"Helping to take better care of ourselves, our families, and our
communities."
Every
week we hear news stories about the skyrocketing costs of health care
and heath insurance. Older individuals find their coverage under Medicare
inadequate and cannot afford critically needed medication. The confusing
maze of managed care and governmental programs often make them inaccessible
to those who need them most.
The
mission of the Taking Care television show is to provide information
and clarification of health care issues. The show reaches out in particular
to caregivers to diminish the stress and isolation that they may feel
while providing care in their homes. Here are some of the topic areas
the hosts cover inserting laughter, warmth and humor whenever possible.
How to Talk to your Doc - Learn to
communicate effectively and get what you need for yourself and your
family from the busy managed care health system.
Balancing Elder care and Work-How
employers and employees can work together to meet both elder care
and work demands with better communication and less stress. Help
for everyone navigating the elder care service system
Put your Troubles in a Bubble -Let
go of negative thoughts and learn how to increase your positive
thinking and Maintain a positive perspective
Your Family as a Caregiving Team -
Problems and possibilities and how to work together to tackle some
tough issues: elderly parents driving; sibling conflicts; who, where
and how to provide care; caring for the caregivers; grief, depression
and end-of-life issues.
Advocating for your families Healthcare
needs and rights. Stay informed on the issues and know who
, where and when to call to gain or maintain your healthcare
Stress Management techniques with
a strong emphasis on therapeutic humor, laughter and Pet Therapy.
Certified in Habilitation Therapy
from the Alzheimer's Association, Leslie teaches a refreshing approach
to understanding and coping with Alzheimer/Dementia behaviors in
a positive and productive manner.
Caregiver resources for respite, rest
and restorative friendships and fun.
Leslie Ahern holds a master's
degree and has been working with elders and their families for over
twenty-five years. She is a Family Caregiver Advisor for the
National Caregiver Support Program and serves southwest Boston through
ETHOS Elder Services. Paul Antokolsky is a veteran and graduate
of Harvard University. He is a Certified SHINE Counselor (Serving
Health Information Needs for Elders) and caregiver specialist.
Paul and Leslie, who have been married
since 1981, are professional speakers and trainers and have been active
TV and Radio broadcasters since 1994. They are also Certified Laughter
Leaders and speak widely on stress relief using humor and laughter.
You can reach them by calling 1-857-991-9882 anytime or email.
Taking
Care TV Schedule
March 10th:
Helping Seniors with Substance Abuse:
Substance Abuse can be "hidden problems" for seniors. Palmer Paige, Stabilization and Substance Abuse Counselor from Kit Clark along with a participant in recovery
March 17th:
St. Patrick’s Day Shenanigans with Leslie and Paul.
March 24th:
Preventing Falls:
Preventing falls is one of the most important health-saving actions you can take. Kit Clarks’ Denise Banks, Matter of Balance Master Trainer and Margo Kelly, RN Home Care Clinical Supervisor
March 31st:
The DiRado brothers Photographic Tribute
A photo trubute to their Dad who recently died from Alzheimer’s disease. Don’t miss these talented artists and caregivers.
Past
Shows Archive
January 13th:
Caring for the Persons with Dementia: Getting from "No" to "Yes":
Helpful tips for caregivers and family members.
Donna Allen, RN, Dementia Specialist
January 27th:
Creativity and Seniors:
We all continue to grow and develop new skills and hobbies, even in our later years.
Jon Schum and Denise Banks, Adult Day Health Activities Programs
Dolores Miller, Kit Clark House Council Member and Quilting class enthusiast.
February 10th:
Preventing Falls:
Preventing falls is one of the most important health-saving actions you can take.
Denise Banks, Matter of Balance Master Trainer
Margo Kelly, RN, Home Care Clinical Supervisor
February 24th:
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren:
Challenges of raising grandchildren.
Bonnie Hallisey, LICSW and an elder caregiver
March 10th:
To be Announced
March 24th:
Helping Seniors with Substance Abuse and Gambling Problems:
Substance Abuse and Gambling can be "hidden problems" for seniors.
It's never too late to make changes!
Jim Lavash, LICSW and an A.A. group leader
Kit Clark Senior Services is co-sponsoring a series of twelve programs on Boston Neighborhood Network TV with Taking Care Productions. The hosts Leslie Ahern, a Family Care Advisor with the National Family Care giver Support program and her husband Paul Antokolsky, a Geriatric Care Manager and Shine Counselor.
Our first segment with Margo and Leo was aired on October 14th and went really well. Folks called in during the program with questions on the particular topic.
