The Statewide Caregiving & Respite Coalition of NY
Announces the Winners of it’s
“2009 Caregiving & Respite Achievement Awards.”
The Statewide Caregiving & Respite Coalition of NY (SCRCNY) announced the winners of its 2009 Caregiving & RespiteAchievement Awards today. The purpose of the achievement award program is to honor outstanding, innovative and creative caregiving & respite services that have a long-range impact on citizens and/or the community within New York State.
“There are so many great programs that may only be known in a town, village or county. These programs are very unique, well thought out, are proven to work and should be shared statewide.” says Joanne Macklin, SCRCNY Executive Director. “We are privileged to be able to offer these awards and recognize the outstanding caregiving & respite services that make a tremendous impact on the lives of caregivers, care receivers and their families.
The Senior Services Achievement Awards has four categories:
1. Cross-generational Caregiving- Services and Programs that assist caregivers caring for people across the lifespan and across all disability areas.
2. Kinship Care Programs - Services and Programs that benefit Kincare caregiversand the children they care for.
3. Aging Services Caregiving Programs - Services and Programs that assist informal caregivers in their efforts to care for older persons who need help with everyday tasks to enable them to remain in the community.
4. Disabilities Services Caregiving Programs - Programs involving respite services for caregivers of individuals with disabilities through innovative programming.
This years’ winner are:
1. Cross-generational Caregiving – ShareTheCaregiving, Inc. of New York, NY. Share the Care is a grass roots movement that began in 1995. The mission of the Share the Care program is to improve the “quality of life” of persons who are seriously ill, disabled or experiencing the challenges of aging, and to reduce stress, depression, isolation and economic hardship often suffered by their family caregivers.
2. Kinship Care Programs – Catholic Charities Caregiver Support Services Kinship Caregiving Programs of Albany, NY. The Kinship Caregiving Program’s goals and objectives are to offer support to relatives who are raising relative’s children. The program began in 1997 with seven caregivers and 12 youngsters. Currently the program services 77 families consisting of 94 caregivers and 134 children. The program provides families with the support and services they need in order to keep the family intact and prevent the children from entering the foster care system.
3. Aging Services Caregiving Programs – Mercy Care for the Adirondacks, Lake Placid, NY. Mercy Care’s mission is to enhance in every dimension the fullness of life of elders and their caregivers living in their community independently. Mercy Care’s mission is implemented through: a) The offering of companionship and friendship to relieve isolation and loneliness; b) The extending of advice, referral and assistance to elders and to their caregivers; c) The development of elder-friendly communities which encourage the participation and civic engagement of older adults; and d) The promotion through education and advocacy of a fullness of life for older adults in the communities of the Adirondacks.
4. Disabilities Services Caregiving Programs – Schenectady County Chapter, NYSARC, Inc., Schenectady, NY. Schenectady NYSARC has developed an after school program created in direct response to families requiring an affordable program to address the specialized after-school needs of children. The program, provided at no cost to families, is particularly novel in that it is Schenectady County’s only fully integrated after-school program for children with developmental disabilities. Goals of the program are 1) Provide relief to families who have traditionally sacrificed employment, leisure and other personal opportunities in order to provide after-school supervision for their children; 2) Provide students with enriching and productive after-school activities; 3) Assist non-disabled children (participating in our elementary after-school program) to acquire an increased awareness of the needs and issues facing individuals with disabilities.
Congratulations to this year’s winners and their truly remarkable caregiving & respite services.
Statewide Caregiving & Respite Coalition of NY (SCRCNY) is a statewide cross-generational cross-disciplines, network of organizations, whose mission it is to provide support services for caregiver and respite programs by fostering cooperative efforts to develop public awareness, advocacy, professional development and fund development.
SCRCNY is a program of the NYS Coalition for the Aging, Inc. The projects’ goal is to organize statewide caregiver and respite programs, develop a communication strategy and mechanisms to share best practices, education and training, other relevant caregiver and respite information and to position New York State, so that we may receive federal caregiving and/or respite care dollars.
The awards will be presented at a SCRCNY awards luncheon on November 17, 2009 at the Carondolet Hospitality Center in Latham, NY.
National Family Caregivers Month, celebrated every November, is a nationally recognized time to thank, support, educate and empower more than 50 million family caregivers across the country currently providing over $375 billion in “free” caregiving services.
In honor of NFC Month, the National Family Caregivers Association will be hosting a FREE Family Caregiver National Teleclass/Webinar on November 12 at 2:00 – 3:00pm EST.
Safe & Sound: How to Prevent Medication Mishaps is a program designed to teach family caregivers what they can do to minimize the chances that their loved one will experience an adverse drug reaction or event.Register here or call 800-896-3650.
ShareTheCaregiving, Inc. is pleased to be an official endorsing organization of NFC Month, an annual event created by the National Family Caregivers Association to bring attention to the needs of family caregivers. “We encourage people to speak up during National Family Caregivers Month.” said Suzanne Mintz, NFCA president and CEO. “One of the most important attributes of being an advocate for your loved one is the ability to speak up and understand how to best communicate about their loved ones’ medication issues with health professionals.”
