Autumn 2024

Hanover, MA: (781) 659-1877

269 Hanover St., Hanover, MA 02339

Sit-to-Stand Exercise: The Best Way to Improve Senior Mobility

Unless they are proactive about exercising, seniors can begin to lose muscle strength and mobility as they age. This can unfortunately make them more dependent on others.

One of the best exercises for them to retain mobility is the sit-to-stand exercise. This functional exercise targets and strengthens leg, core, and back muscles, which help with balance and mobility.

The ability to stand up from a chair helps with a number of essential activities, from getting out of bed to getting up from the toilet and from any sitting position. Being able to continue doing this important movement makes a huge difference in everyday life for older individuals.

Fortunately, this particular exercise doesn't require any equipment and is fairly basic. It can also be done anywhere you can put a chair. The best part is that you can add steps to make it more challenging as the senior's strength increases.

Here's an overview of the exercise instructions, as well as recommendations for how many repetitions to do and safety tips for the senior to keep in mind while exercising:

1. Basic Sit-to-Stand Exercise:

- Scoot or walk hips up to the edge of the chair. - Bring toes back underneath knees.

- If desired, use arms to push off the chair or off of knees.

- Lean forward a bit to bring nose over toes, and push up with legs to a standing position.

- To sit, bend a little at the knees to push hips toward chair and lower the body to a seated position.

- Pause before doing the next repetition.

Learn more on our blog...

New Products for Seniors

We're introducing a few new products that we think may come in handy for your senior. (Disclaimer: Before introducing a new product to an individual, always be sure to check with his or her physician.)

If you have come across any products that have been helpful for your clients or loved ones, please let us know so we can share them with our readers!

EasyTurn Swivel Cushion

The Immedia EasyTurn Swivel Cushion is a clever, compact swivel cushion designed to reduce friction when turning and repositioning. The cushion simply sits under the buttocks and helps you turn with reduced strain to the back, hips, or knees. It's simple to use and easy to carry wherever needed. It's perfect to help get in and out of bed, to transfer in and out of the car seat, and to transfer to and from a chair. Available in three sizes (40, 45, and 50 cm diameter), with a maximum user weight of 287 pounds.

Car Cane

The car cane is a game changer, and something physical therapists wish more caregivers knew about. It connects to the door latch so the individual can hold on to it for support while getting into and out of the car. It's perfect for those who have undergone a recent surgery, are experiencing a new onset of pain, or have had a decline in mobility or balance.

Automobility Solution

The Automobility Solution is an all-in-one product that makes getting in and out of a car easy. This combo pack includes a Swivel-Seat-Cushion to help pivot legs and a Handy Bar to assist with entering and exiting the car for stress-free travel. The non-slip handle makes it easy to sit and stand from the car. It fits on any door latch with no vehicle modification required, and supports up to 350 pounds.

When Someone with Alzheimer's Says They Want to Go Home

It's not uncommon for those suffering from Alzheimer's to repeatedly tell a caregiver that they want to go home. This can be incredibly frustrating when the person is already at home.

It's essential for caregivers to understand that individuals aren't necessarily asking to be taken somewhere, but are instead yearning for comfort. Due to the ways the disease has damaged their brains, they are experiencing the world around them differently than we are. They may be lost in the past, remembering when they felt safe and secure. That's the place they want to go back to, emotionally or mentally.

The kindest and most effective way to approach the situation is to meet them where they are, responding to the emotions behind their request and providing comforting reassurance. Helping them calm down reduces their fear or anxiety so they can let go of the idea, and it also gives you a chance to see if a physical need, such as pain or discomfort, is causing their behavior.

Logic or arguments don't work with those who have dementia, so explaining that they're already home or that they can't return to a previous home is a waste of time. This will agitate them further. Instead, try to get creative and tailor responses to your senior's personality, preferences, and history.

Learn more on our blog...