You can help to get the word out for the upcoming series to your neighbors, members of your church and social organizations.
As you know, we have a great number of homebound seniors who are unaware of the services that are available to them; we are trying a number of venues to reach them and we feel that these series of programs will be especially helpful and of benefit to them.
Thanks to our staff who has agreed to participate in the programs.
Kit Clark Senior Services has served seniors in the Greater Boston community for over 35 years. We provide a wide range of services from Nutrition (Meals on Wheels), Mental Health, Dementia Day Care and Adult Day Health, Fit-4-Life and homelessness/housing programs. Our goal is to continue to provide services for the most needy in the community and to reach seniors who are homebound and alone.
December 9, 2009
Taking Care by Taking Action
Please visit the clinic page to find a vaccine location near you through December 12. Check back for additional clinics. For more information on preventing the flu visit www.bphc.org/flu.
June 25th
Caring
Cancer project
Dr. Collinge (photo right) will be
a guest on the television program "Taking Care" on June 25, when he
will discuss the role of touch in caregiving and talk about the project.
For information about the Caring and
Cancer Project, phone Miriam Price-Eubanks, Project Manager, at 617-459-7714,
or visit www.collinge.org.
March
7th
United Health care Workers
Liz Casey
Patricia Johnston
We will be joined by represenatives of the
1199SEIU- United Health Care Workers-East to discuss improving
the Personal Care attendant Registry and how it will help both those
providing care and receiving care. Liz Casey is a consumer who has
been a long-standing advocate for the PCA campaign. She is also
on the Workforce Council. Liz Casey
Our second guest is Patricia Johnston.
She is another member of the Workforce Council and an advocate for
PCAs. She is the surrogate for her mother, who is cared for by PCAs
and receives services through Ethos.
Liz Casey
Springfield personal care attendants
give a thumbs up to the unions efforts.
For more info contact: Audubon Dougherty
Communications Specialist - New Organizing, 1199SEIU
Office 617.989.8054
March 14th
Olga
Yulikova
Have fun and make a difference to a Senior- it only costs your time caring.
Welcome Olga Yulikova the Volunteer Manager for Ethos
who will share the many ways that can happen. A volunteer who will help
answer your questions about volunteering will accompany her.
For more information you can contact Olga at 617-522-6700x323
or you can email her at oyulikova@ethocare.org
One of our seniors holds tight the hands of
her volunteer who brightens her day.
March 21st
How to make the New England Flower Show a stress relieving breathe
of Spring for caregivers.
March
28st
Taking Care of Me while I am
taking care of you. Working together as Care Partners
Jan
31st
Chester Higgins Jr.
Elder Grace: The Nobility of Aging
In my portraits, I try to capture what it means to be decent, dignified
and virtuous. "I search for the signature of the spirit".
You can buy his wonderful book, posters and even a wall calendar of this
exhibit by going to www.chesterhiggins.com
OR TO ORDER: CALL FRY Communications at 1-800-334-1429 x2529
Hearts Happen is a series of found hearts. Get some beautifully
unique Valentine cards at Kristins' website.
Kristin
Mallery sees hearts everywhere -- in a cloud formation, a puddle, even
in a steaming bowl of miso soup. And these visions are not only triggered
by February and Valentine's Day, a time of year in which these tender
symbols of love are on a lot of people's minds. For this amateur photographer,
hearts are visible year-round.
February 21st
Researchers
at the MIT Workplace Center created the Family Caregiver Handbook
to share information on how the elder care system is organized in Massachusetts,
and to introduce the friends and families who care for elders to the diverse
organizations who provide help. The Handbook will also be posted on a
companion website to provide accessible, up-to-date connections to the
many providers, both in Massachusetts and nationwide.
This Handbook is designed with the caregiver in mind.
It poses basic questions caregivers need to ask -- and answer -- as they
design elder care plans and make their own care choices. It explains how
services are organized, and provides telephone numbers, locations, and website
addresses.
Janet took care of her husband, Charles,
during the five years he fought a degenerative neurological disease. During
that time, she helped Charles write his book titled Paradoxes of Leadership.
Janet is also the author of her own book, Finding Meaning with Charles:
Caregiving with Love through a Degenerative Disease This book allows
readers to look inside their precious relationship to learn how to find
meaning, strength and inspiration through the caregiving experience.
Janet
has also written a variety of articles as well as chapters for books,
including one titled "Precious Memories" in the book Wise Women Speak:
Changes Along the Path.
