Omaha Business Hall of Fame

Fight the flu

“A flu shot is your best protection against catching the flu,” says Randy Bergen, MD, pediatric infectious disease specialist at Kaiser Permanente. The flu virus changes often. The protection given by the flu vaccine only lasts for about a year, so you need to get a flu shot every year, preferably in the fall.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children 6 months and older, and every adult, get vaccinated against the flu. Children and adults who have a chronic health condition or weakened immune system, adults 65 or older, or smokers who are between 19 and 64 should also get a pneumonia vaccine. When you come in for your flu shot, ask if you need a pneumonia vaccine.

Flu shots are safe and won’t give you the flu .

What to do if you get the flu

1.Don’t ask for antibiotics, which won’t help because the flu is caused by a virus.
2.Stay home to help avoid spreading the flu to others.
3.Wash your hands often and avoid touching your face.
4.Use home remedies or over-the-counter medications, but don’t give any cough or cold products to children 6 years old or younger.
Protect yourself and family

The flu is more serious than the common cold, so do everything you can to prevent it. A flu shot (or nasal spray) is your best defense. The vaccine is safe, won’t make you sick, and generally has few side effects.

The flu virus changes often, and the protection from the vaccine only lasts for about a year. That’s why you should get a flu shot every year, preferably in the fall.

Who should get a flu shot?
The CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccination every year.

The flu shot helps prevent you from getting the flu and from spreading it to others. Even healthy people can develop serious complications or even die from the flu — so protect yourself and your loved ones by getting vaccinated.

Vaccination is especially important for:

*people 50 years and older
*children 6 months through 4 years old
*women who are or will be pregnant during flu season
*people with chronic medical conditions or weakened immune systems
*people who live in nursing homes and other long-term care centers
*health care workers
*people who live with or care for anyone at high risk for flu-related complications
*Complications of flu can include bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes.

Why kids should get a flu shot
Children can spread the flu easily to adults and other children. Getting vaccinated also helps protect infants (who cannot receive a flu shot), pregnant women, the elderly, and people with chronic conditions.

Make sure your children get all recommended vaccinations on time. Check your child’s immunization record.

Flu shots will be available beginning in early fall 2011.  They are available from your health care provider or at local CVS drug stores & local Safeway stores! Do you have a primary care physician to help you if & when you do get the flu? Dr. Thomas Yatteau is a wonderful physician here  in Sonoma County who offers Concierge medicine.

 Dont forget  or delay- Get your flu shot today!

November is National Family Caregivers Month

Every day, more than 65 million family caregivers in the United States fulfill a vital role on the care team. November is National Family Caregivers Month, a great time to honor the family caregivers who devote their lives to caring for senior loved ones.

Family caregivers need support, which is why the Home Instead Senior Care^® network launched Caring for Your Parents: Education for the Family Caregiver^SM. This family caregiver support series addresses senior resistance to care and features a variety of topics such as choosing an in-home care provider, the signs of aging, long distance caregiving and communicating with aging parents. Materials and videos are available at www.caregiverstress.com.  Tell a family Caregiver about this valuable resource.

Help family caregivers through holidays

Give family caregivers a gift this holiday season by inviting them to participate in one of the upcoming “Home for the Holidays” webinars. This hour-long informational session provides family caregivers with information on how to help their senior loved ones manage holiday travel, family gatherings, seasonal depression and other issues that can occur during this busy time of year. The webinar will be offered on:

Tuesday, November 15 at noon Central Time

Click the following link to register for this date and time: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/316436230

• Monday, December 5 at 7 p.m. Central Time

Click the following link to register for this date and time:

https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/321591990

The “Home for the Holidays” webinar is the next installment in the Caring for Your Parents: Education for the Family Caregiver^SM support series and is moderated by the Home Instead Senior Care^® network, hosted by the American Society on Aging (ASA) and co-sponsored by the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) and the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC).

The Caring for Your Parents: Education for the Family Caregiver support series is another way Home Instead Senior Care^® businesses across the country are building trust in communities and supporting clients and their families.  

Happy Monday Morning!

 As CAREGivers caring for seniors in our community, every day we are reminded of no matter how great or small our acts of kindness or helping helping hands enabling older adults to remain independant in their homes… we can make a difference every day!

Here is another great thing I found in this ever shirking Internet world that I thought I wanted to share with you all today.I hope you enjoy these positive words of encouragement…because there are days we all can use some!

remember you have no idea the impact just a smile can make on a strangers life!

Monday Mojo: Today I Will Make A Difference
 
By Tom Tognoli | July 25th, 2011

This week, I’m pleased to bring to you some “guest MOJO,” from our very own J. Shoop.

J. Shoop as one of Intero Real Estate’s  top producing Area Sales Managers for Western Bancorp, he is also an author, coach, and aspiring professional speaker. His first co-authoring project is set to be released on July 15th, and is available now on Amazon.com!
We welcome J’s insights for this week’s installment of Monday Morning MOJO!

Every day we are faced with a multitude of choices.

