Volume 06 | October 2018

This Is Alzheimers Coachella Valley!Fall Has Arrived - ACV is NOT Cooling off!

Watch Us GROW Again! (Yes, we have outgrown our current space!)When: Thursday, November 1, 2018Where: 42-600 Cook Street, Suite 134, Palm Desert, CAWhat: Join us as we celebrate moving into our new larger space. We and our programparticipants are so excited to have space to accommodate our growing programs. Your supportwill help us acquire furnishings and fund current and future programs and services.

The following businesses are graciously partnering with us in sponsoring this event. Thank you! If you oryour business would like to join these great partners please contact our office at 760-776-3100 (ask forDominick Calvano) or via email at dom@cvalzheimers.org.

Fun, Friends and Fundraising

Women Who Inspire Us: Pat Kaplan and Edie Keller

Pat Kaplan Edie Keller

Congratulations to ACV co-founders Pat Kaplan and Edie Keller who are among 72 women featured inthe latest Desert Charities News’ Women Who Inspire Us feature. Well-deserved accolades as Pat andEdie were the inspiration behind co-founding the first Alzheimer’s Association regional office in the desertin 1997, and again in 2017, co-founding our dynamic community-based Alzheimers Coachella Valley.Their vision and leadership have inspired us again and again!

Wine Down Wednesday a Huge Success

We were thrilled with the great turnout for Wine DownWednesday, held Sept. 12 at LG's La Quinta! More than 200guests -- including many of friends, volunteers, boardmembers and Alzheimers Coachella Valley families -- cameto support us! Many thanks to Marker Broadcasting, LG's LaQuinta, Shottenkirk Desert Lexus and Decorators Depotfor sponsoring this amazing fundraiser. We were given anopportunity to tell everyone about Alzheimers CoachellaValley and made some new friends who didn't know about us.

Volunteer Spotlight

Judy Rhodes, RN

When I retired in 2013, my husband Mike and I moved to Palm Desert.After working forty-four years as a Registered Nurse in a variety ofclinical, educational and administrative positions, I discovered that thequiet retirement life was not for me! I found a calling to volunteer with theHospitality Committee at Sacred Heart Catholic Church and as aChaplain's Assistant at Eisenhower Medical Center. Still I was looking forsomething more when a mutual friend introduced me to Pat Kaplan andAlzheimers Coachella Valley. I didn't know much about the disease, the

organization or the role, but I had written my Master's Thesis on Caregiver Burden and my husband, Mikewas being evaluated and then diagnosed with Vascular Dementia. This seemed to be just the right time,place and role for me!

In June, I began volunteering on Tuesdays with Club Journey. I help greet the participants and assistother volunteers with setup, cleanup and participant activities, as well as share and journal myobservations. At first, I felt hesitant; I wasn't sure what behaviors I would see. To my surprise, there is no“cookie cutter” picture of the person with a memory deficit – it’s as diverse as the people in ClubJourney.

This is a group of highly functioning adult women and men, wives and husbands, parents and siblings.Depending on the day, the individual participants may be quiet, reserved or talkative and interactive. TheClub participants are warm, loving, friendly, accepting, joyful. They are comfortable with one another andbonded as if they were family. Another surprise has been how much a part of that family the staff andvolunteers are.

As I mentioned, my husband of 48 years has recently been diagnosed with Dementia. I struggle with myProfessional vs Personal roles. I am now a Caregiver and Volunteer -- two very different roles. How will Imanage both? I know the science and medical management for Mike's various diseases, i.e. diabetes,high blood pressure. I can manage these effectively and objectively. I do not know much about the brainor neuro psyche processes. While this conflict has caused me great distress, being a Volunteer with ClubJourney has helped me to feel my own Journey is not hopeless and I am not helpless. As I share my timeand talents, I am receiving ever so much more as I learn about Dementia. On Oct 12, my husband and Iwill learn more as we Travel the Journey Together.

Become a "Friend of ACV" !

If you have a heart for all of our innovative,successful programs that are making a bigdifference in the lives of those withAlzheimer’s/Dementia and their families, won’t youbecome a DONOR through our Friends of ACVprogram?You can become a Friend with a monthly donationstarting at just $50 per month or more. Yourdonation is tax deductible and goes towardsmaintaining our office operations andprograms. You may be eligible for a logo cap orjacket depending on your Friendship level.

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

What's ACV Doing in the Community?

Club Journey - Thank you MissionHills Senior Living

We had a wonderful time at Club

Journey when Mission Hills SeniorLiving joined us on one Tuesday lastmonth! Mission Hills Activities DirectorShannon Sawicki and Marketing DirectorRachel Roisum led the fun karaoke activity -- as Larry, Greg and Marvin rocked outsinging and dancing! What a hoot! FoodServices Director Roland Bieri and ChefAngelica Urias brought in an amazing lunch-- pineapple "swans" filled with chickencurry and fruit, and Mission Hills' signatureapple turnovers for dessert. Executivedirector Roland Gandy stopped by to checkout the action. We had a full house with afew new faces and special guests -- likeDom's mom Gloria Calvano and MissionHills resident Barbara Johnson! Join usevery Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., for ClubJourney. You never know who might bethere!