Video Tips: Redirection Technique for Your Person with Dementia

If your person with dementia is trying to leave the house or go into a particular room that you don't want them to, here is a redirection technique you can use.

Try to distract the person with an object (flowers, a painting, an animal) or question that grabs his or her attention. Ask that person's opinion about the object or question. This will engage his or her interest so that hopefully the other destination or "errand" is forgotten.

This strategy works much better than forbidding or punishing the person for trying to leave!

Learn more in this video.

Daily Senior Care Tip:

10 Ways to Respond to Dementia Hallucinations in Seniors

Dementia causes changes in the brain that may cause someone to hallucinate - see, hear, feel, or taste something that isn't there. Their brain is distorting or misinterpreting the senses.

Even if it's not real, the hallucination is very real to the person experiencing it. For example, if your older adult is seeing bugs crawling on the floor, nothing you say will convince them that the bugs don't exist. Their brain is saying that the bugs are real.

Some hallucinations can be scary, but others might involve visions of ordinary people, situations, or objects from the past. Some may even be pleasant or happy.

With any hallucination, what's most important is to validate your older adult's experience, respond to their feelings, and keep them safe.

Here are 10 ways to respond when someone with dementia is experiencing hallucinations.

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DailyCaring provides practical caregiving tips for everyday challenges even the most experienced caregivers face. We hope you enjoy the content (like the article above) as much as we do! Topics range from Alzheimer's/dementia tips to stress relief pointers.

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Super Star Students!

We're pleased to announce that both Amanda Sturman and Lisa Casey are our Super Star Students of the quarter for recently completing online trainings!

Anniversary Celebrations!

Please join us in congratulating the following colleagues on their work anniversaries:

Sara Bartels - 14 years

Darlene Kelly - 7 years

Terry Bassett - 5 years

Billie Bates - 5 years

Brianna Conners - 5 years

Karen Entrot - 5 years

Pamela Jewers - 5 years

Maria Luz Walsh - 5 years

Catherine Watts - 5 years

Paula Calkins - 4 years

Maryanne Lipman - 4 years

Oluchi Nwosu - 4 years

Cassandra Stewart-Palmer - 4 years

Carole Cantwell - 3 years

Sheila Parenteau - 3 years

Anette Roberts - 3 years

Jelfiline Rodriguez - 3 years

Kimberly Burr - 2 years

Emma Doughty - 2 years

Tammie Goggin - 2 years

Celia Hamilton - 2 years

Elizabeth Heinkel - 2 years

Denise Hilton - 2 years

Carole MacKay Hamilton - 2 years

Alexandrea Sheppard - 2 years

Jasmin Botelho - 1 year

Lisa Casey - 1 year

Martha Hofer- 1 year

Abrianna Kremer - 1 year

Jennifer Marozas-Boyce - 1 year

Sarah Moniz - 1 year

Rachel Nelson - 1 year

Mary Ann Sheets - 1 year

Marie Sylvain - 1 year

Nordia Whitely-Perkins - 1 year

$$$ Referral Bonus Recipients $$$

Don't forget that we offer a $300 referral bonus. We know the best caregivers know the best caregivers! Please send them our way, and in turn, we'll send money your way.

Call Tammie at (207) 610-3280 in Maine, or Karen at (781) 635-4968 in Massachusetts with your referrals.

This past quarter, we had two referrals:

Veronica Sour (referred by Marie Sylvain)

Eliane Da Silva (referred by Veronica Sour)

We're excited to announce 9 new members of the Cahoon Care team over the past quarter:

Carole Cantwell (welcome back!)

Elian Da Silva

Naysia Goncalves

Christina Jezak

Abby Jordan

Chrystal Lawrence

Mary Ann Sheets

Veronica Sour

Amanda Sturman

FREE Training with Teepa Snow!

Register for a FREE online training session with world-renowned dementia expert, Teepa Snow!!

