Spring/Summer 2013 Edition
Transcription
Spring/Summer 2013 Edition
NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID TRENTON, NJ PERMIT NO. 371 3635 Quakerbridge Road, Suite 16 Hamilton, New Jersey 08619 (609) 393-9922 ● www.icgmc.org If you wish to receive our newsletter by e-mail, please write us at the address above or e-mail [email protected]. RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Serving Greater Mercer County for 19 years FOR A HEALTHY MOOD, TRY A SMOOTHIE! Smoothies are a delicious way to get the calcium and vitamin D your bones need! You can try this recipe at home or choose a smoothie for a snack while you're out with your friends. Just remember to make and order your smoothies with low-fat or fat-free milk! Banana Berry Smoothie Ingredients: ½ banana, peeled and sliced • 1 cup unsweetened frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries) • ½ cup low-fat or fat-free milk or so+ tofu • ½ cup calcium-for,fied orange juice Direcons: • Place all ingredients in a blender container. Put lid on ,ghtly. Blend un,l smooth. If mixture is too thick, add ½ cup cold water and blend again. Pour into 2 glasses and serve. Source: California Department of Public Health Spring/Summer 2013 Our mission is to promote the independence and dignity of homebound elderly and people with disabili,es by matching them with suppor,ve and caring volunteers who assist them with the tasks of everyday life. Unleash the Power of Age On May 23rd, ICGMC supporters, par,cipants and staff gathered for a healthy luncheon in the Hamilton Township Public Library to celebrate May as Na,onal Older Americans Month and Osteoporosis Awareness Month. ICGMC guest speaker Sally Fullman, Ph.D., a na,onally recognized osteoporosis awareness advocate, presented an inspiring and informa,ve presenta,on on osteoporosis and encouraged the audience to obtain beHer bone health by increasing awareness of the disease. She gave a personal narra,ve as someone who has lived with osteoporosis. “Pay aHen,on and respect your bones! They will take you through life,” she advised. The luncheon was sponsored by Interfaith’s Project Healthy Bones (PHB) program. Since 2012, with the support of a grant from the Mercer County Office on Aging, ICGMC has offered the 24-week Project Healthy Bones (PHB) program in Hamilton and Trenton. The program consists of popular and interac,ve classes featuring light weight training, educa,on and professional presenta,ons by health experts. Par,cipants learn about the importance of exercise, nutri,on, safety, drug therapy and lifestyle factors in the preven,on and management of the disease. PHB Peer Leader, Lucia Dr. Sally Fullman Pérez Delgado, told of her apprecia,on of the program: “I have been able to regain my self-sufficiency. Through the educa,on I got, I found the right diet for me. My sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure are under control because I’ve been very well-educated through Healthy Bones.” Mercer County Freeholder and ICGMC Advisory Board Member, Ann Cannon, presented a Proclama,on from the county to ICGMC. Jane La,ni accepted the honor. Ms. Cannon emphasized that the greatest wealth is health! A delicious, healthy lunch was served to all who aHended the program. Dr. Fullman concluded her presenta,on on osteoporosis with three words: Eat Healthy Always! Mercer County Freeholder Ann Cannon (third from le!) presents a Proclamaon to ICGMC Project Healthy Bones facilitators for their work in osteoporosis educaon and prevenon. 3635 Quakerbridge Road, Suite 16, Hamilton, NJ 08619 • (609) 393-9922 • www.ICGMC.org A Leer from Jane’s Desk... Dear Friends of Interfaith Caregivers, My heart overflows with gra,tude and humility as director of this awesome agency, Interfaith Caregivers, where we empower each other to be channels of hope and life-giving friends. Here God’s Spirit is truly present as we witness a renewed commitment and love for one another and the greater community. The recent increase in care receivers, volunteers, group leaders, staff, board members, grantors, and Project Healthy Bones par,cipants is amazing. Last month we welcomed the Princeton Community Church, a new congrega,on, into our family. How awesome! There’s so much to share and ponder. I know you will