From the Desk of Don Stewart

Pets, CareGiver Stress...

This month we're going to try to answer questions about how to get Food Assistance for your pet in our first article. It is surprising who are players in this endeavor in our community. Also Caregiver Stress continues to take its toll on Family Caregivers with serious consequences. How to hold the stressful elements at bay in a caring relationship with a Senior are discussed in our second article.

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Please donate to the nonprofit that captured Debbie's heart: Alzheimer's Association "Walk To End Alzheimer's" in her name directly at www.tiny.cc/eu06vz, and Thank You.
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Our Speakers Bureau In-Person presentations are fully up and running. We urge you to attend all of these twice-a-month Speakers Bureau presentations at 

Las Fuentes Resort Village 
1035 Scott Drive
Prescott 86301
(the second Thursday of the month)
and
American Lutheran Church 
1085 Scott Drive
Prescott 86301
(on the fourth Thursday of the month). 

You can see what presentations are scheduled by clicking on the Speakers Bureau tab on the www.SeniorConnection.us website.

If you can't make it to one of the presentations due to weather or prior commitment, you will find that most (but not all) of the presentations will be video-taped and put up on our website (Set your browser to: TeleConnection.us) within a day or two of the In-Person presentation. There are over 130 past Presentations that are available to you 24 hours a day on the Senior Connection Streaming website with a simple mouse click. Check all these fabulous presentations at TeleConnection.us

Continuing to Make the Connection,
Don 

Senior Connection
P.O. Box 11929
Prescott AZ 86304
(928) 778-3747 
www.SeniorConnection.us
Don@SeniorConnection.us

NEWS

AZ Primary Elections are to be held on July 30, 2024
Make your voice heard

As Caregivers, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks that need to be accomplished for your loved one each day. While it’s easy to remain upbeat on good days, it’s the bad days that can leave you feeling confused, exhausted or resentful. At these times, it’s important to know that you’re not alone. 

Knowing what to expect can help tremendously in your ability to cope. Knowledge is Power! Each month in this newsletter we include one or more articles on topics relating to the joys and challenges of aging and caregiving.

Please let me know if you find the articles useful and what other topics you’d like to see.

I've never had anyone ask me about Dog Food Assistance programs in the quad cities, but it turns out that there are several opportunities for Seniors.

United Animal Friends holds a Monthly one-day Community Pet Food Bank in Prescott. Food is distributed the last Wednesday of each month near AZ-89A and Granite Dells Road in Prescott from 9am to 10am during June, July and August, and 10am to 11am during all other months. Distribution details will be provided when you are approved for the program.

Recipients are qualified based on income and with our assistance (if needed) all pets will need to be fixed. For more information on the Community Pet Food Bank or to see if you qualify for assistance, please leave a message at 928-778-2924 or fill out the form below. A volunteer will call you about the details of the program.

Prescott Meals on Wheels offers an ANIMEAL program. The Animeals program delivers supplemental pet food to clients once a week. The program is 100% donation-based. Pets can bring an added quality of life to clients, especially those who are socially isolated. Pam and Roger Finn manage the Animeals program. More Information: pmowcares@gmail.com 928-445-7630

Yavapai Humane Society extends support through its Pet Food Pantry, addressing the nutritional needs of pets in the community. Committed to aiding those in need, this resource ensures that individuals facing challenges in providing food for their pets receive assistance. Location: 1625 Sundog Ranch Road, 928-445-2666.

We live in a community where individuals serve our community in so many different ways. The above list is just the starting point of recognized agencies, from whom you may be able to obtain referrals to other help organization for pets in the community that don't have a big advertising budget. 

Don Stewart is the CEO of the Senior Connection, a trade organization that connects Seniors and Family Caregivers with Seniors Goods & Services providers in the Prescott area, and is Editor of the Caregiver Connection Newsletter. Contact him at Don@SeniorConnection.us

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"4 Realistic Ways to Thwart 
Caregiver Stress"

By Claire Wentz

Life has taught us that sometimes No Good Deed Goes Unpunished - even for the incredibly good. Caregiver stress, a condition that the US Department of Health & Human Services describes as having “harmful health effects” affects men and women who provide care for others, including aging parents.

Signs and symptoms

Family Caregiver stress does not take a single form. It may come and go as moments of frustration and anger followed by a sense of helplessness and grief for the way things used to be. Caregivers under constant stress often make bad lifestyle choices, such as smoking and using alcohol or illegal drugs to simply get through the day. Other symptoms include:

Constant headaches and body aches
Feeling sad or worried more often than usual
Becoming needlessly irritated or angered without provocation
Loss of interest in formerly enjoyable activities
Fatigue
Weight gain/weight loss
Change in sleeping pattern
Feelings of loneliness and desertion

Left unchecked, long-term stress can lead to a host of physical and mental health conditions including depression, weakened immunity, obesity, cognitive impairment, stroke, arthritis, cancer, and diabetes. For these reasons, caregivers must learn to make their own wellness a priority each and every day.

