Duck race will benefit senior citizens - Delaware County Daily Times article May 2, 2009

On May 16, a flock of ducks will be dumped into the Delaware River and they will race to the finish line to help wishes come true for county seniors.This whole scenario is the brainchild of Springfield residents Sallie and Clark Bongaardt, who are using the event to fund the non-profit Not-To-Be-Forgotten Foundation.In 2002, Sallie Bongaardt formed Comfort Keepers, a provider of assisted living-style care for seniors and the disabled in their homes after both of her parents died two months apart in 1999.Through that service, her employees have seen the struggles many seniors face and Bongaardt wanted to give them hope so she formed the Not-To-Be-Forgotten Foundation in September.Last fall, the foundation helped the Delaware County Office of Services for the Aging provide 59 seniors with $300 of home fuel costs.“Two people were bed-bound with literally no heat,” Bongaardt said. “Another was a blind, partially deaf veteran of a foreign war.”They also hope to hold elder exploitation and medication educational programs.With the Pennsylvania Ducky Derby, featuring fowl of the rubber variety, Bongaardt wants to create a solid foundation to start providing wishes for seniors.“I’m hoping that the duck derby will raise sufficient funds to get the going on a big scale,” the foundation’s executive director said.She’s already had one request. A county lady was feeding her cats and dogs instead of herself and Bongaardt said she’s hoping her foundation can help fill that gap.She also has other ideas in mind.Bongaardt said some of the homes her staff enter need maintenance as residents are using buckets to catch the water coming through the holes on the roof.“It really tugs at your heart,” she said.Another senior, whose a huge baseball fan, has told them, “Before I die, I just want to see that new stadium.”To raise funds to fulfill these, the foundation is hosting the Pennsylvania Ducky Derby on May 16.Governor Printz Park opens at 1 p.m. that day for activities such as face painting and a moonbounce. Ducks can be adopted up to 3 p.m.“It’s going to be a fun, family day,” Bongaardt said.Depending on the tide, the ducks will be dropped into the river at 4 p.m. The grand prize winner wins a week stay at Sea Isle City, N.J. Second place takes an HDTV.Leading up to the race, a 12-feet inflatable duck is making its rounds throughout the county to encourage people to adopt the critters.Bongaardt just wants to honor those who came before her.“They are the (ones) who built our bridges, fought our wars, who made our country exactly what it is today,” she said.Remembering her call to help seniors, Bongaardt reiterated, “I’ve got to do this. I’ve got to do this now.”Ducks can be adopted for $5 each or six for $25 online at http://www.ntbff.org/ or by calling 888-521-4333. They can also be adopted at Comfort Keepers or Best Buy in Springfield, at any M&T Bank in the county or the Granite Run Mall. this article originally printed and shared from the Delaware County Daily Times on May 2, 2009, Kathleen Carey, writer kcarey@delcotimes.com
http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2009/05/03/news/doc49fd07ca5705f826228526.txt

Does your loved one need help in home? Things to look for, identify his or her needs

How Do I Know If A Loved One Needs Help?
We live in a very mobile society where families don’t always live in the same town or even the same state for that matter. Unlike the “old days”, entire families throughout America don’t have the opportunity to come together as often as they would like. That’s why the holiday season has become an important time to take stock of our loved one’s health and everyday living capabilities. Family gatherings with loved ones from out of town, or even the more frequent family phone calls from long distance relatives, are a perfect time to ‘check up’ on seniors living on their own.
It is not uncommon for the adult children of seniors, especially the Baby Boomer generation, to have some concerns about how their parents are doing. In fact, according to the Family Caregiver’s Alliance, families provide 80 percent of the long-term care in this country. This holiday season while you are enjoying your visits or on the phone with your aging loved ones, make good use of your time by reviewing their living status.
Using Your Five SensesMany holiday traditions tempt your five senses. These same senses can be put to use in evaluating the status of elderly family members. Below is a checklist using each of your five senses to determine if your family members are in need of additional care or assistance.
Sight – Looking at the senior’s appearance can be a sign that they are being limited either physically or mentally from completing otherwise normal daily tasks. Watch for things like clothes with stains, poor personal hygiene and a disorganized or dirty house.
Sound – Listening to what and how seniors speak can tell you a lot about their current mental status. You should not assume that “old age” is causing these problems. Do they call you by name? Are they speaking normally? Are they staying involved in outside activities?
Smell – Using your nose as an indicator to determine if your relative is bathing properly, cleaning their house or have spoiled food in their kitchen.
Taste – Tasting their food and sorting through their medications can help you determine if they are eating healthy or taking expired medications. Look at expiration dates and for fresh and stocked pantry items.
Touch – A simple hug can tell you if your family member is fragile or losing weight. Is their skin soft and the color normal? Do they have any bruising or tearing of the skin?
Review Status By PhoneDuring telephone conversations, gently probe for information about the person’s health and well-being. Below is a list of sample questions that are key indicators or warning signs to help determine if your family members are in need of additional care or assistance:
• What did you have for breakfast? If your loved one cannot remember what he/she ate for breakfast that morning, forgot to eat breakfast or the meal appears to lack nutritious value, a memory problem could be setting in.
• Did you go to the beauty salon to get your hair cut? Did you use the new shower gel I bought you? These are good ‘backdoor’ questions to finding out whether or not your loved one is remembering to take care of his/her hygiene.
• Did you make it to Bingo this week? An early sign of depression is withdrawal from social activities.
• Is your loved one speaking normally? Differences in speech patterns are warning signs for medical problems that should be looked into immediately.
Help is AvailableIf you sense a problem based on the above indictors, you and other family members should waste no time in taking the appropriate next steps. As difficult as the process might be, keep reminding yourself that by being proactive, as a result of your observations, you will not only provide safety for your family member, but will also keep them happy and healthy for years to come.
If you are concerned about a loved one and would like more information on how to help, call one of our offices for a FREE consultation.
Comfort Keepers – Delaware County -610-543-6300Comfort Keepers – Philadelphia - 1-866-436-7750.Comfort Keepers – Mainline Area – 610-520-5300Comfort Keepers Chester County – 610-358-1640Out of State? Click on our website: www.comfortkeepers.com and go to locations.
Comfort Keepers provides Assisted Living services in the privacy of the home, hospital or facility to anyone over the age of 18 who is sick, disabled or elderly.
Services include but are not limited to: assistance with bathing and grooming, light housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, transportation (to doctor, grocery store, errands). to get a free full assessment guide, go to www.comfortkeepers.com