appreciate every story. So get ready for a delighQul read. Pour yourself a glass of iced tea, find a comfy seat and learn more about your Interfaith family. We are who we are because of you. Thank you for your precious presence, prayers and gi+s of ,me, talent and treasure. May we all con,nue to be a blessing to one another. In loving gra,tude, Execu,ve Director ICGMC Volunteer Honored with a Community Champion Award Volunteer Landies Bullock was recently honored for her volunteerism and service by Trenton-based company Molina Medicaid Solu,ons New Jersey at their second annual Community Champions Awards event. ICGMC nominated Landies for the award in honor of her dedica,on, for more than a decade, as a volunteer caregiver and group leader for Interfaith Caregivers at Shiloh Bap,st Church in Trenton. Landies regularly visits homebound seniors in her community for several hours and as many as four ,mes a week. As a group leader, Landies has recruited and coached more than 30 fellow parishioners to be ac,ve in their local communi,es and care for their elderly neighbors. “This kind of giving heart and empathe,c spirit is what makes Landies an angel in our community,” said Susan Baird, execu,ve account manager for Molina Medicaid Solu,ons New Jersey. The winners also receive $1000 grants to give to deserving nonprofit organiza,ons as part of their award. Landies decided to split her grant and designate $500 to Interfaith Caregivers of Greater Mercer County and $500 to Shiloh Bap,st Church. Rev. Darrell Armstrong, Honoree Landies Bullock, and Jane La,ni. Care-full Communica-on Mercer County Office on Aging is a long-,me supporter of Interfaith Caregivers. This past February, Execu,ve Director, Eileen Doremus, graced Eileen Doremus, us with her exper,se on Execu,ve Director of MCOA dealing with demen,a in a workshop en,tled “Care-full Communica,on.” Eileen spoke to our group of ICGMC Group Leaders and folks from the community about understanding what occurs when demen,a sets in, how it can affect a family dynamic, and how to build a trus,ng rela,onship with a person living with demen,a. She shared some warning signs of Alzheimer’s and some ac,ve listening ,ps. Thanks to Reverend Jim Pruner of West Trenton Presbyterian Church, and volunteers Ruth Mayer, Nora Harker, and BeHy Cleland for hos,ng us, and to Union Bap,st volunteers Ethel Jeter and Lillian Davis for providing refreshments! AHendees at the workshop on “Care-full Communica,on.” Useful Tips for Be5er Communica-on • Be calm and suppor,ve • Focus on feelings, not facts • Pay aHen,on to tone of voice • Address person by their name • Speak slowly; use short, simple words • Ask one ques,on at a ,me • Avoid vague words and nega,ve statements • Do not speak about someone as if they were not there • Use non-verbal communica,on, like poin,ng or gesturing • Be pa,ent, flexible and understanding. We acknowledge gratefully our 2013 grantors who support us so generously: • Danellie Founda,on • F.I.S.H. Founda,on, Inc. • Lawrence Twp. Comm. Founda,on, Inc. • Lillian Pitkin Schenck Fund • Mercer County Office on Aging • New Jersey Founda,on for Aging • NJ Office of Faith Based Ini,a,ves • Roma Bank • Sisters of St. Francis, Philadelphia • United Way of Greater Mercer County HEAT TIPS FOR THE ELDERLY STAY COOL THIS SUMMER ! You can follow these preven,on ,ps to protect yourself from heat -related stress: Drink cool, non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated beverages. If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask him how much you should drink when the weather is hot. (Also, avoid extremely cold liquids because they can cause cramps). • Rest. • Take a cool shower, bath, or sponge bath. • If possible, seek an air-condi,oned environment. • If you don’t have air-condi,oning, consider visi,ng an air-condi,oned shopping mall or public library to cool off. • Keep warm areas ven,lated if not cooled. Proper ven,la,on will promote adequate sweat evapora,on to cool the skin. • Wear lightweight clothing. • If possible, remain indoors during the heat of the day. • Do not engage in strenuous ac,vi,es. • Sunblocks and sunscreens with a protec,on factor of 15 (SPF 15) can be very helpful when exposed to extreme direct sunlight. • HEAT EXHAUSTION Heat Exhaus,on