Janet has over 30 years' experience in the health promotion field. Director
of the Prevention & Wellness staff of 20 at Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Massachusetts, Janet and her team support the company's promise to "always
put our members' health first." The programs and initiatives she oversees
encourages their 2.8 million members to adopt healthy lifestyles, supports
nearly 600 employers in offering worksite wellness programs for their
employees and provides tools to over 4,000 primary care physicians to
promote preventative health.
Janet has a Master's degree in Exercise Science from Georgia State University.
She is a former President of the Association for Worksite Health Promotion.
Janet is also a national inspirational speaker on leadership, health promotion
and caregiving.
October
25th
John
Paul Marosy
John Paul
Marosy is founder and president of Bringing Elder Care Home.
He is a former family caregiver and
has served as CEO of leading organizations in the fields of aging and
home health care.
He provides education, training, and
corporate consulting with respect to the growing issue of balancing elder
care in the work place.
Mr. Marosy is the author of Elder
Care: A Six Step Guide to Balancing Work and Family - A concise,
practical guide for every employee who is - or will be - caring for an
older relative.An effective, inexpensive way
for employers to address the elder care/work issue.
October
4th
Beacon Hospice
Jim Dodson, Chaplain, (left)
Beacon Hospice (Beverly Office)
Peter Bane, Social Worker, (right)
Beacon Hospice (Boston South Office)
September
27th How Hospice Helps Caregivers
Contact number is 800-840-0668
Bette Meins, RN, MSN Clinical
Services Director Boston North Office, Beacon Hospice
Joanne Seifart, RN, C, CHPN
Director of Education, Program Manager - Deep Harbors Program
Wednesday
June 7th we will be joined by represenative
of the1199SEIU- United Health care Workers-East, There will be John
Winsky of the Disability Policy Consortuim and Anne Stuart from the
Mass Senior Action Council. They both will be discussing the Personal
Care Attendants campaign to profesionalize and obtain living wages for
those doing this important work.
June
14th Kenra Grimes (photo right) of the Strong for Life
Program
The MATCH-UP Interfaith Volunteers'
Faith in Action , originally funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,
is a home-based, easy-to-follow exercise routine, designed to improve
strength, function, and balance in older adults with and without physical
disabilities/limitations.
The exercise program targets
specific muscles that are important in everyday movements, such as getting
out of a chair and walking. Local volunteers assist elders in performing
the exercises and help keep them motivated and excited about the program.
We're currently looking for both elders and volunteers!
Contact Kendra at 617-482-1510
to volunteer or be involved in the exercise program.
Also on June
14th The Driving and Dementia Study with Stacy Carruth and
Jennifer Hunter How do you know if your parents or grandparents can
continue to safely drive. They have the answers - For more information
contact Stacy Carruth (617) 414.1187 or Jennifer Hunter (617) 414.1188.
or go to www.bu.edu/alzresearch/
June
21st -Stonehedge Rehabilatation and Skilled nursing Care
Center-(Ethos Gold Sponsor)
Guest is Molly Welch from Stonehedge
Rehabilitation Center located in West Roxbury and Ken Barnard from the
Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Hyde Park.
May
24thCommonwealth Communities. ( Ethos Gold Sponsor)
May 31st Caregiver Alliance - Senior
Expo Preview with guest Marion Eisenberg.
April
19th, Don't miss a very special performance by Judith
Black Live on April 19th at 6:30PM. Retiring the Champ: Coaching
Life's Last Big Bout is a story about coaching the world's smallest
heavyweight through her last big bout; only this fight ring echoes with
the sounds of laughter and redemption.
The physical journey from downsizing the home and dealing
with the medical and elder care establishment, and the social journey
involving the delicate weave of family relationships and the spiritual
journey of a son from angry boy to soulful adult is the stuff of this
tale.
Go to www.storiesalive.com
for a schedule of live performances. Watch Age-Wise-Bridging the Generations
the second Tuesday of each month at 2:30 PM on BNN-TV.
February
15 John Obrien, one of Bostons most prolific playwrights
joins Paul to discuss "how aging impacts the Creative Process".
February
22nd - Gail Harris, the author of Your Heart Knows
the Answer. Read about how the lives of women were impeded before
they learned how to listen for what their hearts know. And how these
women were freed after learning how to follow their hearts' wise messages.
Your Heart Knows the Answer can teach YOU how to trust the voice of
your heart, so that you can make the choices that are right for you.
website: www.yourheartknows.com
and our second guest Dr. Elizabeth Howard from Northeaster on the upcoming
Norteastern Caregivers Conferance on
March 4th.
March
1st -Paul and Leslie discuss the Olympics of
Caregiving.