Sponsored by the Alzheimer's Family Support Center, this free teleconference on "Best Practices in Dementia Care with Teepa Snow" runs from 10am - 3pm on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024.

For more information, call 508-896-5170, or email info@capecodalz.org.

Aging Redefined

Allan Parker and Karen Cavaca recently attended the 1st Annual Conference on Aging Redefined, hosted by the Center for Active Living in Plymouth.

We love being out in the community, supporting seniors and continuing to learn the latest advancements in elder care!

We're Thankful for Our Volunteers!

This is the time of year to remember all that we're grateful for. Some of our caregivers and staff not only spend their working hours caring for others, but also volunteer during their free time in a number of wonderful local organizations. Let's highlight a few:

Our scheduler, Brianna Conners, and her wife, Cahoon caregiver Pam Jewers, volunteer with an organization called be;.

be; is founded and led by LGBTQ+ and is dedicated to providing safe, affirming, and open space for the LGBTQ+ community. They are devoted to offering services, resources, advocacy, and opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community to come together, create, find support, and heal from the ongoing system of oppression that targets their community.

Their mission is to "build an inclusive and diverse community of acceptance, where individuals are celebrated, supported, and free to be; their authentic selves."

be; is committed to providing inclusive events that inspire diversity and acceptance, with a focus on adults with differing abilities. Through the arts, musical exploration, and social gatherings, be; strives to honor this community and help to cultivate healthy relationships within it.

(Brianna and Pam are in the photo below, sitting on the floor. Brianna is to the left and Pam is on the right.)

Tina Boslee volunteers with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro South, supporting youths in her community. She works in one of the hydroponic farms that have operated two Freight Farms Greeneries at the Brockton Clubhouse and at Camp Riverside since 2021.

As a critical community investment, the Greeneries provide both innovative solutions to the modern challenge of localized food insecurity, and hands-on STEM education experiences for youth.

Like many, Tina has many obligations in addition to work and family, including her own aging parents. It's remarkable how you truly can't take the caregiver out of the person; it just simply and lovingly exists within.

BGCMS is the preeminent youth development organization in SE Massachusetts, serving more than 2,500 youth annually from infancy to adulthood at our Clubhouses in Brockton and Taunton, our 100-acre Camp Riverside property, and at several community extension sites.

BGCMS is fueled by a critical mission: "to nurture strong minds, healthy bodies, and community spirit through youth-driven, high-impact programming in safe and fun environments" to ensure that every child has a positive place to spend their out-of-school-time hours. They hold an intrinsic belief that every child deserves an equal chance to pursue the American Dream, to have a genuine opportunity to realize their full potential to achieve a great future.

You know the saying about how if you need something done, you should ask a busy person? Sheila Watson does, and finds the oxymoron amusing.

In addition to working a demanding schedule as a Caregiver, being a mother of two Ivy League college students, and being an MBA Finance student at Northeastern University, she volunteers with WE CAN and Independence House, facilitating outreach and advocacy programs, administrative support, and event coordination. She also works with middle and high school students in a variety of after-school programs.

WE CAN (Women's Empowerment through Cape Area Networking) empowers and supports Cape Cod women to build pathways to self-sufficiency and stability.

Founded in 2001, WE CAN serves over 2,000 women across Cape Cod each year, providing free and confidential legal services, employment and business support, financial empowerment, mentoring, and personal development programs.

With a small staff, their work is made possible through the commitment and dedication of 300 active volunteers, including volunteer attorneys, employment specialists, and financial professionals.

Independence House is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to providing free and confidential assistance to victims/survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and their children.

Established in 1979, it increased its victim services in 1981 with the addition of a rape crisis center, providing crisis intervention and specialized assistance to serve victims of sexual assault ages 12 and up.

Each program is staffed by trained full-time and part-time counselors. Independence House operates a 24-hour uninterrupted emergency hotline.