is a milder form of heatrelated illness that can develop a+er several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids. Signs and Symptoms of Heat Exhauson Warning signs vary but may include the following: •Heavy swea,ng •Paleness •Muscle cramps •Tiredness •Weakness •Dizziness •Headache •Nausea or vomi,ng •Fain,ng •Skin: may be cool and moist •Pulse rate: fast and weak •Breathing: fast and shallow If you experience any of the above symptoms, seek medical aHen,on immediately! Let’s all remember to check on our elderly family members, friends and neighbors to be certain ALL are coping safely when heat waves occur! ICGMC Partners with Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony Parish’s Hai-an Ministry As part of its grant from the Office of Faith Based Ini,a,ves (OFBI), a Division of Programs in the Department of State, Interfaith has partnered with Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony Parish (OLS-SA), located in Hamilton NJ, to help diversify ICGMC’s volunteer base to beHer reflect the changing demographics in Mercer County. As part of the collabora,on, ICGMC is providing volunteer recruitment, training, and in-home services to OLS-SA’s Hai,an community. New Jersey’s Hai,an community includes over *56,000 people of Hai,an ancestry, with over 39,000 born in Hai,. Hai,an-American households in Mercer County with seniors or people with disabili,es will benefit from this targeted effort which includes training a group leader within the Hai,an community who will spearhead volunteer outreach and recruitment in Mercer County’s with support from ICGMC. OLS-SA congregant Carine Charles,n received her Group Leader training from ICGMC in March. Addi,onally, OLS-SA congregant Gerald Charmant is currently transla,ng the agency’s volunteer training materials into Creole to beHer equip the agency to provide culturallysensi,ve and relevant training Gerald Charmant with Jane La-ni materials in support of this outreach. Execu,ve Director Jane La,ni explains, “To enhance the scope of our services and reach more people in need, we need to further expand into Mercer County’s religious and ethnic communi,es, and engage volunteers from within those communi,es.” [*Source: hHp://blogs.app.com/capitolquickies/2010/01/23/ hai,ans-in-new-jersey] Welcoming... Nancy E. Remer, RN, BSN, Case Manager Nancy joined ICGMC in April 2013 as Case Manager to help us assess and manage care receiver needs, conduct trainings and provide supervision of program ac,vi,es and staff. An RN, Nancy is an accomplished health care professional with a 30-year record of achievement as a nurse, nurse supervisor and nurse manager. From 1978-2012, she worked for Princeton Surgical Associates, managing staff and overseeing all aspects of pa,ent care. Her nursing skills and experience caring for large popula,ons of pa,ents will help ICGMC enhance our scope and focus of caregiving services. Loving Wishes From Local Youth Valen,ne’s Day is a tradi,onal celebra,on of love. For Mr. Frank CincoHa, eighth grade teacher at the Thomas R. Grover Middle School in West Windsor, it signals the annual outreach to the homebound elderly and people with disabili,es in the Interfaith Caregivers’ family. His ninety eighth-grade students combine fun, crea,vity and sensi,vity as they work in teams of four to produce a one-of-akind package to gi+ a care receiver on Valen,ne's Day. The community-minded students begin their undertaking by deciding on a theme, securing the materials and selec,ng the contents of their present. Then a two-hour ac,vity period explodes with excitement, energy and determina,on as they execute their ar,s,c designs. Before the period is over, the students vote on the most crea,ve, original, professional, funniest and so on. One box sparkles with hearts of gliHer and beads. Another is decorated A loving gesture of giving from students of Thomas Grover Middle School. with colorful pom-poms, pipe cleaners and even a cuddly teddy bear. A third is adorned with intricate origami designs. All twenty-five packages are unique crea,ons of the industrious middle school students. Reflec,ng on the long winter days for one who lives alone, perhaps now without spouse or family, the youth choose appropriate items of comfort and fun: so+ slipper