CAREGiver CONNECT
APR 22
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April 2022
Things you can Control Your beliefs Your attitude Your thoughts Your perspective How honest you are Who your friends are What books you read How often you exercise The type of food you eat How many risks you take How you interpret the situation How kind you are to others How kind you are to yourself How often you say “I love you.” How often you say “thank you.” How you express your feelings Whether or not you ask for help How often you practice gratitude How many times you smile today The amount of effort you put forth How you spend / invest your money How much time you spend worrying How often you think about your past Whether or not you judge other people Whether or not you try again after a setback How much you appreciate the things you have — Caleb LP Gunner
What’s inside - CAREGiver Highlight - Parkinsons Awareness Month
- Poem - Benefits of Compression Socks - Doobie Beaufort - First Aid - AWACCS - Office Family
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CAREGiver Highlight
Tricia Armstrong
Introducing the wonderful Tricia Armstrong!
What do I love most about being a CAREGiver? I just love helping people!! It gives me great happiness and satisfaction knowing I’ve made somebody’s life a little easier by caring for them.
What is one thing that I have learnt as a CAREGiver? Being a CAREGiver has taught me patience. I realise that one day, I will more than likely be in the same position as I age, requiring that little bit of extra help to accomplish daily tasks.
Thank you Tricia for all your fantastic work!
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Fondest memory as a CAREGiver?
My very first shift with Home Instead. The shift entailed helping a lady to shower, and also light domestic. She was a lovely, sweet senior lady and was so appreciative! I can remember thinking “I actually get paid to do this? It’s the best job in the world, and it doesn’t even feel like work!”
What’s your Biggest achievement as a CAREGiver? Being a CAREGiver has increased my confidence and helped me to believe I can do anything. It has built my character and made me a better person.
So, all you lovely CAREGivers – who is up next ? Let’s share our stories and strengthen our community! Please contact Vib Thomsen on 07 3277 3077 or vibeke.thomsen@homeinsteadbsi.com.au with a few lines (approx. 100 words) so we can share your story or advice - or anything else you would like to share with us.
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K L A T L REA Parkinsons
PARKINSONS AWARENESS MONTH!
April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month. This year, we want everyone to take actions to impact the future of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Whether that means learning how to navigate your own future with Parkinson’s or helping us create a world without PD, together we can make a difference.
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Dealing with Dementia Dementia refers to problems in memory and thinking that are advanced, interfering with daily activities and quality of life. While not everyone with Parkinson’s will develop dementia or paranoia, some do. For people with Parkinson’s, dementia has a great impact on ability to participate in social settings and perform basic activities due to the combination of motor AND cognitive impairments, and it can have serious effects on the CAREGiver. In fact, significant cognitive decline in the person with PD is associated with caregiver stress.
As dementia progresses, fact and fantasy can become confused, and the behavioral consequences can be particularly difficult. People with Parkinson’s may become disorientated and unable to be left alone. They may show signs of agitation, delusions, mood fluctuations and increased impulsivity. Making the problem even harder, many of the drugs we currently use do not adequately address these problems. If someone says something you know isn’t true, try to find ways around the situation, instead of contradicting them. Make this your mantra:
“IT IS THE DISEASE MAKING THESE ACCUSATIONS, NOT MY LOVED ONE.”
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K L A T L REA Parkinsons
PARKINSONS AWARENESS MONTH!
It is not an easy concept to internalize, but it is essential to your emotional wellbeing. Often, the quality of your relationship with your loved one prior to the onset of Parkinson’s will impact your willingness to accept this reality.
We all attribute reasons for people’s actions to experiences with them in the past. If you had a loving marriage for 30 years before your husband showed signs of dementia, it might not take that long for you to realize the disease is the cause of his confusion and outbursts. On the other hand, if you hadn’t spoken to your mother for many years before you became her caregiver, her paranoia and negativity might reopen old wounds and make caring for her even more complicated and trying. Accusations of adultery, theft and trying to murder the patient are extremely painful when you are making sacrifices to provide care. Each situation is unique, and not everyone will encounter these scenarios. But if they do occur, remind yourself that it is the disease talking. See the videos on Thinking Changes for more information.
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Tips to Calm the Person with Parkinson’s Behavioral strategies can help deal with issues like impulsivity, wandering, poor initiation and problems with communication. In addition to helping the person with PD, adopting strategies to help manage your loved one’s dementia can alleviate your stress and emotional pain, too. Try these tips to calm the person with PD: • Serve meals and arrange visits at the same time every day. Many people with Parkinson’s benefit from a regular routine in their dayto-day activities and feel more comfortable with a clear, structured schedule. • Simplify the décor of the living area. Reducing excessive stimuli may help with distractibility or confusion and can help minimize memory, visual-perceptual or orientation difficulties. • Use a nightlight or low-level lighting to help reduce visual misperceptions and confusion at nighttime. • Keep calm and still while you talk to your loved one; avoid speaking sharply or raising your voice. People with dementia may respond with impatience or even aggression if they can’t find the right words to express what they mean. Try asking if they can explain in a different way. Listen for clues and pay attention to body language. You may be able to interpret what they’re saying, but make sure to confirm that you are correct. • Demonstrate your care and affection for your loved one. Maintaining physical contact throughout the stages of dementia is important. If your loved one is not responsive, it can be tempting to speak about him as if he weren’t there. Remember that the person with Parkinson’s one has the same feelings and needs he had before developing dementia.
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K L A T L REA Parkinsons
PARKINSONS AWARENESS MONTH!
