Newsletter Winter 14.pub - Rent-A

Winter 2014
Volume 8, Issue 1
RADical Times
RENT-A-DAUGHTER, LLC
Food Equals Love ~ Lois K., RAD caregiver
Inside this issue:
Winter Reading List
2
Office Spotlight
2
RAD Recipe
2
Community Events
3
Caregiver Spotlight
3
Health Corner
3
Food Equals Love (cont) 4
Every person has unique gifts and talents. Some
people use those talents to serve others. Lois K., a
RAD caregiver, is one of those people.
One of her earliest memories is of learning to cook
at her grandmother’s side. Her grandma never
followed a recipe, just added a pinch of this and a
dash of that. Now Lois cooks the same way!
Starting in her early childhood, Lois participated in
household chores, including cooking meals for her
family. Her father often said, “You sit when your
mother sits!” Lois laughs as she recalls, “My mother
never sat!” Because her mother worked outside of
the home when Lois was in grade school, Lois was
assigned the chore of cooking the family dinner
after getting off the afternoon school bus. Thus
began her love of cooking.
Lois peeling
carrots at Kathy’s
House, photo from
Penzeys Spices
Magazine,
Summer 2013
As she grew older, Lois followed in her mother’s footsteps, staying active and looking for ways to
help others. Not only has she cooked for her husband and children, but on many occasions she has
also used her talents to cook for the Royal Rangers (an organization similar to The Boy Scouts), and
City on a Hill meal events serving homeless people in
Milwaukee. Currently, Lois prepares monthly meals for
Kathy’s House, a living space for families whose loved ones
are hospitalized. Lois gives of her finances and time to
create satisfying, home-cooked meals, providing comfort
Picture
Source:
- Penzeys Spices
journals.humankinetics.org
food to those who are in desperate
need of comfort. Her passion for this service project is contagious, and she
has influenced many of her friends and coworkers to join her when she goes
to Kathy’s House. Together they contribute ingredients and time to make a
meal to feed 40-50 people and fill the refrigerator with leftovers. Lois
recently had the privilege of being featured in the Penzeys Spice Summer
2013 Magazine for her work at Kathy’s House, but she says the real
privilege is the ability to show love to hurting people through her warm,
tasty dinners.
Last summer, Lois heard about Rent-A-Daughter through a friend and decided to apply to be a caregiver. During the interview, the office staff quickly
realized that Lois is a treasure! Lois now enjoys using her cooking skills to
prepare healthy meals for her clients. RAD client Eugene S. receives daily
Lois & Eugene S.
visits from Lois K. and other RAD caregivers. (continued on page 4)
“Love People.
Cook Them Tasty Food.”
Winter Reading List
During these long winter nights, curl up with one of these good books
recommended by our office staff.
•
•
•
•
•
•
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
A Caregiver’s Journey by Gertrude Payton (wife of a former RAD client)
Leota’s Garden by Francine Rivers
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Heaven by Randy Alcorn
When Autumn Comes: Creating Compassionate Care by Mary Jo Bennet
Office Spotlight: Amy Coe, New Scheduling Coordinator
Rent-A-Daughter is excited to announce the addition of Amy Coe, a new scheduling
coordinator, to our office team! Even though she only joined RAD two months ago,
many of our clients and caregivers have already had the pleasure of speaking with her
on the phone. We are thrilled to see how enthusiastically Amy has jumped into scheduling! Before coming to RAD, Amy received a degree in social work from UWM and
worked in the social services field for many years. We are excited about the insight she
brings to Rent-A-Daughter with her experience servicing seniors and individuals with
disabilities in her previous employment.
Amy and her husband Travis have three young boys, Alex, Caleb, and
Eli. As a child, she wished to become a veterinarian, and while that
dream has not yet become a reality, the Coe household includes Annie, a
pug dog, and two cats named Pirate Peety Bird and Cocoa Bean. Amy
and her family enjoy camping in the summer months and growing
delicious vegetables in their garden. Travis is an amazing cook, and the
office staff has already had the pleasure of sampling some of his recipes.
Not only have we decided to keep Amy around for her strong scheduling
abilities, but also in hopes of tasting more of her hubby’s good food!
Next time you stop by the office, take a moment to welcome Amy to the RAD family!
RAD Recipe: Garden Soup
Source: Rochelle Hodel & minusthe46.blogspot.com
Rochelle H., the lovely lady who sits at RAD’s front desk, made this wonderful soup for the office
staff recently. We all loved it and thought it would be perfect for our clients and caregivers to eat
these cold winter days! This tasty soup can be easily customized with
whatever veggies and meats you prefer.
Ingredients:
One head of cabbage, shredded
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large or 2 small zucchini
Can of tomatoes, 28 oz
Vegetable or chicken broth
Salt and pepper, Italian seasoning
Veggies (carrots, green beans, cauliflower, broccoli, celery, etc)
Directions:
♥ Place all chopped veggies in a stock pot, add broth until covered. Add seasonings to taste. Stir.