In my opinion, one of the greatest freedoms human beings enjoy is the freedom to choose our thoughts. We can choose to focus upon and think about what’s right in our world, or we can choose to focus on what’s not.

One of my favorite inspirational authors, Max Lucado, wrote a book over 15 years ago called “On The Anvil.” The excerpt below is from his book.

Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters. I will avoid negativism and gossip. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. Today I will make a difference.

I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.
I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It’s OK to stumble…I will get up. It’s OK to fail…I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.
I will spend time with those I love. My spouse, my children, my family. A man can own the world but be poor for the lack of love. A man can own nothing and yet be wealthy in relationships. Today I will spend at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening. Five undiluted minutes with my mate, children, and friends.

Today I will make a difference.

I’d like to encourage you to start each day reading aloud the words above. I assure you that you will notice an immediate impact in your attitude, and it will fortify you for the day ahead.

Thank you,

J. Shoop

 ~ so well said! Thank you for sharing your wise words & positive insight  to Tom  Tognoli from Intero Real Estate & J.Shoop of Western Bancorp. Happy Monday everyone!!

Jeff Huber, President of Home Instead Senior Care Inc. was recently interviewed and here is a few of Jeff’s words….

Most professionals involved with eldercare are aware that adult children are not prepared to care for their parents when they receive “that call” that throws them into the caregiving role.  But the Home Instead Senior Care network wanted to learn more about that and so in conjunction with The Boomer Project, a study of 600 baby boomer aged adults was conducted. 

The results surprised me:

• Less than 50% were knowledgeable about their parents’ medical history
•  49% were unable to name any of their parents’ current medications
• More than 30% did not know just how many medications their parent(s) was taking
• 34% were unaware whether or not their parent  owned a safety deposit box
• and 36% were unaware of the location of their parents’ financial and legal information

The time to gather this information is NOT when a crisis occurs.  At that time, decisions need to be made quickly, tempers may flare and fights between siblings and other family members can ensue.   Family members can panic and incorrect choices may be made which may cause long term problems for all involved. 

 There will come a point when all of this information will be needed so it’s best to begin to gather it early.

Jeff suggests adopting the 40-70 Rule® which is a program to help bridge the communication gap between adult children and their senior loved ones.  Basically,  the earlier the conversation begins, the less stressful it will be and the more prepared the adult children will be.  The site provides conversation starters and communication tips.

Home Instead is also offering a free “Caring for Your Parents: Senior Emergency Kit” that you can download from our  website www.SeniorEmergencyKit.com.  This kit contains information such important contact information, a medication tracker, an allergies and conditions worksheet and some extra listed resources.

Do something good for YOURSELF and be prepared as your parents age…trust me, you’ll be glad you did!

Be Inspired!         Be Intentional!      Be the change YOU want to see in the World!

My mom was Dignosed  in 1983 and with  treatment including a radical mastectomy I can say today, She IS  a 28 year SURVIVOR!!!!  She is an example of amazing strength!  She taught me so much just witnessing her battle with the treatment & the drainage tubes & rebuilding of her physical streagth and altered Body Image. Rebuilding her life, the one the doctors said she would most deffiantly loose on the opperating table & to make arrangments for her two  young children prior to suregery.  I must say her spritual streagth through, the worst of it, Nerver waivered!

My Mom IS a true Pink Ribbon Warrior! For my Mom  & my own Daughter Kerrry,  for your mom & your daughters, yours siter, your best friend …. I walk, I donate, I sponsor.  I want to see Breast cancer be only used in the past tence,  like an old dusty box found in the corner of a garage in a very old house. One day….but today, I WALK!

This disease affects so many,  yet we are so far from cure &  vaccination…. I have a client who just lost her sister to BC and that follows the death 3 yrs ago of their mother to the disease.     :-(    Unfortunatly this isnt a ramdom story, it is all to common. 

Walk! Walk to find a cure my friend!  Be inspired! Be intentional & Be the change we want to see in our World! One day this,  like so many other illness ( Alzheimer’s my other passion) will be only spoken on used in the past tense. Our children will tell their children of the great illnesses of our time which took so many lives. One day….But  today, WE WALK!

 Kerry, Julie Ann & Trudy~ photo above

Walk, Run, Join a team, or  Support one, Be inspired, Be intentional, Be the change you wish to see in the world! 

 Take Action. Take control. Make a change!

Join us at the San Francsico Avon Breast Cancer Walk on July 9th and 10th, stay hydrated & wear ur favorite sneakers!

~Julie Ann 

About the Avon Walk San Francisco

From the bustling downtown to the raw beauty of Marin, the Avon Walk San Francisco experience will embrace the very aspects of charm and diversity that make this city one of the world’s favorites. This Avon Walk weekend July 9 -10, 2011 will have you traveling across the Golden Gate Bridge and alongside the Sausalito waterfront. The legendary roller coaster hills are only a small price to pay as we walk together to address the unusually high occurrence of breast cancer in the City by the Bay.

