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Scott M. Fischer, BSN
Options is celebrating Tammy's third anniversary with us this month. Last year her title changed to our Director of Client Services...her role is expanding and she is managing our office and all the back end activities, as well as, now spending more time in the field representing us with families and referral sources. Her expanded role frees me up to promote and grow Options as well as lead PASRS as the President, and now accept a role on the board of Safely Somewhere, a new non-profit designed to assist with funding and placement of low income individuals. We love her and depend on her each and every day. Thank you Tammy!
My wife Stacey has assumed the role of our primary specialist and contact in the east valley. She's been on the job 4 weeks and her impact is already felt. She's a steady presence in a part of town that I've always struggled in connecting with people regularly as my work has typically been in the central and north valley. Her relationships in her past roles working in hospice care and as the sales director for a successful senior housing guide are opening doors for Options that have never been opened before. She has a generous and compassionate heart and a love for what we do. Together with Tammy, I am so fortunate to have a great team and support system.
Other than that, my world is all about getting acclimated to living with teenagers again...my kids are 28 (Miranda), 25 (Nicole) and 22 (Grayson) ... Stacey's are 17 Molly) and twins 12 (Mike and Leah).... We are the Eight is Enough crew now!
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Tammy & Stacey, Thank you for your unwavering dedication, ladies!
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Breaking Development in Alzheimer's Research
We've seen a lot on the recent developments in Alzheimer's research. Click HERE to take a look at the specific protein and brain scan scientists are focusing on in this news worthy breakthrough.
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Safely Somewhere helps families find assisted living options for their mother, father, grand-mother, grand-father, sister, brother, child, neighbor, loved one or friend. 75% of the time our clients are living on a low social security income and can not afford the care they need to live safely and flourish independently as much as they can.
THIS need is why the Safely Somewhere Foundation was created. Safely Somewhere is a 501(c)(3) accredited non-profit organization that aims to provide financial assistance with the cost of assisted living for underfunded or uninsured individuals during the medicaid application process.
The founders of Safely Somewhere have been helping families for the last 4 years with advocacy, guidance, education, and placement assistance to ensure that frequent hospital admissions and re-admissions stop.
You can donate to Safely Somewhere's Go Fund Me account HERE.
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Aging & Isolation
Blog post
As we age, isolation is something we all need to be thinking about. It happens so easily and so naturally. Being aware of this and the impact it has on our health is important.
The older we get, the less likely we are to leave the home or enjoy the company of visitors. In time, we no longer venture out for extracurricular activities and slowly, but surely, we become isolated to our homes and our own independent routines. We aren’t thinking about it as it happens, but this poses an imminent threat to our health and wellness.
Often times we spend our later years living on limited finances. Our social network shrinks and access to transportation is limited. Did you know that it is common for seniors to go weeks without any contact with another person, including phone calls? There are significant differences in the health and behavior of seniors that live in isolation. The lack of interaction with another human being negatively impacts our behavior, health and alertness. Our minds slow and our health wanes. Our bodies slowly power down.
Isolation is a noteworthy part of the larger problem of clinical depression in the elderly. When depression emerges, appetite and nutrition tend to decline. Personal hygiene is impaired and sleep disturbances are often present. Anxiety and worry are also typical. To make matter worse, suicide among the elderly is on the rise. Something as simple as scheduling weekly check-ins can make a world of difference in the quality of life for an aging individual.
Keep in mind that there are numerous organizations designed to address this aspect of aging. Many offer services at no cost. Your local community center may also have cost free programs or events geared toward seniors. You may also consider hiring a caregiver or case manager to visit on a regular basis. And for those that are willing, technology is another great avenue for communication.
Whichever avenue works best for you and your loved one, do what you can to ensure there is consistent contact, even if it’s only an hour a week. It may not be much, but that little bit goes a long way.
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We are always so grateful when people and organizations like Right Care Foundation join the scene. I had the pleasure of meeting Right Care's founder Steve Wagner at our May PASRS meeting. Right Care offers evaluation tools that families and facilities alike can use to ensure highest quality care is delivered. Take a moment to visit their site and become familiar with the easy to use tools available to you!
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Shoebox Ministry
Needs Your Help!
Shoebox needs your help! If you can take the time to vote for them in the State Farm Neighborhood Assist grant challenge, you would be doing our community a huge favor. Click HERE to cast your votes.
Search "Building Dignity" to locate their page. You can cast 10 votes per day, and you can even cast all 10 in one shot, if you prefer.
Help us show the love!
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Wisdom From Seniors
The best way to forget all your troubles is to wear tight shoes.
The nice part about living in a small town is that when you don't know what you're doing, someone else does.
The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then your body and your fat are really good friends.
I read this article that said the typical symptoms of stress are: eating too much, impulse buying, and driving too fast. Are they kidding? That is my idea of a perfect day!
I know what Victoria's Secret is. The secret is that nobody older than 30 can fit into their stuff.
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