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Dear Caregivers,

Welcome to another week!

See below for this week's news and announcements.




MESSAGE FROM DR. D'SOUZA AND THE COMPASS TEAM


Dear COMPASS Caregivers,


WE STAND WITH ISRAEL. We stand with all Jewish people and their right to be safe. We stand against antisemitism. We stand against any and all hate and oppression and loss of innocent lives anywhere. Myself, several COMPASS team members, and other JFS staff, attended the "We Stand With Israel Solidarity Rally" last Wednesday evening at the JCC, alongside many Jewish and non-Jewish community members, religious leaders and dignitaries, and we hope that others will also stand boldly as allies with our Jewish brothers and sisters. We are holding those of you who are Jewish close in our hearts during these difficult times and want you to know we see your pain.


At the COMPASS team meeting last week, we discussed the situation at length and tried to make sense of our feelings. What rose to the top is our sentiment that we are for LOVE. We find strength in our JFS mission of strengthening individuals, families and the community by providing counseling and support services for all. We want to encourage you to take care of yourselves as an act of strength in the face of darkness. By taking care of ourselves, we can best hope to be channels of love and peace, one person at a time. Again, sending love and strength to all of you.


Take care,

Dr. D'Souza and the COMPASS Team 



SAVVY CAREGIVER TIP OF THE WEEK

Creating tasks that 'fit' your person’s strengths and abilities.

Adapted from the Savvy Caregiver Training Program 


Hello Caregivers, 

 

This is Barb Hughes, one of the social workers with the COMPASS Team. It was wonderful to see many of you at last week's Savvy Caregiver session. For those who weren't there, we did a guided meditation session where we practiced focusing, deep breathing, and visualizing our "happy place."  

This week’s tip is to explore contented involvement with more depth and nuance, by understanding how distress impacts our person’s behavior - under-stimulation can produce withdrawal while over-stimulation can lead to outbursts. 

 

Caring for someone with dementia involves finding ways to help your person feel engaged, calm, and contented. Intrinsically, you understand the joy and pride you have felt with a job well done! When you set up achievable tasks that “fit” or match your person’s abilities and interests and guide them through these tasks, you enable them to feel successful and proud. 

To do this, try creating a list of activities and interests that your person has enjoyed in the past, such as gardening, playing cards, cooking, reading, etc. Then, modify these activities to match their current skill level. Drawing on familiar activities allows the person to lean on their deep-seated muscle memory to be successful and feel a sense of achievement. An occupational therapist can be a wonderful asset in adapting activities to match a person's current skill level, but don't be afraid to explore ways to simplify these activities on your own!

I hope you find these tips helpful. Witnessing your person’s joy and contentment doing a familiar and fun activity can also bring joy and contentment to you! 

 

As always, know that you can reach out to any member of the COMPASS team for support and guidance.  

  

Take Care, 

Barb Hughes, MSS, LMSW


COMPASS Social Worker and Savvy Caregiver Facilitator 

bhughes@jfsdelaware.org 

302-650-7047



 

MEMORY CAFE: OPENINGS NOW AVAILABLE!


We have decided to open up a few more slots for COMPASS patients to attend the COMPASS Memory Cafe! Any COMPASS patient is now welcome to enroll (it is no longer required that attendees have a caregiver who is enrolled in the Savvy Caregiver class). Memory Cafe is a safe, supportive space for individuals experiencing memory changes to enjoy engaging activities that focus on strengths and are planned to encourage inclusion of all guests.  Memory Cafe is facilitated by JFS staff and caregivers are welcome to accompany their person with dementia or patients can attend alone.


  • Every Tuesday until 12/5, 10a-12p (no Memory Cafe on 11/21)
  • Held at the JCC but please enter through JFS


Registration is required in advance. Please contact Kate to register.



UPCOMING EVENTS:

Savvy Caregiver Training Program and Memory Cafe

Tuesday October 17, 10a-12p


Savvy Caregiver is a nationally recognized leading evidence-based dementia family caregiver training program designed to provide mastery over caregiving skills. Led by COMPASS team social workers, Laura Dickol, LMSW and Barb Hughes, LMSW, the program will provide participants mastery of dementia knowledge and caregiving skills as you care for your relative living with dementia. As an option for your person with dementia, we will also be offering Memory Cafe to run concurrently at the JCC from 10am-12pm.  


Registration for the fall 2023 session of Savvy Caregiver is currently closed but be on the lookout for spring 2024 registration in the coming months.

COMPASS Caregiver Therapy and Support Group

Wednesday October 18, 5-6 PM

Did you know that the COMPASS community has an ongoing therapy group for caregivers? The COMPASS Caregiver Therapy and Support Group is co-led by JFS social work clinicians (Emily Barnshaw and Jordan Gerecke) and is billed through our participant’s insurance. It is strictly for COMPASS caregivers, and the focus for each session is on introducing and developing various therapy concepts that directly connect to the caregiving experience and stress that comes with it. It is an active group, and participants often use their insight and personal experiences to take the conversation into productive and new directions. We meet virtually on a bi-weekly basis (every other Wednesday from 5-6pm). Due to insurance, this group is only available to caregivers who reside in Delaware.  


Limited spots are now available. Please email Kate if you would like to enroll in this group.

COMPASS ON CALL SERVICE:

PHONE NUMBER: (302) 530-3159         


HOURS: Weekdays/Business Days: 5PM – 8AM

               Weekends/Non-Business Days: 24/7

  • The COMPASS On Call service is available to assist with urgent patient/caregiver needs related to the patient’s dementia care plan, such as providing support and guidance if the patient is experiencing a behavioral symptom crisis or if the caregiver is experiencing a caregiver stress crisis
  • The COMPASS On Call Service is staffed by JFS clinical staff from across the agency, including social workers and care managers, who work closely with the COMPASS team. Your call will be returned within 1 hour. 
  • Non-urgent needs, such as canceling/rescheduling appointments or prescription refill requests, are best addressed by the COMPASS team during business hours. Non-urgent information can still be sent to COMPASS team members after hours by voicemail or portal message.  
  • Patients and Caregivers are directed to contact the patient’s primary care provider regarding concerns related to the patient’s general medical conditions and any urgent medical symptoms. For medical emergencies, call 9-1-1. 

COMPASS PATIENT PORTAL:

Access the COMPASS portal here or click on the box below.

COMPASS PATIENT PORTAL

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The JFS COMPASS Mission is to provide specialized medical care for older adults with dementia and just as importantly, critical support for their caregivers—including education, counseling and improved access to services—with the over-arching goal that patients and families affected by dementia in our community will receive the care and support they need to navigate the challenges they face. We strive to do this with a spirit of service and compassion. 

Jewish Family Services of Delaware (JFS) is a nonprofit human services agency with a mission to strengthen individuals, families, and the community by providing counseling and support services. With an interdisciplinary and innovative approach, we combine talent, expertise, and leadership to make our robust therapeutic and support services available to everyone, regardless of religion, race, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or special need.

99 Passmore Road
Wilmington, DE 19803

20684 John J Williams Hwy, Suite 4
Lewes, DE 19958

(302) 478-9411
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