April 2016 Newsletter

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Mental Health: Anxiety 1

Parkinson’s Awareness 2

Using Non-verbal

Communication 3

Mobile Eye Care of

Maryland 4

Upcoming Training 4

Caregiver’s Conference 5

Older Americans Month 6

Food Safety: Spring

Cleaning 7

Spring Word Search 8

APRIL 2016

Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities

Assisted Living Program

Newsletter

Contact Us: (410) 222-4464

Susan Shelton Ext. 3093

Carol Clemmens Ext. 3664

Jennifer Jackson Ext. 3009

Fannie Sumter Ext. 3103

Mental Health in Assisted Living: Anxiety Disorder

We all experience some degree of anxiety from

time to time. For me, there was a time when I

couldn’t drive over the Bay Bridge without

getting anxious. My hands would become

sweaty, my breathing would become more rapid

and my stomach would become queasy. It was

always a sigh of relief when I got to the other

side. I’m getting a little anxious just thinking

about it! Fortunately, my experience ended once

I got over the other side of the bridge. This is

considered just a normal anxiety. When one’s

anxiety is so intense and prolonged that it

interferes with their daily routine it usually

means that an anxiety disorder may be present.

There are several types of anxiety disorders that

our seniors may experience. These include;

panic disorders, generalized anxiety disorder

(GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD),

post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and

phobias. All of these disorders are treatable but

need to be recognized in order to help your

resident connect with the appropriate support.

Because GAD is the most common with seniors,

we will start with this disorder.

GAD is when someone feels anxious constantly.

The person is totally consumed everyday with

tension. They worry about everything even

though there is nothing happening. They feel so

overwhelmed that they are unable to complete

daily tasks, unable to concentrate and have a

great deal of difficulty relaxing. What an awful

feeling! Imagine when you were in a situation

that you became anxious. Can you imagine

feeling this way every day?

Sometimes the symptoms of anxiety are related

to a physical illness or side effects from

medications taken for an illness. Individuals

with chronic heart disease and pulmonary

diseases tend to have a higher level of anxiety

because the medications for these diseases tend

to have side effects of irritability and anxiety.

Because many of the symptoms of anxiety can

be felt like physical problems, many seniors

have frequent trips to the doctor’s office and

the emergency room. It can be difficult to

differentiate at times.

Here are a few symptoms to increase your

awareness:

Complaints of headaches, shortness of

breath, chest pain, dizziness, stomach

or digestive problems

Overeating or not interested in eating.

Excessive sleeping or difficulty falling

and staying asleep.

Isolation

Edginess

The good news is that generalized anxiety

can be helped if identified and treatment is

received. If not identified, it can lead into

other mental health problems. Hands down

you are the residents #1 advocate. Be aware

that people with GAD know that their

feelings don’t make sense. There is no

warning and there is no automatic turn off

switch. The next time you become anxious,

think about how difficult it would be to feel

like this all the time. Put yourself in their

shoes and it will be much easier to provide

the support your residents need.

Sources: Mental Health in Later Life, Mental Health Association Maryland, 2009; Identifying and Treating

Anxiety Disorders, Michael B. Friedman Lisa; Furst,

LMSW, Zvid Gillis, PHD, Kimberly Williams,

LMSW, Aging Well, June 2012; About Health,

Deborah Glasof, PHD, September 11, 2015

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ASSISTED LIVING PROGRAM NEWSLETTER PAGE 2

How Much Do You Know About Parkinson’s Disease? Many of your resident’s have been diagnosed with Parkin-

son’s Disease and depend on you to help them manage this

disorder. How much do you know about Parkinson’s and

ways that you can help your residents affected by this dis-

ease? Understanding the symptoms and progression of Park-

inson’s will help you to provide better care and support to

your residents.

What is Parkinson’s Disease?

Parkinson’s Disease is a brain disorder that is caused when

the brain begins to produce less of a neurotransmitter called

dopamine. Dopamine helps to regulate a person’s movements

and as amounts decrease, a person begins to have more

problems moving their bodies and regulating emotions.

Parkinson’s Disease is not fatal by itself, but complications

from the disease can cause additional problems for people

dealing with this disorder. Unfortunately, there is no cure for

Parkinson’s but great progress has been make that has

improved the lives of those living with Parkinson’s Disease.

What are the symptoms?