IN IT for a purpose

We’ll walk up to 39.3 miles between Saturday and Sunday -all so that women and men can get the medical care they need regardless of their ability to pay, and leading research teams can receive vital support in their ongoing search for a cure.  For more specific details regarding the mileage per day, please see their  event page at :

http://www.avonwalk.org/san-francisco/

Do you know Sheri?

Have you met her before at one of our CAREGiver meetings perhaps here in Rohnert Park?

Maybe you worked with the  same client before  either in Santa Rosa, Sebastopol or Petaluma with Sheri?

Sheri began caring for the elderly in the 80’s as a CNA in skilled nursing facilities while earning her BA degree at Sonoma State University.  While helping to care for her grandmother at home in the 90’s, she worked through the challenges that families are faced when looking for a caregiver for their loved ones.  Before moving into our Staffing Manager position in 2011, she worked as a CAREgiver for Home Instead.  Sheri worked all over Sonoma, in Healdsburg, and Windsor,  to the east of our county in  Sebastopol & down to Petaluma.  Her background gives her a natural instinct for matching the best CAREgiver for each client and, with our amazing pool of CAREgivers, that perfect match is easy to find!

If you have yet to meet Sheri, come on into our offices in Rohnert Park to meet her!

She’s always got candy in a bowl  on her desk!    ;-)

The Starfish Story

 Adapted from the Starfish Thrower by Lowern Eisley

Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing.  He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer.  He smiles to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out. “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?” The young man paused, looked up and replied, “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”

“I must ask, then why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is gong out. If I don’t throw then in, they will die.”

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, “But young man, do you not realize that there are miles of beach and there are starfish along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”

At this the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said

 “It made a difference for that one.”

Our CAREGivers make a difference every day! If you know of anyone who could benefit from our caring services, please contact us so we can start making a difference in someone’s life….today!

Home Instead Senior Care….To us, it’s personal.

707-586-1516

Visit our website at : www.homeinstead.com/sonoma

                     Or become a Fan on Facebook 

Home Instead Senior Care provides Respite care, Alzheimer’s care, Hospice care, Medication reminders, Meal prep, Light housekeeping, Personal care, Incidental transportation for Errands, Shopping & Doctor Appointments.

Give us a call to see how we can make a difference in someone you knows life!

You can visit our web brochure at:

www.HISCsonoma.digbro.com

6050- Commerce Blvd. Ste# 210 Rohnert Park, CA 94928

707-586-1516

Home Instead Senior Care and Denny Corcoran – a real winning team!

Home Instead Senior Care, Ireland’s trusted source of home care for seniors, has won the Irish Franchise of the Year Award in this year’s prestigious Irish Franchise Association Awards. It was a cause for a double celebration as Denny Corcoran, a Home Instead Senior Care client, received the accolade of Waterford’s Person of the year, and was the Grand Marshall for the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Waterford.

Retiring in 2000 Denny was a key player of the Waterford Pantomime society and during the heyday of variety in Waterford when The Tops of the Town were a golden age of community entertainment.

An ambassador of theatre in Waterford, Denny was a key instigator in the development of the Waterford Pantomime Society and was a significant contributor to the ‘golden age’ of theatre in the city.

Denny Corcoran, 75 year old widower, stroke survivor started using the services of Home Instead Senior Care last year. Following a second stroke he lost a lot of his mobility. He was getting support from the HSE but had long periods of the day he had no company while his family were working. The local Home Instead Office went about matching a suitable CAREGiver. Danette Connolly, the Director of Care explains “matching the right person with the right skills is the most important part of the service.

“Someone told us about Home Instead Senior Care, and we started using their services, which has literally transformed Dad’s life and ours too,” says his daughter Ann.

“We explained to Home Instead Senior Care that Dad really wanted to get out and about during the week while we were working. They matched us with the most amazing carer, Charlie, who is like a family member. Two afternoons a week Charlie brings Dad into town or on an outing for two hours. Other afternoons, they spend an hour doing exercises and activities at home. At the weekends another lovely carer comes in for grooming and bathing, and gets Dad ready for mass. With the advice and support from their office and nurse, Home Instead Senior Care has changed all our lives, and we couldn’t recommend them enough,” adds Ann.

Home Instead Senior Care, Ireland’s trusted source of home care for seniors, has won the Irish Franchise of the Year Award in this year’s prestigious Irish Franchise Association Awards. This award reassures both seniors who use home care services and their families that the highest standards of care are being delivered.

Speaking about the award win, Ed Murphy, Chief Executive of Home Instead Senior Care said: “It is so rewarding to see that Home Instead Senior Care and the home care service we provide to Ireland’s seniors has been so strongly recognised by the Irish Franchise Association. As Managing Director of Home Instead Senior Care I am very passionate about not only providing the highest quality home care service, but also a truly caring service that makes a real difference in the lives of seniors. It is a terrific accolade for such efforts to be acknowledged”.

Waterford Person of the Year, Denny Corcoran, Mayor of Waterford Cllr. Mary Roche and Danette Connolly, Home Instead Senior Care.

Congratulations to Home Instead & Denny!