♥ Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
♥ This soup can be cooked with various meats and/or white or Garbonzo beans, and served with shredded
cheese to add protein.
Page 2
R A D ic al
T im e s
Community Events
Listed below are FREE community events that may be pertinent to either RAD caregivers or clients.
The Gift & Challenge of Being a Caregiver
Date: March 13, 6-7 PM
Place: Hart Park Square,
6600 W. River Pkwy, Wauwatosa
Information: What is reasonable to expect from
a caregiver? When caring for someone with
memory loss, what causes you to be
overwhelmed? Gain understanding, validation,
and perspective! Light dinner included.
Register by calling 414-476-8787.
Knitting Club
Date: Every Thursday, 1:30—3:30 PM
Place: Butler Public Library
Information: Come work on a current project or
start a new one! Must supply your own yarn and
needles. No registration needed.
Macular Degeneration Myths, Facts and Hope
Date: April 24, 6-7 PM
Place: Community Conference Center, Room 1
8700 Watertown Plank Rd, Wauwatosa
Information: Age related macular degeneration
gradually destroys sharp, central vision. Learn the
types, common symptoms, and treatment options.
To register call 414-805-3666.
Legacy Letter Workshop
Date: March 1, 8 & 15, 9 AM—Noon
Place: Clinical Cancer Center, Room M
9200 W. Wisconsin Ave, Wauwatosa
Information: Gain tools and support needed to
write a special letter, reclaiming your legacy and
translating your stories & life lessons into blessings
and gratitude. Register by calling 414-805-0998.
Caregiver Spotlight: Darlene F.
Darlene has served in many challenging caregiving situations during her two
years as a RAD caregiver. She excels in caring for clients receiving hospice
care, and her gentle, soft-spoken demeanor is appreciated by those nearing
the end of their life. Many clients find Darlene comforting to talk to, and they
feel reassured and safe in her presence. Not only does she take care of her
clients’ physical needs, but she is also willing to address their emotional and
spiritual needs. She does a wonderful job caring for the entire person!
When she is not at RAD, Darlene keeps busy spending time with her grandchildren, knitting, and
volunteering in the chaplaincy office at Community Memorial Hospital. She loves life and enjoys
being able to give of herself to others. We are blessed to have Darlene on our caregiving staff!
Health Corner: Dementia — Definition and Main Causes
Many people mistakenly use the term dementia as the name of a disease. More accurately,
dementia is an umbrella term to describe the symptoms of a group of more than 100
conditions that impair memory, behaviors, and thinking. The five most common causes of
dementia are listed below.
1. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) - the most common form of dementia accounting for 50%-70%. AD is a
degenerative disease that attacks the brain resulting in impaired functioning.
2. Vascular Dementia (VaD) - the second most common form of dementia accounting for 20% of cases.
VaD occurs through a reduced blood supply to the brain usually due to stroke.
3. Parkinson’s Disease (PD) - this accounts for 5% of dementia cases. PD is a degenerative disorder of
the central nervous system.
4. Fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) - this accounts for 5% of dementia cases. FTD is associated with
rounded and tangled bundles of protein in brain nerve cells.
5. Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) - this accounts for 15% of dementia cases. DLB is associated with
Lewy bodies which are abnormal brain cells.
Volume 8, Issue 1
PP
APa
GagE
gee333
Rent-A-Daughter, LLC
12660 W. North Avenue
Brookfield, WI 53005
Phone: 262.754.0550
Fax: 262.754.0344
Email: [email protected]
We’re on the Web!
www.rent-a-daughter.com
For over 25 years, RentRent-A-Daughter has passionately
provided quality nonnon-medical care for older, disabled,
or convalescing adults
adults in southeastern Wisconsin. Our
mission is to enable our clients to remain independent
as long as possible. Our trained, dedicated
dedicated caregivers
are devoted to meeting our clients’ needs with
compassionate dependability.
Food Equals Love ~ Lois K., RAD Caregiver (continued from front page)
He is grateful for the kindness and conversation his caregivers offer, but he especially
enjoys their home-cooked dinners! Eugene is a “meat and potatoes” type of guy, though
he also loves salads and fruit-filled jello. Lois plans Eugene’s weekly menu, making
shopping lists for his nephew. After the food is delivered, Lois divides it into meal-sized
portions to be frozen or refrigerated until needed. In the mornings, she pops the food into
a small crock pot, and when she returns for the evening visit, Eugene’s
home is filled with delicious smells, and the meal is ready to be served.
Sitting at the dinner table, Eugene converses with Lois as he eats,
sharing stories about his home that he built many years ago and his time in military
service on the U.S.S Capable. He especially enjoys showing pictures of the time he
travelled to Washington D. C. with his son on the Honor Flight!
Lois’ cooking not only meets her client’s physical needs, but it also communicates love
to his soul. Lois is a gem, and we are thankful for the way she serves her RAD clients
by living out the famous Penzeys Spice tag line: “Love People. Cook Them Tasty Food.”