September, 2018 SDDC Member Care Award
I would like to nominate Alan Brooks for the Member Care Award.
Mr. Brooks is an 89 year old male with dementia. He is living at home and being cared for by his wife and a hired part time caregiver.
Their daughter Christina bears much of the expense incurred for his care, as Mr. and Mrs. Brooks are on a fixed income.
To date, their daughter has spent thousands of dollars. Recently I referred them to a nutritionist to help find foods and a diet plan that his wife can prepare and will be tolerated by Mr. Brooks and maintain his physical health. (Rather than relying on frozen dinners.)
This type of care is not covered by insurance, but I think will really impact this patient and family for the better as they try to stay independent and keep him at home.
Melissa Vourlitis, DO
Remind Integrative Memory Care
2018 August Care Award
Jewish Family Service received a distressed call from a grandson, Richard, who cares for his grandmother and desperately needs services for her. Richard was unaware of the amount of services at Jewish Family Service and was overjoyed knowing that there was a way we could help his grandmother and his situation. As a part of the JFS Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative, a dementia specialist was able to provide an in-home visit with the family and assess their needs. The assessment revealed that Richard cannot do it all on his own and is in need of services to help Rosie remain healthy; food being high priority.
Rosie is 83 years old, low income and living with her grandson and his fiancé, Nancy, in a small apartment. Richard and Nancy have continued to care for Rosie, but the demands of caregiving are taking their toll. Richard is struggling to make ends meet because he has given up working to care for his grandmother. Both spend their days and nights with limited resources doing all that they can to care for Rosie and ensure that she is aging with dignity. If only selflessness and compassion could help pay the bills.
With limited resources the household faces nutritional insecurity. JFS Foodmobile uses trained volunteers to deliver hot, nutritious meals to the home. Meals are made daily and contain a protein, side, starch, fruit and vegetable. This award would provide Rosie with 4 nutritious hot meals a week for 10 weeks. These meals would not only ensure Rosie is receiving vital nutrition but would also give Richard the comfort of knowing he has one less thing to on his plate to worry about.
If you would like to learn more about the JFS Foodmobile or other dementia related services at Jewish Family Service, please Call (858) 637-3388
Meredith Morgenroth, Jewish Family Services
2018 June Care Award
“So where are we going today?” asks Allen, a jolly 92 year-old San Diego native who loves golf and getting people to laugh. Rachel, the program coordinator, addresses not only Allen, but also the group with a big smile, “Today we are going on an adventure!” Rachel talks to them about the restaurant and activity for the day. Immediately everyone in the room perks up and conversations about the day’s activities begin to ignite. Gary, a 75-year-old retired physics teacher who loves to dance expresses his excitement with thumbs up and the entire group in unison responds like a sports chant before a big game, “Out and About!”
Out & About is a weekly program of socially and culturally enriching outings for people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementias. These outings offer an enjoyable way to stimulate cognitive, social, and physical abilities for people with memory loss while helping them maintain a sense of dignity and independence. Each outing is of 4-to-5 hours duration and includes lunch at a restaurant and a venue activity. The program also provides essential respite for care partners, allowing them time out from caregiving responsibilities while their loved one is engaged in meaningful activity.
A San Diego Dementia Consortium Care Award will fund one month’s admission fees to local San Diego attractions such as the upcoming San Diego’s Senior Talent Show featuring JFS’s own John the Singing Bus Driver, for Barbara, Allen, Gary, Juanita, Mary, Sandy and Georgia!
Meredith Morgenroth, Jewish Family Services
2018 MAY Care Award
I nominate Lawrence for SDDC’s May 2018 Care Award. Lawrence is a 67 year old man who lives in La Mesa with his wife and son, who is a disabled adult. He has severe Lewy Body Dementia.
Karen, Lawrence’s wife is his sole caregiver. Karen is also trying to work full time from home as she is the sole breadwinner but she cannot leave Lawrence’s side for fear he will wander and fall. She has set up a home office next to his bed but struggles with the demands of full time employment and the needs of her husband. Lawrence’s speech has deteriorated so Karen cannot understand what Lawrence needs. He is barely able to stand but gets out of bed during the night while Karen is sleeping and he recently fell and hit his head, causing a seizure. Consequently, Karen is not sleeping. Karen would love to spend her Care Award on a bed alarm so that she can keep her husband safe. A gift card to Amazon would help her to purchase the bed alarm and would allow her to use any surplus money on incontinent supplies.
