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Dear Caregivers,

Welcome to another week!

See below for this week's news and announcements.




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.


SAVVY CAREGIVER TIP OF THE WEEK

Taking Control and Respectfully Guiding 

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 got to practice our ability to be adaptable when faced with a power outage at the JFS office! It was a productive and enjoyable session, with lots of engagement from our participants.


This week's tip is about creating a contented environment. With the heat of the summer behind us and long nights drawing near, this is a good time to slow down and reflect about creating spaces that "shape the environment" of your person. 

 

Providing care for someone with dementia alongside your daily life demands can feel hectic and frantic. You understand all too well how chaos and stress can be overwhelming. So, it is probably not surprising that chaos and stress can even more easily destabilize someone with dementia, causing fear, anxiety, and loss of control. Understanding this--and armed with techniques and skills you are learning to manage your own stress!--you can utilize your expertise to create a calm and contented environment to help your person with dementia feel more at ease.

 

One way to do this is by developing a repertoire of activities that are calming and contenting, that you can draw on when you recognize that your person is becoming overwhelmed. Here are some ideas for activities you can do together to restore a sense of calm: work on a puzzle, listen to music, sing, read aloud, pray, watch old shows, look through old photographs, or share memories. 

 

Homework Idea:

  1. Watch for signs of confusion in your person and note how situations and environment influence their behavior.
  2. Acknowledge your expertise with your person and make adjustments that support them in accomplishing tasks and activities.
  3. Honor your person's needs by taking control of the situation, providing respectful guidance, and treating them with dignity in the process.

 

Quiet time with your person with dementia can also be contented time for you!

 

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

 

Take Care, 


Barb Hughes, MSS, LMSW


COMPASS Social Worker and Savvy Caregiver Facilitator 

bhughes@jfsdelaware.org 

302-650-7047


 

RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: RESOURCES FOR ENHANCING ALZHEIMER'S CAREGIVER HEALTH (REACH) 

Sponsored by Delaware Health and Social Services and the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving


REACH is a multicomponent, evidence-based, tailored intervention designed to increase the wellbeing of the caregiver as well as the care recipient. This 12-session training is FREE and personalized to the needs of the caregiver. Sessions are offered over 6 months on a one-to-one basis with the caregiver by a certified REACH Coach in the home or a setting agreed upon by the caregiver and the assigned coach.


The goal of the REACH program is to improve overall caregiver self-care, health and emotional well-being, reduce feelings of stress and burden from caregiving and improve caregiver management of problem behaviors related to dementia.


Please contact Kate to register or to receive more information.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Savvy Caregiver Training Program and Memory Cafe

Tuesday October 10, 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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