Other Tips • Watch out for sensitivity to medications. Many antipsychotic medications that are commonly prescribed for people with Alzheimer’s who have disruptive behavior are contraindicated in PD and can cause severe, sometimes dangerous, side effects. Caregivers must be vocal advocates about avoiding these medications, especially in a hospital setting where health care professionals may not be familiar with Parkinson’s. This “I Have Parkinson’s” Reminder Slip includes a list of medicines that are not safe for people with Parkinson’s and can be given to every health care provider you interact with. (Get an Aware in Care kit for more resources and important information to help the person with Parkinson’s get the best possible care in the hospital).
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• Look for community resources BEFORE you need them. No two cases of Parkinson’s or dementia are alike, and the speed of progression varies from person to person. Explore resources in your community, such as the Area Agency on Aging; services like home health aides and visiting nurses; and residential support like respite care and long-term care facilities before you need them. Where to Find Help offers more ideas. This allows you to learn about the providers, the costs and any intake processes when you are not in a crisis situation.
I talked to a lady yesterday She didn’t know my name She was amazed to hear about my past and the places I had been Her daughter’s life so similar filled her with awe and fear She looked at me bewildered could this really be real? We talked about her family We talked about her past We talked about the folk she’d known Their walk their talk their cheer The ones who floated through her world And those who stopped to share We talked about the future her hopes her dreams her fears We talked about her sorrows All the sadness life threw in We talked about her children – (Some things I shouldn’t hear!) We giggled and cried and laughed at a life so rich so full And in a moment shared sat in silence with our thoughts … And I whispered “Goodnight Mother” as her eyes succumbed to dreams I talked to a lady today She didn’t know my name She was amazed to hear about my past and the places I had been Her daughter’s life so similar filled her with awe and fear She looked at me bewildered - Tanya Howden
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K L A T L REA Compression Socks
BENEFITS OF COMPRESSION SOCKS!
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Boost circulation in your legs.
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Support veins.
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Prevent blood from pooling in your leg veins.
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Diminish leg swelling.
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Reduce orthostatic hypotension, which causes light-headedness or unsteadiness when you stand.
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Help prevent venous ulcers.
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Prevent development of deep vein thrombosis in your legs.
Some tips to make getting stockings on more easily: •
Ensure the client is seated comfortably
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Position yourself in a comfortable position
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Communicate with the client
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Talcum powder/corn starch can be applied to the legs to make it easier Make a toe tunnel (see example below) Have a pair of rubber gloves/ gardening gloves handy to smooth out creases and make putting on the stockings easier Take your time/ don’t rush
Compression Stocking Applicators to Assist EzyAs Applicator
Stocking Slider
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s t h g i l h g i H e fic
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East Brisbane & Ipswich and Brisbane South
Get to know
Doobie Beaufort !
We have had the pleasure over the past few weeks of having Doobie come into the office. He thinks he knows how to wear his PPE, do you think so?
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1.
What breed are you?
I am a rescue dog, so my breed is unknown. But it is believed I am a Bull Arab Cross.
2.
How old are you?
I am turning 7 this year. So, heading into my late 40’s in dog years.
3.
What is your favourite thing to do?
I love to eat, and I eat everything… I particularly have an enjoyment for leftovers. I also love to go for walks. I love sunbaking and then going for a swim, I have a talent for jumping into the pool and being able to swim right to the bottom of the pool. I also love drives; I like to go anywhere and putting my head out the window in the wind. I love driving to the beach, to the office, to friends, to a park, on holiday…. ANYWHERE!
4.
What is the naughtiest thing you have done?
I am a real softy; I love humans and am quite nervous and awkward. But… I do have a proclivity due to my hunting breed to chase anything small. I have quite a hitlist, 6 small birds, 3 possums, a few lizards, and a neighbour’s cat that I have taken out all in my own backyard. I am just guarding my family, but they aren’t very happy most times when they find out. I am generally a very good boy though.
5.
Your best memory?
My best memory is my bossy older sister Pippa. She was my best friend and kept me in line but unfortunately, I don’t know where she has gone now (she has passed). I used to love running with her, annoying her, eating her food as well as mine, retrieving the ball for her from the pool. I loved going on holidays with her down to South Australia to visit our Grandparents with the family. We could run on beaches together, escape into the small town, go for drives. It was the best!!
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First Aid
Why should we keep our First Aid current? 5 Reasons to Keep Your First Aid Certificate Current •
Learnings may have faded over time.
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First Aid guidelines and procedures are being updated from time to time.
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First Aid and CPR is Best Practice.
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Save someone’s life.
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Stay confident.
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Refreshing Your First Aid Certification.
East Brisbane & Ipswich and Brisbane South Family
Th is fa m ily is yo ur fa m ily too !
Myles & Gin Beaufort Business Owner and People & Culture Manager
Natasha Robbie Executive Assistant
Donna-Jo (DJ) Ratcliffe
Gayle Reid Finance Manager
Lyndia Rennie Care Manager
Vibeke Thomsen
People & Culture Liaison
Recruitment & Retention Manager
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Renae Leslie Client & CAREGiver Support Officer
Susan Read Client Services Representative
Katrina Shears Client Care Co-ordinator
Yasmin Tusa Care Management
Amanda (Mandy) O’Brien
All the other CAREGivers!
Learning and Development Officer
LOVE
Jacob Farley Off-Site Graphic Designer
They are your family too!
East Brisbane 3277 3077 eastbrisbane@ homeinstead.com.au
48 Wharf St, Kangaroo Point, QLD 4169