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Greetings,
The cold weather is upon us! Take care to stay warm
and enjoy the season. We at Mystic Valley Elder
Services wish you and your family a safe and happy
holiday.
| Get Your Last-Minute Gift From MVES |
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Are you still searching for that last-minute holiday gift?
Cast your frustration aside and look no further. Buy an
MVES 1000 Club Holiday Gift Membership!
A 1000 Club Holiday Gift Membership is a great gift that
offers your friend or family member the opportunity to
win cash prizes each month, all year long. How does it
work? On the last Tuesday of every month, a raffle is
held and seven three-digit numbers are drawn. If your
friend or relative's number is picked, they could be
taking home cash prizes worth $50, $100, $200, or
even the big prize of $1,000! Members can win more
than one prize each month and they can win every
month. For only $50, you can give a holiday gift to a
loved one that presents the chance to win cash prizes
throughout the entire year!
Read more... »
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| Behind the Scenes: Protective Services Care Worker |
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For our Behind the Scenes series, we recently talked
with Jennie Reed, an Elder Protective Services Care
Worker. As part of the nine-member Protective
Services department at MVES, Jennie helps elders who
are being exploited, abused, or neglected. Working with
a variety of other agencies, Jennie strives to transition
these elders to a safer environment.
Editor: What are your responsibilities in the
Protective Services Team?
J. Reed: My primary responsibility is two-fold. I
investigate alleged elder exploitation, abuse, and
neglect. During an investigation, I'll confer with
numerous individuals--physicians, a client's family,
police officers, visiting nurses--to determine if an elder
is being abused or exploited or is living in an unsafe
environment. Once such a situation is identified, I work
to resolve the problem with the ultimate goal of
ensuring the elder's safety. The path to this objective
can take many turns, but we work hard to provide a
solution that is the least restrictive for the client.
Interventions may include increasing home care
services for the client, moving the client to a new living
environment, and recommending support groups for
perpetrators. We carefully design a service plan that
effectively resolves a problematic situation.
Read more... »
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| Make Volunteering Your New Year's Resolution |
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It's hard to believe 2005 is just around the corner. As
we get ready to watch the ball drop in Times Square
and embrace the new year, you might think of making
a New Year's resolution to volunteer in the
community.
"Volunteering is a great opportunity to help those in
need live safely and comfortably in there own homes,"
says MVES Director of Community Programs Vida
Poole. "Whether you are assisting an elder with
financial issues or giving them a ride to their doctor's
appointment, your generosity makes a significant
difference in their lives."
Read more... »
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| Knowing Your Family Health History |
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Question: My husband and I are going back to our
hometown for the holidays. Both sets of parents still
live in our hometown area so we will be able to visit
with everyone. We have made a list of topics to
discuss with them such as advance directives, wills,
and power of attorney documents. Is there anything
else we should be thinking about?
Answer: The United States Department of Health and
Human Services recently launched a Family Health
History Initiative to encourage all of us to learn more
about our families' health background in order to
increase awareness about risk categories and promote
healthy lifestyle changes. It is important to thoroughly
understand the health issues and causes of death for
previous generations so we can understand our own
areas of vulnerability.
Read more... »
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| Holiday Fun And Fact Finding |
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The holiday season is about so many things: religious
celebrations, gift giving, tasty meals, lights aplenty. It's
also about gathering with family, often family whom we
don't regularly see. We may talk with a cousin and
silently note his receding hairline and ever-expanding
midsection. We may marvel at a niece who apparently
has declared the cosmetic counter at Macy's her
second residence. On the other hand, we may realize
that Aunt Sarah's extreme makeover really did work out
well. And, as we hush our chuckles from "people
watching" (hushing because we remember these people
are related to us), we also talk with the older members
of the family. Perhaps they are our mothers and
fathers, in-laws, or uncles and aunts. The relationship
doesn't matter. What is important is that we make sure
these people have the resources they need to live
safely and independently.
Despite the zaniness that often marks the holidays, we
should take time to sit and talk with elder family
members. How are they doing physically? Have they
been to the doctor recently? Do they seem happy? The
conversation shouldn't be an interrogation, but rather a
caring dialogue that helps us assess the basic health of
our aging relatives. You don't have to be an expert to
have this conversation. It is a matter of really listening
and caring.
Read more...
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