It is with much gratitude and appreciation that Mission Healthcare has been given the opportunity through your organization to nominate this deserving family. Thank you!
Kim Waltman - Mission Healthcare
2018 MARCH Care Award
has been awarded to Laura Barish of AltaGolden. I would like to nominate Christina and Richard for a $300 SDDC grant to be used for disposables. Until the Fall of 2018, Christina & Richard lived in their home, with Richard being Christina’s primary caregiver. Richard has dementia and Cristina is paralyzed. Realizing they needed more assistance, they’ve recently moved. They are a lower income couple that will greatly benefit by the funds, which will probably be used primarily for Depends, as well as to pay for OTC medications and creams needed to help prevent pressure sores.
JANUARY Care Award
I nominate Elizabeth, for whom this would be so greatly appreciated. Elizabeth has lived in San Diego all her life. She was a school teacher, world traveler and one of her greatest gifts was decorating the Christmas Tree at the Timean Museum. It was one of passions including her love of felines.
She has been our client over several years, and while she has declined over that time, our professional caregivers and care managers have been instrumental in keeping her in her home. She currently has advanced dementia and is unable to live unattended anymore. She was on hospice recently due to the flu, but happily has recovered.
Thank you so much for this WONDERFUL gift helping to continue her support to stay at home with as much independence and dignity as possible!
With GREAT APPRECIATION!!
Carole Lindsey
Executive Director
Superior Home Care Services, Inc.
NOVEMBER Care Award
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES is the winner of the November San Diego Dementia Care Award. JFS bestowed this award to Eloise, diagnosed with early stage dementia.
Despite being surrounded by people her age, Eloise felt isolated with her diagnosis, and fell into depression. On her last visit to her medical provider they suggested she try a new program offered at the JFS Balboa Avenue Older Adult Center called Monday, My Way. They explained diagnosed individuals living alone may attend on Mondays at no cost. Monday, My Way participants receive monitoring for safety, additional supportive services such as fresh easy to prepare food to take home and geriatric care management check-ins.
Due to extremely limited resources, even offering Eloise a sliding scale fee of only the cost of lunch per day Tuesday through Thursday was a barrier. By amazing and fortunate coincidence JFS was offered the San Diego Dementia Consortium’s Care Award the same week Eloise began attending. The award will fund 43 days of Eloise’s attendance where she receives support, brain and physical fitness, a hot freshly prepared lunch and daily live musical entertainment.
Attending the Center has changed Eloise’s life. She is happy as evidenced by her beaming smile every day she walks through our doors and greets her new friends. Eloise now feels empowered, supported and self-determined in aging with dignity.
OCTOBER Care Award
Awarded to Margaret Zamora with Next Phase Move Assistance. They bestowed this award to their clients; Bernard & Ruth ages 92 & 88. Bernard has Parkinson’s.
“We assisted with and managed Bernard & Ruth’s move in July. At the time, they were renting a condo owned by their granddaughter. Unfortunately, she told them they needed to move because she was selling the condo.
It broke our hearts they were forced to move at this stage of their lives. Bernard had trouble remembering what we said we would do for them, as he tried to stay on top of all the move details. Our Transition Coordinator, Rebecca, worked with the couple to make sure every aspect of their move was taken care of.”
“Bernard & Ruth rely on senior transportation to get to doctor visits, etc. and are on a fixed income. We know Bernard & Ruth will be so appreciative to be the recipients of the $300 grant!”
JULY Care Award
Awarded to Melissa Leon & Jeanne De Lauarelle with Home Instead Senior Care Coastal/Metro. They granted this award, to their clients Mary & Ronald & daughter Kathy, who suffers with Hashimoto’s disease and major depressive disorder. Kathy cares for her 84 year old mother, Mary who has a dementia diagnosis & “controlled” epilepsy and her father, Ronald-85, who also has been diagnosed with dementia.
With the SDDC $300.00 Care award to Home Instead Senior Care Coastal/Metro, they in turn added additional funds to provide Kathy with 8hrs of home assistance for Mary & Ronald, which included showering, light housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, companionship & exercise. Thereby allowing Kathy to safely leave the house to run errands and take care of her self.