Sneaking self-care

Caregiver schedules are often full from morning until night. However, there are a few ways to squeeze out a few healthy habits that will have a positive and long-lasting effect. Here are a few simple ways to manage or prevent caregiver stress:

Read a book. Reading is one of the few ways to enjoy an amazing adventure without having to leave the comfort of your favorite chair. And it’s always a great way to give yourself a quick mental health boost.

Accept help when offered. It’s very easy to get into the habit of simply taking care of things on your own and believing you’re the only one who won’t make a mistake with medicine or other pieces of your loved ones care. However, don’t deny friends and family the opportunity to play a part. Accept help, even if it’s for something simple, such as grocery shopping or preparing a meal. If help isn’t available, consider hiring a respite caregiver once a week.

Take a walk. 30 minutes each day is all it takes to improve your overall mood, jumpstart your creativity, and slash your chances of developing a chronic disease. Prevention magazine claims the benefits of walking (in addition to helping you lose weight) extend to your midsection by improving gastric mobility, meaning you’ll be more regular.

Go outside. If you can’t spare half an hour at once, try to go outside a few times a day for at least 10 minutes. Studies have shown that sunshine – or more specifically the vitamin D your body produces as a reaction to the sun – may help stave off depression. The National Institutes of Health recently published a paper suggesting exposure to sunshine may be a cost-effective therapy to improve people’s overall quality of life.

Don’t feel guilty for needing to attend to your own health and well-being. Your loved one, and those around you, will understand. Your priority may be your aging parent, but you can’t provide care if you wind up prematurely needing care yourself.

Claire Wentz is the author of the upcoming book Caring From Afar: A Comprehensive Guide for Long Distance Senior Caregivers.  For more information, contact Claire at clairewentz@caringfromafar.com or go to her website: caringfromafar.com.

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If you would like to see what Support Groups are operating in our Community, please click here:
www.CaregiverConnection.us/SupportGroups

If you would like to see who our Sponsoring Members are, please click here:
www.CaregiverConnection.us/SCAgencies

If you would to learn more about Community Activities & Announcements, please click here:
www.CaregiverConnection.us/Community

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Disclaimer:
The inclusion of information about the companies listed herein does not represent an endorsement on the part of this publication, the Caregiver Connection, the Senior Connection, nor is staff or officers.
It is your responsibility to verify the validity, reliability and suitability of any of the companies with whom you may wish to do business.

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Newsletter Compiled by:
Don Stewart
Senior Connection,
www.SeniorConnection.us

We would appreciate if you would notify us at Don@SeniorConnection.us
if you learn of any changes to the above information.
Thank you!

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The information contained herein and throughout the website is for educational purposes only. It is not intended, nor should it be construed as legal, medical or financial advice. Use of this information indicates your understanding of, and agreement to the above.

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Whether you are an adult child caring for an aging parent, a spouse or sibling providing care to a relative, or a senior caring for yourself, the information and products available via the www.SeniorConnection.us website are designed to improve your quality of life. 

THE
SENIORCONNECTION.US WEBSITE

   As caregivers, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks that need to be accomplished for your loved ones each day.
    Although hundreds of resources exist to help you, the hardest part can be finding what’s available. 
   Therefore, in addition to the Caregiver Connection newsletter, I am also pleased to make available to you several valuable resources via the “Senior Connection website.” This web-based one-stop Educational and Information center for Caregivers and Seniors is designed to save you time and money, as well as your sanity.
   The SeniorConnection.us website consists of a comprehensive Resource Directory, Articles on topics of relevance to caregivers and seniors, and informational Videos and Slideshows about agencies that offer help throughout Yavapai County.

SENIOR RESOURCES DIRECTORY

   The Resources Directory contains contact information for hundreds of local nonprofit, government and commercial agencies that provide helpful products and services to ease the life of caregivers. 
   Updated weekly, this searchable database will save you literally hundreds of research hours and connect you with nonprofit, government and commercial agencies that can help with every aspect of being a caregiver. 
   Categories include areas such as assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, in-home care providers, transportation, meal preparation and delivery, and financial assistance. 
   A search on one or more keywords results in all of the companies that provide a particular product or service. You can then print out the Profile of each agency that is of interest to you. 

   All on the website at: 
Senior Connection.us

INFORMATIONAL ARTICLES

Dozens of candid articles get right to the "heart of the matter," from both the Caregiver’s and Senior’s perspectives.

The Informational Articles section contains articles on a wide variety of topics relating to aging.

The articles are short and sweet, yet go directly to the heart of the matter of some of the most sensitive issues surrounding our fears and frustrations as caregivers.

No topic is off-limits and new articles are constantly being added to the website.

To read additional articles on a variety of topics, please visit the Articles section of the SeniorConnection.us website:

Articles

EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS

Educational Videos and Slideshows, narrated by recognized experts in the community, are posted on the website. Additionally, videos and slideshows featuring nonprofit and for-profit agencies that provide products or services to caregivers and seniors will be available at the website: 

Senior Connection.us