There are two main categories of symptoms in Parkinson’s

Disease. They are motor and non-motor symptoms. The four

main motor symptoms are:

Tremors: these are resting tremors that are seen when a par-

ticular part of the body is not moving. They may start on one

side of the body and spread to the whole body as the disease

progresses.

Bradykinesia: this means “slow movement”. This causes dif-

ficulty in making repetitive movements like tapping your

finger. A person experiencing this symptom has difficulty

with quick movements and may walk with a shuffling step.

Rigidity: causes stiffness in different part of the body (arms,

legs, neck, etc.). A person may have one part of their body

that is always stiff. This can be uncomfortable and painful to

deal with.

Postural instability: this symptom is one of the most im-

portant in recognizing Parkinson’s Disease and is when a

person is unstable when standing up. This is because they

may have lost some of the reflexes needed to remain standing

upright. A person with this symptom is at risk for falls and

may sway backwards when standing up out of chair. They are

no longer able to catch themselves and may experience a lot

of falls.

The next category of symptoms are non-motor symptoms.

These are conditions that do not involve a person’s move-

ment and may be difficult for family members to recognize.

Non-motor symptoms may include: sleep disturbances, mood

disorder, loss of sense of smell, memory problems, and blad-

der problems. There are also a number of secondary motor

symptoms in addition to the other symptoms listed above. It is

important to recognize and communicate any new symptoms or

changes in your resident to their primary care physician and your

delegating nurse. It will help in developing a plan of care to ac-

curately address their needs.

Tips for Caregivers

Residents dealing with Parkinson’s Disease may experience a

number of emotions as the disease progresses. Imagine how you

would feel if you slowly lost your ability to function on your

own while experiencing uncomfortable or embarrassing side

effects. As a caregiver, you have an important role of both

providing assistance with personal care and emotional support to

your resident and your resident’s family.

Knowledge about Parkinson’s Disease will be important for you

as a caregiver. Read up on the signs and symptoms of this dis-

ease so that you can recognize changes quickly and understand

what is going on in your resident’s body. Sometimes having an

understanding of what is going on can help you to be more em-

pathetic and supportive to your residents.

Set realistic expectations and understand that your resident’s

ability to care for themselves will decrease as the disease pro-

gresses. As a caregiver, be mindful that you will have to provide

them with more assistance than you did when they first arrived

at your facility. Be understanding and prepare yourself for the

emotional stress that goes along with this diagnoses. Your

resident may experience a range of negative feelings as they lose

their independence and become more dependent on you for help.

The most important thing you can do as a caregiver is to take

care of yourself. Make sure that you are taking time to keep

yourself in good physical and mental condition. Caregiving is a

tough job and you can burn out quickly if you don’t take care of

your own personal health.

To learn more about Parkinson’s Disease, visit www.pdf.org or

www.parkison.org.

Source(s): "National Parkinson Foundation: Believe in Better-

ter." Understanding Parkinsons. National Parkinson Foundation, n.d.;

"Providing Daily Care." - Parkinson's Disease Foundation (PDF).

Parkinson's Disease Foundation, n.d.

April is Parkinson’s

Disease Awareness

Month


Non-Verbal Communication with Residents with Dementia

What would you do if you lost your ability to

communicate with your friends and family?

Communication is a huge part of our everyday lives and

the only way that we can let people know about our

thoughts and needs. For residents suffering from dementia

communication can be difficult and as their condition

worsens, verbal communication often becomes

impossible. The good news is that even if your resident

loses their ability to communicate with your verbally, they

can still communicate their needs to you nonverbally. As

dementia progresses, non-verbal communication becomes

even more important. As your resident loses the ability to

understand verbal messages, they rely more on your non-

verbal

communication to understand what you are trying to

communicate. This means that as caregivers, it is very

important to be aware of the messages you are sending by

what you say and what you don’t say.

Residents diagnosed with dementia may experience

trouble communicating in the following ways:

Inability to find the right words

Repeating the same word over and over

Using an incorrect word to describe something

Losing their train of thought

Swearing or cursing more often

Speaking less

Using gestures to convey meaning

Residents diagnosed with dementia may also experience a

symptom called receptive aphasia. This is the ability to

Subsidy Client Annual Recertification

Each year residents receiving the subsidy need to be recertified for

eligibility. In April, a letter and new subsidy application will be

sent to each client or family member requesting updated

information. This year, all residents receiving a subsidy will be

required to submit a copy of the Resident agreement (contract)

documenting the facility fee with an end date after July 1, 2016.

