Sharing with seniors, their families, and caregivers
Senior Opportunities
Meet the Rolling Stones? Cuddle with a chimpanzee? Visit the Wheel of Fortune set or ride in the Oscar Meier Weinermobile. What is your wish of a lifetime?
AARP’s charitable arm, Wish of a Lifetime, has made wild, even wacky, wishes come true for over 2,800 seniors; why not you? Think of a meaningful experi-
ence rather than vacations or material goods. The selection committee wants to know how you have helped others over the years, whether there is a unique and/or interesting story behind this wish, and in what significant ways this wish impacts your life.
Interestingly, many seniors who begin the application process with their caregivers or family members find their wishes turn out to be easily achieved without assistance. We also found that completing the application is a great way to rediscover our dreams and desires.
Apply for The AARP Wish of a Lifetime at: www.wishofalifetime.org
Spotlight on Our Services
Transportation, Shopping, and Social Outings
Activities don’t need to end when you stop driving. Your Comfort Keeper® can transport, and even escort you, in any of life’s simple tasks such as running errands, shopping, seeing a movie, taking a class at the community college, or going out for lunch. You can choose using your vehicles or theirs.
Veterans Day
GIVING BACK Comfort Keepers® hosted veterans and their guests for an honorary luncheon in Traverse City. The event featured U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Commander Ryan Hawn. Veterans shared stories and brought souvenirs from their service.
Pictured: Comfort Keepers client and Air Force veteran Bradley Roswell with Comfort Keepers owner Russ Knopp
Family Matters
Just Hanging Out
We believe Sheila Liming’s words are a gift to families and friends who have forgotten the art of multi-generational hanging out! Movie and pizza night at the grandparents? Let’s all chill and hang out like teenagers.
Social media shows a trending desire for a couch friend, just a buddy who will sit with you on the couch and happily do nothing. Friendships improve our physical and mental health and vital for our well-being. So, let’s do nothing, together. We are accustomed to only doing scheduled activities with one another. Often, we think time spent together must be structured – exercising, going to a movie or shopping together. We don't think something is beneficial unless it is productive. Teenagers enjoy hanging out with friends, but as we get older, we lose the ability to enjoy simply being with a friend and chatting or even being silent.
Social media shows a trending desire for a couch friend, just a buddy that will sit with you on the couch and happily do nothing. Friendships improve our physical and mental health and vital for our well-being. So, let’s do nothing, together.
Source:New York Times , Excerpt: Why Don’t We Hang Out Anymore by Sheila Liming
Jennifer Biggs, RN
Senior Health
Foot Trouble
Your feet may hurt, but you can’t necessarily blame the shoes; your feet are getting bigger. Our feet actually expand in width and length as the ligaments and tendons lose elasticity and stability due to aging. You may need new shoes. Many foot problems result from wearing shoes that are too narrow and short. This creates significant friction in a moist environment, leading to skin injuries and infections that are difficult to treat but easy to prevent.
Podiatrists advise that you wear comfortable, wellfitting shoes that fit your newly wider feet, with plenty of room for your toes to wiggle a bit.
Next, do everything you can to keep your feet dry. Your feet have nearly 250,000 sweat glands at work, producing up to a gallon of sweat each month. Managing all that moisture is the key to clean, fresh-smelling, and healthy feet.
TOP TIPS
• Try increasing the size of your shoes.
• Wear clean, dry, breathable 100% cotton or moisture-resistant socks, changing them as needed.
• Depending on the climate, wear shoes that can manage some of that moisture by allowing airflow.
• Check feet daily, including soles, heels, and between toes, to look for new or worsening problems. Keep toenails cut or filed straight across.
• Moisturize with a lotion or cream before bed to hydrate and avoid cracking.
Biggs Earns Wound Care Certification
Lead nurse, Jennifer Biggs, RN, is now a Wound Care Specialist. Her certification by the Cleveland Clinic enables us to offer advanced wound care to clients who suffer from pressure wounds, skin tears, and chronic non-healing wounds as occur with diabetes. Jennifer’s additional training
adds advanced wound prevention with specialized treatment and management of chronic non-healing wounds to our care services.
Senior Safety
Senior Safety: Power Outage Prep
Northern Michiganders know that snow and ice can lead to power outages. Here is a quick guide for preparing and protecting seniors at home:
Is there a medical device powered by energy?
The local electric utility should be notified now of its existence and importance as soon as the essential medical device is put into service. This will place your address on a list for immediate attention during a power outage.
Make a list now.
We all rely on our battery-dependent smartphones for contact information. When making a hard copy of emergency numbers, consider all utility companies, including power, gas, and water. Also include contacts such as family members, the nearest neighbor, the fire department, police, doctor, and home care provider.
Seniors should stockpile.
Make sure seniors are equipped with working flashlights and a lantern, a battery-powered radio, extra batteries on hand and keep one or more smartphone chargers fully charged and ready. A good book, crossword puzzles, or hobbies will help pass the time. Additionally, keep warm blankets, bottled water, and non-perishable foods with a manual can opener all in one place. If it’s cold or damp, have several layers of clothing at the ready, including gloves and a hat.
Baskets
of Bounty
Our thanks to the Grand Traverse County Commission on Aging for spearheading the Baskets of Bounty program. Our employees and friends contributed food, paper products, and small gifts to be packaged and delivered to senior citizens in need.
Comfort Keepers News
Comfort Keepers of Northern Lower Michigan has promoted three current staff members to key positions. Owners Leslie and Russ Knopp announced several changes within their company’s leadership and team structure as they experience continued growth in the home healthcare market. They note that these promotions reflect the ongoing commitment of these individuals to providing strong leadership and management support for the entire team at Comfort Keepers.
Bethany Korbel has been promoted to General Manager. Ian Straley is now serving as the Petoskey Territory Manager. Danielle Letourneau has been promoted to Operations Coordinator, and Kristina Baker to Finance Manager.
We are northwest Michigan’s premier in-home care provider.
Bethany Korbel Ian Straley
Danielle Letourneau Kristina Baker
Senior In-home Care
1755 Barlow Street
Traverse City, MI 49686
News News
Actor Michael J. Fox. knows a thing or two about asking for help.. He says, “Family is not an important thing. It is everything.”
We so agree. Over the past 20 years, we have created an extended family of wise, caring, and generous souls. You have inspired us to appreciate our team’s impact on every person we encounter throughout our day.
Our family includes seniors, their family members, our 200+ Comfort Keepers, and our immensely talented administrative and executive staff. We couldn’t do this work without our extraordinary colleagues in Northern Michigan’s network of senior support services, agencies, and healthcare professionals, who work with us to elevate the human spirit.
Above all, our senior clients take center stage. Thank you for sharing your history, stories, wisdom, and good humor with us all. While the business of caregiving can be complicated and is always deeply personal, our approach has always been that of a family.