Rockin' at The Club

Mission Hills Food ServicesWow'd Us!

Family Fun

Traveling the Journey Together(TTJT)

TTJT is a specialized Caregiver/Loved OneSupport Group. It is an 8-week series of meetingsthat the loved one and the caregiver attendtogether. The program is designed to enlightenand comfort both parties while also introducing thepair to ACV and its services. Our next groupbegins meeting weekly October 12th. Anevaluation meeting with the facilitators is requiredto ensure the program is appropriate for the lovedone. To learn more about this program, call ouroffice for more information. 760-776-3100

Each week brings a speaker to address the groupon an important and informative topic. OurSpeaker and Topic lineup for the upcoming 8 weeksession is being finalized.We're excited to have;

Dr. Clifton Cole, Hospice and PalliativeMedicine SpecialistSusan Spencer, Director of FallsPrevention Program at the Mizell SeniorCenterplus several other speakers with topics ofinterest.

ACV Dementia TrainingCertification

Once again, our monthly Caregiver Training waswell attended gaining useful and practicalinformation on the topic "Planning a Day for aClient with Late Stage Dementia". Studentfeedback is effusive each month, praising EdwinaDirk, RN with such comments as: "wonderful","informative", "learned so much", "now I knowwhat to do", etc. " Classes are held the lastThursday of each month, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.Professionals 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 onOctober 25th, the topic being “"How to Care forClients with Combative Behavior".

Edwina Dirk, RN, gives valuable insight andinformation on how to plan a day for a client orloved one with Late Stage Dementia.

Always Best Care is Sponsoringour October 25th CEU Class

Would you like to Sponsor one of ourupcoming training seminars? Custom CareSolutions and Always Best Care have takenadvantage of this opportunity. Will your companybe next? This is your opportunity to introduceyour company and services to our ever growingstudent attendees. You'll have a few minutes toaddress local caregivers as well as a table toshowcase your business. For the $200sponsorship we'll acknowledge your business onthe flyers, mailings and in our newsletter. Are youin? Simply contact our office at 760-776-3100 andwe'll plug you into one of our upcoming monthlysessions!

Would You Like to be Involved?Volunteering

Welcome Back to our Seasonal Volunteers - We look forward to seeing you all in our newoffice space soon! We are always on the lookout for dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers. We value ourvolunteers and would love to have you join us! Please call our office at 760-776-3100 so we can sharewith you how you can become a part of our growing family of volunteers.

Expanded Hours Coming Soon– ACV is open Monday through Friday through the end of Octoberwith variable hours. Please call (760) 776-3100 to schedule an appointment. Our Tuesday Club Journeyand Wednesday Support Group continue to meet at their regular times! And our October DementiaCaregiver Training class is on October. 25, 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 bythe office or mail your donation to our office at 42-600 Cook Street, Suite 125, Palm Desert, CA 92211.

Become a Donor

Education MomentWhat Do Caregivers need?On an airplane, an oxygen mask descends in front of you. What do you do?

As we all know, the first rule is to put on your own oxygen mask before you assist anyone else. Only when we first help ourselves can we effectively help others. Caring for yourself is one of the mostimportant—and one of the most often forgotten—things you can do as a caregiver. When your needs aretaken care of, the person you care for will benefit, too.

It is not selfish to focus on your own needs and desires when you are a caregiver – it’s an important partof the job. You are responsible for your own self-care.

Here are some tips for taking care of yourself:Relax

Learn and use stress-reduction techniques such as meditation, prayer, yoga, Tai Chi, deepbreathing, etc. to bring down stress levels and balance into your life.

Get proper rest and nutritionEating healthy is a vital part of preventing burnout and staying healthySleeping eight hours is essential when you are a caregiver; a well-rested mind is invaluable

ExerciseRegular exercise, 30 to 60 minutes 4 to 6 times a week will lower stress; even 10 minutesat a time is helpful.

Attend to your own healthcare needsSeeing your doctor regularly is a must. Building a partnership with a physician that addresses the health needs of the carerecipient and caregiver is crucial.

Attend to your own emotional needsSeek supportive counseling when you need it, or talk to a trusted counselor, friend, pastor. Identify and acknowledge your feelings; you have a right to ALL of them.

Schedule YOURSELF time offTake time off without feeling guilty. Participate in pleasant, nurturing activities such asreading a good book, taking a warm bath. Engage in activities that make you feel healthier. Seek and accept the support of others.You do not have to do everything yourself.

Set GoalsTake a break from caregiving and get help with tasks like bathing and preparing meals. Identify problems and seek solutions with an open mind. Ask friends, family members andprofessionals for suggestions. Select one solution and try it. If the first idea didn’t work, select another.

Sources: Taking Care of YOU: Self-care for Family Caregivers, Family Caregiver Alliance, www.caregiver.org

What Do Caregivers Need, by Pat Kaplan, Alzheimers advocate and consultant, Vista Cove at RanchoMirage.

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

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