Please assist your residents by providing a updated copy of the

Resident Agreement upon request.

understand what another person is saying to them. A

resident may hear you say, “Mr. Bill, it’s time for lunch”

and not understand what you mean. Your non-verbal

communication allows you to interact with your residents

and reduce both you and your resident’s frustration when

communicating with each other. Here are some tips for

using non-verbal communication with residents who have

dementia:

Make eye contact. Get your resident’s attention by

making eye contact and holding it while speaking to

them.

Re-introduce yourself. If your resident doesn’t

remember you, reintroduce yourself to reduce their

anxiety of having a stranger come and start moving or

touching them.

Meet them at their level. Avoid standing over your

resident. Position yourself so that your eyes are on the

same level as their eyes.

Avoid crossing your arms. This can cause them to

think you are angry with them or defensive, even if you

are not.

Demonstrate. Show your resident what you would like

them to do. Follow verbal instructions with a

demonstration so they know exactly what you are

asking them to do.

Use touch. Use gentle and slow touch to help your

resident feel more relaxed and at ease. Avoid moving

suddenly as it may frighten your resident.

Smile. Show your resident that you are a friend by

smiling. A genuine smile lets them know that you mean

them no harm and are there to help.

Laugh. Like smiling, laughter lets your resident knows

that everything is okay. Just make sure that your

resident is not the reason why you are laughing, unless

they’ve told a joke or other funny story. This helps

avoid situations where they may feel you are making

fun of them and become insecure.

Source: W, Illana. "How to Use Non-Verbal Communication with Seniors with Alzheimer's." IOA Blog. Institute on Aging, 07 Aug. 2015.

We would like to say a

special thank you to all of

the providers who attended

the Provider Meeting on

March 3rd! We hope you

learned something of value

and enjoyed your free gifts!

We look forward to seeing

you all again in September!

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Upcoming Training

Apr. 19th Five Hour Cognitive Impairment 10:00am—3:00pm

and Mental Illness

May 17th Infection Control and Food Safety 10:00am—12:00pm

All training will be held in building 2664 Riva Rd.—2nd Floor Conference Room (Chesapeake Room).

Contact Fannie Sumter to make a reservation at (410) 222-4464 ext. 3103 or by email to

[email protected].

Anyone needing special accommodations must contact Fannie M. Sumter at 410-222-4464 ext. 3103

or by email at [email protected] at least seven (7) days in advance of the event. TTY users

please call via Maryland Relay 711. All materials are available in an alternative format upon request.

Mobile Eye Care of Maryland Eye Care Wherever You Are

Did you know that our seniors are among the most

underserved in terms of receiving high-quality eye

care? A new eye care practice here in Maryland has

formed to exclusively address this issue. Mobile Eye

Care of Maryland (MEC) provides in-home eye care

and optical services to those for whom transportation

needs, physical limitations and other special needs

make traditional doctors’ visits difficult or impossible.

MEC has a state-of-the-art mobile eye care unit that

allows eye doctors to provide thorough eye exams.

In addition to conducting home visits, the practice

currently serves patients in over 30 assisted living,

nursing, and adult day care homes and facilities in

Maryland. MEC has expertise in serving patients who

are non-responsive, non-ambulatory, or unable to

actively participate in a routine eye exam, including

those with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

MEC’s eye doctors have over 25 years of experience

and specialize in senior care by preventing blindness,

enhancing vision, preserving vision through timely

intervention of eye conditions, and providing greater

comfort and enjoyment of life for seniors. According to

Dr. Teresa Grillo, lead optometrist, “when vision

is at its best, seniors are safer, more confident and

independent in daily activities, and less demanding on

the committed individuals who care for them!” Dr. Grillo

recommends routine eye exams for all seniors,

especially those with chronic medical issues that may

cause vision problems, such as diabetes.

MEC is staffed with professionals who will partner with

facility managers and staff to obtain consent from

patients and family members; gather medical

documentation; and verify insurance. MEC accepts most

insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid,

which typically cover 100% of exam and procedural

costs. MEC also provides eye glasses for patients, if

needed.