socks, moisturizing hand cream, wri,ng paper, crossword puzzles and Sudoku, playing cards, reading materials, assorted teas, toiletries and much more. Each gi+ includes a hand-wriHen note expressing sincere thoughts of caring and well wishes. Imagine the joy of the care receiver opening a gi+ of comfort, kindness and love and the gra,fica,on of the youth, who give of themselves to crea,vely and compassionately touch a senior's life. Now, that’s Cupid at his best! Welcome Princeton Community Church This past Mother’s Day, ICGMC welcomed a new congrega,on, Princeton Community Church, into the Interfaith Caregivers family. Pastor Craig Casey presented Jane with a $500 check as a sign of their commitment and our partnership in serving the homebound elderly and people with disabili,es. Ten interested congregants signed up for volunteer training and will be led by new Group Leader, Madeline Bobb. Clergy Luncheon On a crisp March a+ernoon, clergy from Interfaith Caregivers’ member and guest congrega,ons gathered at Leonardos II, in Lawrenceville, to enjoy a mid-day retreat of good food and fellowship. Over twenty guests of Interfaith Caregivers par,cipated in lively discussion and energizing exchange led by Execu,ve Director, Jane La,ni. The event was meant to help all stakeholders gain a “deeper understanding of our joint ministry to the elderly,” said Jane La,ni, as well as “understand how [Interfaith] can help improve our service to the homebound and further assist the congrega,ons in their caregiving ministries.” In an especially poignant moment, Rabbi Grossman of Adath Israel congrega,on shared a meaningful reflec,on of long-,me volunteer, Dr. Jonathan GiHleman (shown, right). At funeral services, both of Jonathan’s sons noted the significance and joy he received as a volunteer with ICGMC. Interfaith embraces the dedica,on and service Dr. GiHleman so generously and compassionately imparted to our care receivers. The Luncheon was held on March 7, at Leonardos II, and by unanimous consent, the food was plen,ful and fantasc! Rabbi Daniel Grossman blesses the guests. In Loving Memory Dr. Jonathan Gi5leman February 5, 1926 — February 9, 2013 Stanley Belza Sept. 2, 1933 — February 19, 2013 Jane La,ni addresses the clergy and guests. Stan touched lives in a gentle way as a caring volunteer and as a dependable daily Interfaith office helper. He will be greatly missed by all. Senior Safety Want to be aware of safety issues affec,ng seniors? Want to feel empowered? More than 25 seniors from the Chambersburg area of Trenton sure did! This Spring, ICGMC welcomed lifelong educator, author and Third Degree Black Belt, Gerri Willever, to share words of wisdom at the Sam Naples Senior Center. Gerri Willever speaks to the group (above). For this Senior Safety workshop, Ms. Willever discussed staying healthy through exercise, being on the look-out for fraud schemes, prac,ced shou,ng loudly to draw aHen,on in a poten,al crime situa,on, and other asser,ve techniques. To con,nue the theme of Senior Safety, ICGMC secured the help of three local pharPharmacist Jerry Sanvardine (below) St. Francis Staff Pharmacist Joe TroHo (above) macists to be on-hand for a “Brown Bag Medica,on Review” to educate aHendees about medica,on risks. Par,cipants were advised to bring all their medica,ons (including prescrip,ons, vitamins, supplements, over-thecounter, and herbal medicines) in a brown bag for a one-on-one consulta,on about how their medica,ons work together and affect their health. St. Francis Director of Pharmacy Joe La,ni (right) Keep In Step… With Radio Host Hilary Murray as she rides the airwaves with our own Jane La,ni in a quarterly segment about inspira,onal ICGMC volunteer/care receiver stories. Stepping Stones is a one-hour radio show airing Tuesdays from 5-6pm on WDVR 89.7 or 91.9 FM out of Sergeantsville. You can listen live on www.WDVRFM.org. Catch the good news with Jane next on August 6th! Important Upcoming Events Group Leader Dinner Mee-ngs August 26 —Trenton Thunder Game and 50/50 Raffle to benefit ICGMC, 7:05 pm. Please join us! Call 609-393-9922 x107 The Very Rev. Rene Rory John with Group Leader Terry Cooper of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral hosted the Spring Group Leader Dinner Mee,ng. Quarterly, the