NFCA is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering family caregivers to act on behalf of themselves and their loved ones, and to remove barriers to their health and wellbeing. NFCA concentrates its efforts in three primary areas: education, building community, and advocacy. For more information visit www.thefamilycaregiver.org.
U.S. POSTAGE STAMP HONORING FAMILY CAREGIVERS – SIGN THE PETITION TODAY!
A United States postage stamp honoring family caregivers in America is officially “under consideration” by the U.S. Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee for introduction as early as 20ll. Sign the petition HERE and pass it along.
The Share The Care™ Campaign for South West Ontario is excited to announce the appointment of Eugene Dufour as Campaign Coordinator effective August 17, 2009.
Eugene is a clinically-trained individual, marital and family therapist, bereavement specialist, compassion fatigue educator and therapist, and a critical incident debriefing facilitator. He received his Bachelors and Masters Degree from King’s University College at The University of Western Ontario and has been working in palliative care, mental health, and the HIV/AIDS movement for 25 years.
In 2002, Eugene was presented with the Commemorative Medal for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee by the Governor General of Canada for his work in hospice palliative care.
In his role as Campaign Coordinator, he will lead a focused effort to encourage the creation of Share The Care™ groups across South West Ontario.
ShareTheCaregiving’s Share The Care™ is a caregiving model that shows how ordinary people can pool their talents, time and resources to assist a friend or loved one facing a health or medical crisis.
It’s an approach that can help regardless of the situation - whether the person is in need of short-term rehabilitation, suffering from long-term or terminal illness, or is just facing the increased difficulties associated with aging. Developed in the U.S., Share The Care™ has been endorsed by the ALS Association and the National Family Caregiver Association.
The South West Health Integration Network (LHIN) is funding an eighteen- month campaign to make caregivers in this region aware of this powerful model.
Wednesday October 01st 2008, 1:47 am
Filed under: Press Release, News
ShareTheCaregiving Inc.™
Helps Kick Off National Family Caregivers Month
National Family Caregivers Month, celebrated every November, is a nationally recognized time set aside every year to thank, support, educate and empower more than 50 million family caregivers across the country currently providing over $350 billion in “free” caregiving services. Celebrating NFC Month in your community can bring attention to your programs and raise awareness about caregiving.
FREE Family Caregiver National TeleClass in November
This FREE two-part series features 2 one-hour phone calls:
• Date: November 6 and 13 at 2 p.m. ET
• Title: Communicating Effectively with Healthcare Professionals
• To register visit: www.thefamilycaregiver.org or call 800-896-3650 ShareTheCaregiving Inc. is pleased to be an endorsing organization of NFC Month, created by the National Family Caregivers Association to bring attention to the needs of family caregivers. “This year we are encouraging people to speak up during National Family Caregivers Month.” said Suzanne Mintz, NFCA president and co-founder. “One of the most important attributes of being an advocate for your loved one is the ability to speak up to health care professionals protecting not only the health and safety of your loved ones but for yourself as well.”
Top 10 Ways to Celebrate National Family Caregivers Month 2008
1. Offer a few hours of respite time to a family caregiver so they spend time with friends, or simply relax.
2. Send a card of appreciation or a bouquet of flowers to brighten up a family caregiver’s day.
3. Encourage local businesses to offer a free service for family caregivers through the month of November.
4. Invite family caregivers to participate in the National Family Caregivers Association’s FREE national TeleClass to learn how to communicate more effectively with health care professionals. The 2 free one hour sessions will be November 6 and 13 at 2 p.m. ET. For more information visit www.thefamilycaregiver.org.
5. Help a family caregiver decorate their home for the holidays or offer to address envelopes for their holiday cards.
6. Offer comic relief! Purchase tickets to a local comedy club, give a family caregiver your favorite funny movie to view, or provide them with a book on tape.
7. Find 12 different family photos and have a copy center create a monthly calendar that the family caregiver can use to keep track of appointments and events.
8. Offer to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for a caregiving family in your community, so they can just relax and enjoy the holiday.
9. Take a few minutes to write a letter encouraging your mayor, county executive, or governor to issue a local proclamation establishing November as National Family Caregivers Month. Contact information for state government officials can be found at www.firstgov.gov.
10. Help family caregivers find information and resources on the internet or to locate a local support group.
Share The Care has been awarded a 2008 Caregiver Friendly award in the Book category.
Dear Sheila,
It is my great honor to announce that Share The Care has been awarded a 2008 Caregiver Friendly award in the Book category.
This award signifies that you and your organization understand the value of supporting family caregivers and have created something that not only helps a caregiver care for their loved ones but also improves his or her quality of life in the process.
Gary Barg
Founder / Editor-in-Chief Today’s Caregiver
About The Caregiver Friendly Awards:
The Caregiver Friendly Awards are presented by Today’s Caregiver magazine to celebrate outstanding books, media, products and services which have been designed with the best interest of the caregiver and his or her loved one in mind. Today’s Caregiver magazine and caregiver.com, launched in 1995, are published by Caregiver Media Group, which also produces the Fearless Caregiver Conferences.