If you would like additional information about Mobile

Eye Care of Maryland, please visit the practice’s

website at www.mobileeyeservices.com or call (443) 204

-3939.

SAVE THE DATE!

Anne Arundel

County’s

Information for family

and professional

caregivers.

Saturday April 16, 2016

8:30 am—3:30 pm

The Hotel at Arundel Preserves

7795 Arundel Mills Boulevard

Hanover, MD 21076

This event is brought to you by the Anne Arundel County Department of Aging

and Disabilities, Active Day Centers, Aging Services Management, LLC, the

Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Maryland, Home Instead Senior Care, and

Somerford Place Alzheimer’s Assisted Living.

Registration for this event will begin in March 2016.

For more information and to be placed on our mailing list for this and other caregiver programs,

contact 410-222-4464 ext. 3043 or email: [email protected].

Cost: $20

Social Work CEUs will be awarded for an

additional fee.

Anyone needing accommodations must contact Mary

Chaput at (410) 222-4464 ext. 3045 or by email at

[email protected] at least 7 days in advance of the

event. TTY users, please call via Maryland Relay 7-1-1.

mailto:[email protected]

ASSISTED LIVING PROGRAM NEWSLETTER

Spring Clean Your Way to a Safer

Kitchen

When you’re shaking off the winter with spring cleaning, it’s a great time to target harmful bacteria that can lurk on kitchen surfaces and even in your refrigerator. Salmonella, Staphyloccus, E. coli, and Listeria are just some of the bacteria that may be hanging out in your kitchen. While you can’t see or smell BAC! -- short for bacteria -- they are everywhere, and they especially like moist environments. A clean and dry kitchen can Fight BAC!

® and protect you

and your family from food borne illness.

Some cleaning tips you should practice year round to make your kitchen and your meals safer include:

Always clean surfaces thoroughly with hot, soapy water. After thoroughly washing surfaces with hot, soapy water, you can sanitize them with a diluted chlorine

bleach solution or a disinfectant kitchen cleaner. Use just 1 teaspoon bleach to 1 quart of water. Let the solution stand on the surface for a few minutes; then blot dry

with clean paper towels.

Disinfect dishcloths often. Launder dishcloths and towels frequently using the hot water cycle of the washing machine. Then be sure to dry them in they dryer. Dishcloths harbor bacteria and, when wet, promote bacterial growth. Also, consider using paper towels to clean up kitchen surfaces. When done, throw away the towel.

Rid your fridge of spills, bacteria, mold and mildew. Clean your refrigerator weekly to kill germs that could contaminate foods. To tackle bacteria, mold and mildew, clean interior refrigerator surfaces with hot, soapy water. Rinse with a damp cloth; dry with a clean cloth. Manufacturers recommend against using chlorine bleach as it can damage seals, gaskets and linings.

Clean your kitchen sink drain and disposal once or twice a week by pouring a solution of 1 teaspoon of chlorine bleach in 1 quart of water down the drain. Food particles get trapped in the drain and disposal, creating the perfect environment for bacterial growth.

With these simple tips, you can reduce your risk of foodborne illness. Remember to Fight BAC!® by following four simple steps: Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill. For more information, please visit www.fightbac.org. If you have more questions or concerns about food safety, contact:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Meat and Poultry Hotline or 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854). The TTY number for the hearing impaired is 800-256-7072. Or visit www.fsis.usda.gov.

www.fightbac.org or www.foodsafety.org 4-2006


R B Z B V S W W H K F C T Q C

R S G U O C A W F M O W S F L

Y H M T N K T V X R O B I N K

W O Y T O Q G R E E N Y Q W Z

O W Z E C T T O X T L A Z P A

T E Y R L I K R O E V H M W Y

G R Z F E P D J Z A T V O Y K

A S D L A Q A Y S P P B A G T

R I M Y N G N E E Y N L J V B

D K W K I S D T S I Q Y D L L

E P A Z N M E M A Y F A I W O

N G N V G V L R S B I E S H S

U L I O Y K I K J B I Y T Y S

Z Y N R F L O W E R S C K E O

Y Q K P I C N I C W O B N U M

BLOSSOM BUTTERFLY CLEANING

DANDELION FLOWERS GARDEN

GREEN MAY PICNIC

RAINBOW ROBIN SHOWERS

April 2016 Newsletter

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