Golden Nuggets, November 2019

A publication of Golden Horizons Elder Care Services, Inc.

Now is the time to take your car in for routine maintenance, make sure your gutters are clear, prepare kits for your home and car in case of emergency, ie. losing electricity. Making 
​preparations is often the key to success in any situation.

Speaking of preparations, the start of the cold weather
also hails the arrival of the holidays. At the end of this
​month, we will celebrate 

A Message from the Office

As I look outside, the trees are nearly bare. The sun is casting long shadows; the air is decidedly crisp and cool. We are entering the late fall and winter months, with cold weather and shortened days. ​

Thanksgiving, ushering in the
festive season. It is the perfect time for reflection on our our many blessings. There are many, around the world and in our own back yard, who are less fortunate than us. Take the opportunity to pay it forward - help with a soup kitchen, donate clothes and shoes to a Good Will, make a monetary donation to an international 
organization like Charity Water. 

There is so much darkness in the world. During the shorter, darker days of this season, be someone’s light. 
~ Golden Horizons Office Team ~

Safety Tip of the Month

​This morning, when we walked into the office, the was a loud beep alerting us that the smoke alarm needed a new battery. We promptly replaced it. 

Heading into the winter months, it is imperative that keep our smoke and carbon monoxide detectors at the ready with routine maintenance and fresh batteries. With cold weather, we keep our windows closed, and 
many use wood stove or fireplaces as heat sources. While
these steps help create a warm environment, they increase the chances of carbon monoxide build up and house fire, respectively. Tested, working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors may mean the difference between life and death. 

Mr. W's Newsletter Inspiration

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
​~ Frederick Douglass ~

​Cultural Tidbit

Frederick Douglass (birth name Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey) was a reknowned American statesmen, orator,  author, minister, social reformer and, most famously, an abolitionist (anti-slavery activist). Born c. February1818, he successfully (after 2 other attempts) escaped slavery in Maryland on September 3, 1838, with the encouragement of Anna Murray, a free black woman from Baltimore he fell in love with. Once free, she joined
Douglass. They married September 15, 1838, settled inNew Bedford, adopted the Douglass surname, and went
on to have 5 children. Douglass’ slave mistress had taught him the rudiments of reading around age 12, before her 

Frederick Douglass did not smile in pictures. The Reason: Southern slave owners and supporters perpetuated a false narrative of the "Happy Slave", singing all day as they went about their work. It was reinforced through racist caricatures and blackface minstrelsy shows that mocked African Americans as lazy, dumb, care free, superstitious, unintelligent. Frederick Douglass didn't smile in photographs taken of him aimed to resist and counter the caricatures of the black man.

husband stopped her. With these basics, he educated himself, and went on to become one of America’s most famous abolitionists, underground railroad conductor, womens’ suffrage activist, and world changer. He died at 77, on February 20, 1895; a life
​well-lived.

Alzheimer's Awareness Month

​On September 30, 2019, President Ronald Reagan signed this Proclamation 5110 :

”The emotional, financial and social consequences of Alzheimer's disease are so devastating that it deserves special attention...Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the month of November 1983 as National Alzheimer's Disease Month.”

He started the snowball that has become an exceptionally recognizable campaign, raising
millions for the fight against this horrendous disease. In tragic irony, Alzhiemer’s took this President.

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most well-known form of dementia, a generic term used in describing memory loss and cognitive issues, responsible for 60-80% of all cases. Most people with Alzheimer’s are 65 and older, but the disease is no respecter of persons. Approximately 200,000 people in the USA, age range 40s and 50s, are plagued with early onset Alzheimer’s.  There are a number of contributing factors that cause the disease, including age, genetic 
predisposition, head injuries, lifestyle choices and more. Alzheimer’s has no cure, but recent research is showing that
normal practices of healthy aging - engaging socially, not smoking, staying physically active, exercising the mind (ie. brain teasers, puzzles), eating a healthy foods, limiting alcohol - may delay onset, or prevent the disease.

Put simply, Alzhiemer’s Disease kills the brain. Beta-amyloid protein plaques build up over time, interruping synapses and neurological pathways, leading the brain cell death and tissue loss. These changes are expressed in a number of ways, including memory loss, cognitive functioning problems, out-of-character behaviors, motor skill issues etc. In the early stage, people may have issues performing simple tasks, being social, misplacing items, forgetting names after introductions, trouble planning/organizing. In the moderate stage, people will start to lose the memories of their own history, be moody, forget their own address/phone number, have personality changes, change sleeping 
habits, be prone to wander, experience more incontinence etc. In severe, end-stage, people will need 24/7 care, not recognize their own loved ones, lose physical abilities like walking/sitting/even swallowing, lose awareness of their surroundings, be susceptible to infections, like pnuemonia. Tips to help someone with the disease - cuing and redirecting, keep things simple, communicate clearly, maintain a daily routine, provide familiar surroundings as often as possible, reassure them that they are safe, try to engage them in simple, fun activities like puzzles, music etc.

Dealing with someone who has Alzheimer’s in any stage takes an enormous amount of effort, physically, emotionally, mentally. Here are a few final tips to help manage stress as a caregiver - do deep breathing exercises, take time to meditate, do some sort of physical activity, visit your doctor regularly, visit a professional/therapist if needed. Take some time for yourself and do something you enjoy. If your reserves are empty, you won’t have anything to give.

Enjoyable Activities to Help Decompress & Re-energize

Sources:
- "Caregiver Stress", Alzheimer's Association
​- "Milestones", Alzheimer's Association
​- "Proclamation 5110-National Alzheimer's Disease Month, 1983";
The text of this proclamation was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on October 3, 1983; Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project
​-"Ronald Reagan", History.com Editors, Orig. Date November 9, 2009, Rev. May 16, 2019, History.com
​- "Stages of Alzheimer's", Alzheimer's Association
​- "Causes and Risk Factors", Alzheimer's Association
- "Younger / Early-Onset Alzheimer's", Alzheimer's Association
​- "Inside the Brain: A tour of how the mind works", Alzheimer's Association
​- "Alzheimer's Awareness Month", SeniorLiving.org

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