The organization operates in four office locations on Cape Cod (Hyannis, Falmouth, Orleans, and Provincetown). Independence House SAFEPLAN advocates assist survivors of domestic and sexual violence in all District and Probate Courthouses on Cape Cod. Since 2017, it has also operated an emergency confidential residence.

After-school programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and give working parents peace of mind. They help children learn, grow, and reach their full potential, offering new learning opportunities that help students do better in school and in life.

Children in after-school programs attend school more often, get better grades, and are more likely to graduate. They are less likely to use drugs or alcohol.

Karen Cavaca is a volunteer with Barnstable Neighbor 2 Neighbor, assisting seniors in her community. In the past, she has volunteered with Our Daily Bread in the Resource Center, with Citizens for Citizens in their fuel assistance program, and as a Rape Crisis Counselor and Career Counselor for MCI Framingham's re-entry program.

She describes volunteer work as her mitzvah (good deed) and an important part of her life.

Barnstable Neighbor 2 Neighbor (BN2N) brings together older residents, who are living safely and independently in their own homes and need some additional support, with volunteers who are looking for ways to assist their neighbors.

The model is simple. A BN2N member makes a request, such as a ride to a social event or appointment, help with an errand, or assistance with a household activity. A volunteer signs up to fulfill the request.

BN2N is part of a worldwide "Village" movement of over 250 non-profit community organizations with similar missions and services. They join with three Cape Cod-based organizations - Bay to Sound Neighbors, Nauset Neighbors, and Neighborhood Falmouth - in offering services to the residents in our communities.

Our Daily Bread is a nonprofit food, nutrition, and resource center. The purpose is to provide a free, nutritious meal in a warm and welcoming atmosphere to those in need.

The Resource Center provides mentoring for basic life skills, emphathizing, encouraging, and empowering a population that includes the homeless and disenfranchized.

The backbone of its program is its volunteers, as they envision through education, resources, and advocacy, leading guests towards self-sufficiency.

The mission of Citizens for Citizens is to advocate on behalf of low-income residents and address the causes and effects of poverty through the provision of direct and integrated services, the promotion of self-sufficiency, and the advancement of social change.

The Home Energy Assistance Program (Fuel Assistance) assists eligible households in paying their heating bills during the winter/spring season or until benefits are exhausted. Clients also receive various discounts, such as telephone, electric, gas, and oil. Clients will also be provided help with past-due arrearage management.

The benefits don't stop there! When you qualify for HEAP, you gain access to their other energy-related services, including Weatherization, Heating Repairs, and Appliance Management to enhance the energy efficiency of your home, saving you more money.

Winter Health Reminders

As of late September 2024, residential households in the U.S. are eligible for another order of four free at-home COVID-19 tests from USPS.com. Each order includes four individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests. Orders ship for free.

Tests may show "expired" dates on the box, but FDA has extended those dates. (COVIDTests.gov has more details about at-home tests, including extended shelf life and updated expiration dates.) Click here to order your tests.

The reduction of flu, COVID-19, RSV, and other contagious illnesses leaves caregivers in a unique role as we care for a vulnerable population. Vigilance in minimizing client exposure to all that we encounter in our personal and professional lives is crucial.

As such, masks/PPE should be worn under the following conditions while on duty with CCA clients:

* At the client's request

* In accordance with any assisted or independent living facility guidelines

* In accordance with guidelines of any location visited while accompanying a client (personal or professional)

* While providing personal care or in the personal space of a client with a compromised health condition

* Please keep a mask with you while working in case the need to wear it should arise. Extra masks and gloves are located in the back of all CCA client binders in their residences. Please check each shift and notify the office immediately if supplies of any kind (cleaning, washing, and/or PPE) are running low or out of stock in the clients' home/apartment so they can be replaced.

Please call the office if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

* Fever of 100.4 or higher, or chills

* Shortness of breath

* Dry cough

* Sore throat or congestion

* Flu-like symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea)

Thank you!