Support during difficult times, hospice care, illness and grief

When a loved one is living outtheir last days at home, it canbe an especially difficult andemotional time. ComfortKeepers® is here to help.We provide families with thehelp they need to make themost of their days together,while helping them through those challengingmoments in life.
Comfort Keepers provides more than just in-home care services. We offer clients a level of comfort that helps preserve their dignity and provides a quality of life that can only be achieved at home. We are also there to give help for family and friends coping with the emotional challenges and additional time burden inevitably associated with this kind of sensitive situation. To read more go to: http://www.comfortkeepers.com/

Resoures getting help for Seniors, Elderly

Getting Access to Senior Services

Countless organizations have been set up to serve the many needs of senior citizens. There are so many, in fact, that one of the biggest challenges is figuring out where to turn when assistance is needed. To help others overcome this challenge, the US government has created an invaluable website called First Gov for Seniors. It can be reached by clicking on this link, www.firstgov.gov/Topics/Seniors.shtml.
This web site acts as a portal to many of the services seniors need. Navigating this site is simple thanks to the easy-to-understand categorization. Once on this web site’s home page, simply choose from 8 different categories of service including:
Consumer Protection
Education, Jobs and Volunteerism
Federal and State Agencies
Health and Housing
Laws and Regulation
Retirement and Money
Taxes
Travel and Leisure.
Within each category is a collection of links that will take the visitor to more detailed information on a particular sub-category. This additional information might be in the form of an actual web site, or it might be a relevant article, or it might provide contact information for a particular agency. Getting your parents access to senior services really can be as simple as clicking on the appropriate link.
In addition to the links found within the 8 basic categories, there is an entire section devoted to Featured Sites. The links found here are relevant to the topics currently making the headlines. Right now this section includes information on the Flu season, links to Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage sites, and other newsworthy subjects.
As well-intentioned as this site is, the information that is available can be a bit overwhelming, and finding the exact answers you are looking for still might be a challenge. The key here is to be patient. Visitors should also be willing to click around; you never know what you might stumble upon. You will definitely find resources that you do not need right now so be sure to bookmark this web site so it’s easy to find later on.
First Gov for Seniors is a valuable starting point when you are the person in charge of getting your aging parents access to senior services. If your parents have access to the Internet and are comfortable working on a computer, pass this link on to them so they can visit the site when it is convenient. Another resource that you may wish to consider is the US Health & Human Services website - they have many resources that you might find helpful.
Another approach that can lead to an invaluable source of information on senior services, especially those that are local, is to ask around for references. There are also a great many sites that act as a network for resources - the Aging Parents and Elder Care Site provides home health medical supplies for seniors, arthritis products, gifts for elderly, handicap aids and accessories. Friends, co-workers and other family members with aging parents probably have many of the same questions and issues as you and your parents do. If they’ve already “been there, done that” they’ll be more than happy to share what they’ve learned including the resources that have been more useful than others.
Individuals working in medical offices are another good source for getting your aging parents access to senior services. Those who work there often know how to cut through the “red tape” so listen closely to their advice.

Our Mission is to provide our clients with the highest level of quality of life that is achievable. To read more articles on senior care, go to http://www.comfortkeepers.com/