum.

December 21st, 2016, 11am – 1pm (Back to SRC around 1:30pm)Los Arcos Mexican Restaurant, 4991 W. 80th Ave., Westminster, 80030Cost: $15.00Join your friends out for a delicious Mexican food lunch.

December 28th, 2016, 12:30pm – 2:15pm (Back to SRC at 2:45pm)Denver State Capitol, 200 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, 80203Cost: FreeJoin your friends for a walking, guided tour of the Capitol building in Downtown Denver. An Invitation

For You

Tis’ the season! The month of December is full of lots of holiday stuff for our participants to do:

• For those that celebrate Christmas, we will be making Reindeer picture frame ornaments made out of popsicle sticks, we’ll be using clay and pine cones to make mini Christmas trees, we will hear stories of Christmas past and we are going to try our hand at a couple of new holiday games: Blow a Fuse and Snowman Slam.

• For our friends that celebrate Hanukkah, we will learn about the history of the holiday, the Menorah and other Jewish holiday traditions. We will also hear the history of the Dreidel while we learn to play the game. • For our friends that celebrate Kwanzaa, we will have a discussion about the history and traditions of the holiday. Along with the history lesson, we will learn to play a Kwanzaa game called Roll the Beans.

• On December 20th at 10:30am we will be paid a visit by a guy in a red suit. That’s right folks; our very own Santa is coming! Our little friends from the library are going to be joining us for pictures with Santa. Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, come in and get your picture taken with Santa, you can sort the rest out after the New Year.

It is my sincere hope that you all have a safe, healthy and happy holiday season.

Your friendly neighborhood activity coordinator, Ray.

Now that winter is arriving, it’s time to begin thinking about the things that come with it; the snow, the ice, and the germs. Please take a minute to read over the following reminders for attending our Adult Day Center this winter.

• Please make sure all winter essentials like coats, mittens, gloves, scarves, and hats have the participants names on the inside.

• Sometimes the weather may be too bad for us to open. Check our Weather line at 303.235.6916, to make sure we are open on those classic Colorado weather days.

Winter Time is Here

We’d like to extend the invitation to attend a Christmas party hosted by:An independent Younger-onset Alzheimer's support group for individuals with dementia with care partners. This group is not affiliated with SRC, they are reaching out to individuals with dementia and their care partners for a little holiday fun and comradery.

The party will be held at First Plymouth Church at Hampden and Colorado on Sat Dec 17th 2:30-4:30pm.

This will be a potluck - please bring your favorite Christmas dish to share.It is important that you R.S.V.P. RNokeX@gmail.com ASAP so they can plan accordingly.

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Tips Coping with Holiday StressTip 1: Planning can avoid holiday stress: Individuals who experience the most difficulty with the holiday season are those who have given little thought to the challenges they will encounter. Consider ahead of time what may be expected of you, both socially and emotionally.• Discuss holiday celebrations with relatives and close friends in advance. • Plan to maintain a regular routine while trying to provide a pleas-ant, meaningful and calm holiday event.• Celebrate early in the day or have a noon meal rather than a late dinner.

Tip 2: Take care of yourself (caregiver). Remember, the holidays are opportunities to share time with people you love. Try to make these celebrations easy on yourself and with the person with Alzheimer’s disease so that you may concentrate on enjoying your time together.• Set limits by telling family and friends that you intend to control stress this holiday season.• Maintain a positive mental attitude.• Ask for assistance for you and your loved one.• Attend an Alzheimer’s Association support group that will allow you discuss ways to overcome holiday stress.• Prepare to deal with post-holiday letdown. Arrange for in-home care (respite care) so you can enjoy a movie or lunch with a friend and reduce post-holiday stress.

Tip 3: Prepare the person with Alzheimer’s for the family gatheringPreparing your loved one for the upcoming holiday events can allow both of you to enjoy the warmth of the season.• Talk about and show photos of family members and friends who will be visiting.• Have a “quiet” room in case things get too hectic.• Play familiar music and serve favorite traditional holiday foods.• Schedule naps, especially if the person usually takes naps.• Schedule family and friends visit times.

Tip 4: Prepare family members and friends. Preparing families and friends with an honest appraisal of the person’s condition can help avoid uncomfortable or harmful situations.• Familiarize family members and friends with behaviors and condition changes.• Recommend practical and useful gifts. (See Tip 7)• Remind family and friends the best way to communicate with a person with dementia. (See Tip 6)

Tip 5: Involve everyone when selecting activities. Involve everyone in holiday activities including the person with dementia.• Consider taking walks, icing cookies, telling stories, doing chores, making a memory book or family tree, or keeping a journal.• To encourage conversation, place magazines, scrapbooks, or photo albums in reach; play music to prompt dancing or other kinds of exercise. • Encourage young family members to participate in simple and familiar activities with the person.

Tip 6: Communicate with success. Alzheimer’s can diminish a person’s ability to communicate. These tips may help you understand each other.• Be calm and supportive if the person has trouble communicating.• Speak slowly with a relaxed tone.• Avoid criticism. For example, when someone forgets a recent conversation, avoid saying, “Don’t you remember?”

• Address the person by name.• Be patient, flexible, and do not argue with the person with Alzheimer’s

Tip 7: Smart gift giving. • Encourage family and friends to give useful, practical gifts for the person such as identification bracelet (available through Medic Alert® + Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return®). Other gifts may include comfortable easy-to-remove clothing, audiotapes of favorite music, videos, and photo albums.• Advise others not to give gifts such as dangerous tools or instruments, utensils, challenging board games, complicated electronic equipment, or pets.• If possible, involve the person in giving gifts. For example, some one who once enjoyed cooking may enjoy baking cookies, or buy the gift and allow the person to wrap it.

Tip 8: Safe environment in the home. Persons with dementia may experience changes in judgment. This behavior may lead to confusion, frustration, or wandering. Consider these tips to reduce the risk of injury and situations that could be confusing to someone with dementia.• Assign a “buddy” to watch out for the person to ensure their comfort.• Arrange ample space for walking side-by-side, for wheelchairs, and walkers. Keep walking areas clear.• Consider seating options so the person with Alzheimer’s can best focus on conversation and be least distracted.• Don’t serve alcohol, which may lead to inappropriate behavior or interactions with medications.• Accommodate changes in vision. Place contrasting-color rugs in front of doors or steps. Avoid dark-colored rugs that may appear to be “holes.”• Limit access to places where injuries occur, such as a kitchen or stairwell. Check temperature of water and food. • Create even level of lighting; avoid blinking lights.• Keep decorations simple; avoid using candies, artificial fruits/ vegetables, or other edibles as decorations.• Supervise in taking medicine.• Keep emergency phone numbers and a list of medications handy.

Tip 9: Travel wisely. The following suggestions may ensure a positive traveling experience:• Never leave the person alone.• Use familiar modes of transportation and avoid peak travel times.• Keep plans simple and maintain daily routines as much as possible.• Allow extra time to avoid the stress of rushing.• Advise service and hospitality staff that you are traveling with someone with dementia and about the person’s behaviors and special needs.• Arrange for services, such as wheelchairs, ahead of time.• Provide identification items such as a Medic Alert® + Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return®) bracelet and clothing labels.

Tip 10: Reliable sources of supportFamilies can call the Alzheimer’s Association on their 24-hour Helpline at 1.800.272.3900 they will answer questions about warning signs and to assist persons with dementia and caregivers. The Help-line will be open all Christmas day and News Year day, as well as year round.