November is National Home Care & Hospice Month

Did you know that? I think about what we do from where I sit, and I think about what a gift it is to help people stay in their homes. People get to face, what they need to face...but if it is a health problem, and they can live with it in their homes with assistance, Right at Home can help them to live out that dream. Isn't that awesome?

Fuel Assistance For Seniors

Even though our oil costs have dropped, the only good thing that we have coming out of our financial crisis, our seniors may still have trouble paying those heating bill this winter. Here are some resources that came from the MA Council for Home Care Aide Services

ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR MA RESIDENTS
High home heating costs will be a concern for all Massachusetts residents this winter, but even more so for home care aides and their families. The following is a list of programs in Massachusetts designed to help pay for fuel, weatherize homes, and assist with heating system repairs. Please share information on these resources with your staff.

• Massachusetts Fuel Assistance - The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps low-income households pay their heating bills. Both homeowners and renters in MA may apply for this program. For more information or to find out if you qualify, call the Massachusetts Heat Line at (800) 632-8175 or log onto www.massdhcd.com/fuel.
• Citizens Energy Heat Assistance Program - Citizens Energy also provides financial assistance to MA residents who cannot afford their heating bills. The Oil Heat Program gives a voucher of 100 gallons of free oil per heating season to low-income families and elderly residents. The Citizens Energy Distrigas program gives a $150 credit to eligible households who heat with natural gas. For more information on these programs, call (617) 338-6300 or visit Citizen’s Energy at www.citizensenergy.com.
• Good Neighbor Energy Fund - The Good Neighbor Energy Fund provides heating and utility cost assistance to individuals who are facing a short-term financial crisis and do not qualify for most fuel assistance programs. To request assistance, call (800) 334-3047 (if you live in the 508, 617, 781, or 978 area codes) or (800) 262-1320 (if you live in the 413 area code).
• Utility Arrearage Program - The Utility Arrearage Program helps MA households pay overdue utility bills, prevent utility shutoff, and restore utility service that has been shut off. Contact (800) 392-6066 or log onto www.massresources.org.
• MassSAVE - MassSAVE is an energy saving program for MA homeowners and renters which offers tips and information about free home energy assessments, energy-saving products, loan rebates, and other incentives for energy-saving home improvements. To learn more, contact MassSAVE at (866) 527-7283 or visit their website at www.masssave.com.

Caregiver Connections- November 1st

Please spread the WORD!

The North Shore Alzheimer's Partnership is sponsoring our 10th annual Caregiver Connections conference for Alzheimer's caregivers. This is a great morning of information to help families and resources for them in the community. This is an event that gives families tools to work with today and a glimpse of the future. We have great speakers this Year.

Use the link above for more information. It is November 1st from 8:30 to 1:30. It is only $10 and there is FREE respite care onsite for your Alzheimer's loved one- staffed by a nurse and CNA. CEU's are available for professionals.

What is next for this country?

I just looked at my IRA account....some pretty bad news in there! I just feel the need to spout off a little this afternoon.

After our current presidential administration was elected to a second term by the margin of a little county in Ohio, I thought...gosh, we deserve what we get after this election! Who knew it would be as disastrous as this? We have seen the dilution of every institution or public owned entity we have ever known.......financial markets, retirement, physical infrastructure, public education, healthcare and the list goes on and on.....

As a society, I think that we have adopted an attitude of "you're on your own, baby"...I think we all feel like we are out here on our own, without a caring or solid society underneath it all. I don't know what the silver lining is to these thoughts (and as a generally positive person I can usually see one), and I don't really want to get too morose. Who knows, maybe after the crash of it all, our society will start to focus that which is really important-supporting families, healthcare for everyone, education, bridges that don't fall apart...etc., etc

Fun Night Number 2- Lobster Fun

Right at Home was back at it with Fun Night Number 2! This invitation only event is our way to thank those in the community that work with us for all their efforts in caring for our seniors! We spent a beautiful sunset listening to cool Beatles music down at Winter Island in Salem and eating a gorgeous Lobsterbake provided by Ken Rothwell of Salem





Many "old timers" from Fun Night Number 1 came and enjoyed the fact that they did not have to cook their own dinner!



We see Geriatric Care Manager, Sharyn Russell and Rosaleen Doherty, owner of Right at Home digging into the those awesome crustaceans! Also at that table we see JPC Support Services Judy Citron, her guest from Transitions and Deb Coddington from The John Bertram House in Salem. Then we see Jay Kenney, owner of Right at Home listening to the band and enjoying the company of Susan Haas from Grosvenor Park and Sue Anderson and Erin Higgins from NE Rehab.



The Right at Home crew is represented by Lisa Furtado and Lynne Nieman. Enjoying the Corona is Heather from Essex Park and Donna Gambale from Rosewood.




Sue Busiek and Nancy Rubin from BaneCare are in deep conversation. Karen and Christina are representing the best scheduling team on the North Shore! (that would be Right at Home)

Everyone loved the Beatles music provided by Kevin Levesque and friends. Rosaleen and Donna Gambale have resigned from their current positions and are becoming Groupies for the band!



Joanne Sanchez from Peabody Glen and Susan enjoy a laugh! Look at the NE Rehab faces....I think this says it all! We had a really laid back night...eating, drinking and enjoying the gorgeous night! Thank you to our awesome bartender and server from Ken Rothwell!

Caring for a Loved One With Alzheimer's Disease- Cool New Resource

The Copper Ridge Institute, affiliated with The Johns Hopkins University, is a leading provider of dementia research, care and education. The Institute has developed the first training resource of its kind for caregivers, providing a step-by-step method for caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease. Available as a DVD and webcast, the FREE program (www.alzcast.org) recreates many of the daily situations that caregivers may encounter and provides coaching for each of these activities based on best practices developed by The Copper Ridge Institute.

In the arena of Alzheimer's disease the overwhelming emphasis has been on finding the cure. Little emphasis has been placed on researching effective care and teaching best practices for persons with memory impairment. The Copper Ridge Institute has taken a leadership role in the care arena. Fourteen years of clinical work and collaboration has enabled the Institute to establish a program of care and treatment that brings dignity and a quality of life to those persons and families struggling with Alzheimer's disease. Caring for a Loved One with Alzheimer’s Disease is a breakthrough program that will help many of us faced with the daunting and emotionally charged task of caring for those we love with dementia. www.alzcast.org

Memory Walk is THIS SUNDAY!

We are on THE MOVE!

The Memory Walk is the number one fund raiser for the Alzheimer's Association. This year, we merged two walks and our area will be walking at Brickstone Square in Andover. Lynne Nieman will be there with the Right at Home booth giving out information about Alzheimer's home care! Drop on by to visit her...

Please support us in our fight against time! Today we all know someone with Alzheimer's. As America ages, we will all have a frightening number of friends and loved ones that have this disease. Remember, Alzheimer's can run it's course over a 20 year period. With the baby boomer generation aging, what will the number of Alzheimer's people in US? Tick ....tock