“The average caregiver is responsible for over $40,000 in health related expenditures each year, in either personal or directed funds” Says Gary Barg, Today’s Caregiver magazine’s Founder and Editor-in-Chief, “This award is designed to help family caregivers recognize and reward those organizations who will care for them in as committed a manner as they care for their loved ones.”
Awards will be presented at Today’s Caregiver magazine’s Fearless Caregiver Conference to be held in Fort Lauderdale, Fl. May 15, 2008.
ShareTheCaregivinghas been compiling (disease/condition specific) caregiving advice from Share The Care groups and patients to pass along to help other groups supporting someone with the same or similar challenges.
Our first installment focuses on ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) from the perspective of a family caregiver who has extensive support from a largeShare The Care group known as “Peg”s Legs” and the patient, Peggy Chun, a well-known artist in Hawaii. Peg’s Legs has been in action since 2002 and we believe you’ll find their advice and what they’ve accomplished not only exemplary but extremely moving as well.*
We welcome your feedback. Please pass this information along to others who might benefit.
*Please note that the ideas and information in SHARE YOUR ADVICE are for informational purposes only. Nothing in this site is intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the direction, instructions and advice from your own physician or other professional healthcare provider before implementing ideas and information you find on this site, to insure the comfort, safety and well-being of your care recipient. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeing it because of something you have read on this website.
Monday January 15th 2007, 7:41 am
Filed under: Press Release
Here’s a wonderful way to provide information/assistance to caregivers in your community and help them get their Share The Care group going - A Share The Care Station.
Mindy Gribble, a parish nurse, former Share The Care group member and creator of the first Share The Care Station has contributed an article so others might follow suit.
It is catching on…see the press release (that follows her article) announcing a Share The Care Station in a local library created by the joint efforts of Northern Vermont Regional Hospital and the Area Agency on Aging in Northeastern Vermont.
A “Share the Care Station”
Providing Team Start-up Support in Central Wisconsin By Mindy Gribble
What is a “Share the Care Station” and how might it benefit family caregivers in your community?
Since 2002, The Circle of Life Community Coalition in central Wisconsin has been working with caregivers and listening to their needs. In response, they have recently developed a free and well utilized “Share the Care Station”.
The organization’s mission is, “To create a nurturing environment in which to support individuals, families and caregivers facing life altering and life limiting situations through education, resources and referral.” Share the Care has been, from the start, a perfect match. Having had enormous success with their first pilot teams, the group found themselves asking, “Why are some community members getting stuck in the ‘thinking about starting’ stage?” In 2006, the “Station” concept emerged as a successful solution.
The primary purpose of the Share the Care Station is to maximize the use of Share the Care by minimizing the amount of caregiver energy and stress during the team start-up process. Circle of Life promotes the station as a life enhancing “first stop” for the caregiver journey.
As a Marshfield Area United Way Partner Program, the Circle of Life Coalition has received funding to stock office lending library bookshelves with necessary supplies: copies of Share the Care, copies of the Share the Care video and DVD, and the Peg’s Legs DVD. In addition, “start up folders” containing all of the Share the Care forms, blank name tags and ideas from other area Share the Care teams are available, all free of charge.
The Coalition Coordinator, a former team captain, also provides start-up coaching and ongoing support as part of the Share the Care Station resources. She has also provided many community and medical staff educational presentations on the model. To date, seven departments at the area medical complex have more concise versions of the Share the Care Station available for staff members making referrals.
The Circle of Life Community Coalition hopes to honor the joy of being part of a caregiving family by “building bridges” to help others move from contemplating Share the Care to actively experiencing its blessings.
For more information on how to develop a Share the Care Station in your area, don’t hesitate to call the Circle of Life Community Coalition at 715-305-5675 or email them at circleoflifecc@gmail.com .
(Edited) Press Release
For Release Week of November 14, 2005
Contact: Area Agency on Aging for Northeastern Vermont
Share the Care Station Opens at NVRH Library
Northern Vermont Regional Hospital, in collaboration with the Area Agency on Aging for Northeastern Vermont is opening a Share the Care Station in their library November 21st as part of the Caring Every Day Campaign for family caregivers. At this station one will find resources to assist interested persons to organize a group of family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances into a powerful “caregiver family” to share the practical and emotional responsibilities of caring for someone who is seriously ill. From coping with hospitals and doctors to performing ongoing household chores or helping with children in the family, the Share the Care approach ensures that the person who is ill has the support he or she needs and that no caregiver has to shoulder this difficult task alone. Leadership of each Share the Care group rotates so that no one caregiver gets burned out and puts her own health at risk.
At our new Share the Care Station in the Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital Library we hope to be of help to people who would like to organize a Share the Care group to care for a frail or seriously ill individual. At the library one can find a copy of the book Share the Care, copies of forms needed to get a group started, information and articles and a video about other successful Share the Care groups around the country and contacts for individuals in the Northeast Kingdom who are willing to mentor or assist you as you get a group started.