Group Leaders gather to share a delicious meal catered by Rosa’s Ristorante and receive updates on services, support, and con,nuing educa,on. September 24 – Group Leader Mee,ng, loca,on TBD, 6 pm. October 17-18 – Group Leader Retreat, Stella Maris, Long Branch, NJ. This event will be opened to volunteers, if room allows. October 24th — Annual Shining Lights Dinner and Auc,on, Mercer Oaks Country Club. Upcoming Volunteer Training Dates All trainings will be held in our offices at 3635 Quakerbridge Road, unless otherwise specified or requested. Carrie Monagle, OTR, Cer,fied Driver Rehab Specialist from St. Lawrence Rehab (below) addressed the topic of elder driver safety for Group Leaders and community aHendees. In Loving Memory Antoine5e Chiavoni 6/11/13 10/8/13 February 8, 1937—July 24, 2012 7/9/13 11/12/13 8/13/13 12/10/13 9/10/13 “Happy Easter, everyone. I just wanted to say ‘Thank you’ for connecng my life with a beauful woman. She is such a caring, joyful person that brings only sunshine where she goes. God Bless you for all the hard work you do and the gi! He has given you for bringing people together.” ~ Rev. Sue LiggeH, volunteer Group Leader, AntoineHe, of Our Lady of the Angels Parish, compassionately served in the Greater Trenton area for nearly 10 years. Her dedicated response to the needs of others totaled 3,825 hours. AntoineHe truly inspired by example and is remembered with loving gra,tude. Thank you, ICGMC Volunteers! In honor of Na,onal Volunteer Month, ICGMC held their Annual Volunteer Recogni,on Dinner at No_ngham Ballroom in Hamilton Square on April 23rd. Jane La,ni, Execu,ve Director, Volunteers and guests welcomed and expressed gra,tude to all volunteers, staff, board members, and guests. This tradi,onal event honored the outstanding work of our more than 250 volunteers who help homebound elderly and disabled persons every day. In 2012, 11,821 hours of service were provided. The program included an inspira,onal message from keynote speaker, Rev. Darrell Armstrong — Pastor of Shiloh Bap,st Church, Trenton — who stressed the importance of the three words: Engage, Elevate, Extend. “People are in our lives for reasons and seasons,” he said. Through the parable of the Good Samaritan, he conveyed the idea was that we are here to engage the need of those figh,ng for dignity, that we must elevate them and leave them with spirits a liHle bit higher a+er we’ve gone, and that we must extend ourselves and take the ,me to serve others. “This,” said Rev. Armstrong , “is God’s work.” He Rev. Darrell Armstrong ended with the fervent charge that we “Go and do likewise!” In support of our mutual mission to the elderly, Rev. Armstrong presented Interfaith with a check for $1,000. Entertainment was provided by Costa Rican Folkloric Dance Troupe, Recordando Mi Tierra, who performed cultural dances to La,n music displaying all the joy and happiness of typical “Tico” (Costa Rican) town life. Lead performer and organizer, Manuel Calvo Álvarez, has been an ICGMC Group Leader and volunteer with (Front le+) Senator Linda R. Greenstein, Eileen Thornton, Freeholder Ann Cannon, Jane La,ni con,nue to inspire by example! This event was made possible by a grant from the F.I.S.H. Founda,on, Inc. Event sponsors include The Church of St. Gregory the Great (Hope Sponsor) and Shiloh Bap,st Church (Sunrise Sponsor). What an inspiring evening! Dance Troupe, Recordando Mi Tierra Our Lady of the Angels Parish for over 5 years. In that ,me, Manuel has dedicated almost 800 hours of service to the elderly and disabled homebound in the La,no community. Over 25 gi+s were donated from area businesses, board members, and staff of ICGMC to be given out as door prizes to our wonderful volunteers. Much thanks to Deacon Joe Moore for provid- Volunteers from Shiloh Bap,st “We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at the recent Volunteer Appreciaon Dinner. The company was charming, the food delicious, the speaker dynamic, and the entertainment delighBul.” ~ Bob & Mary Bernard (volunteers) A typical “Tico” dance ing the photography for the evening, and to Pam Baumley who coordinated and supplemented the floral centerpieces. It indeed was an evening filled with an abundance of recogni,on to our volunteers who ICGMC Board Members