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Spotlight on
“
SeniorS”
An Nollaig in Éirinn
Danú
Saturday, December 7 at 8PM
Tickets: $25 & $35
Winner of major awards from the BBC and Irish Music
Magazine, acclaimed Irish ensemble Danú returns to
the US in December of 2013 with special guests and a
glorious celebration of Christmas in their homeland.
Christmas in Ireland: An Nollaig in Éirinn
is a Celtic music
celebration that warms the heart.
Robin Spielberg Holiday Concert
Thursday, December 12 at 12 & 7PM
Robin Spielberg is one of America’s most beloved pianist/
composers. With a broad ranging tour schedule and one
million recordings sold, this Steinway Artist has been
winning the hearts of listeners around the world with her
compelling melodies and sensitive piano technique since
debuting her first recording of original solos for piano.
The Great Russian Nutcracker
Moscow Ballet
Friday, December 13 at 4 & 8PM
Tickets: $37 & $47
Spectacular scenic design, gorgeous costumes, and the
exquisite artistry of 40 top Russian dancers have made
The Great Russian Nutcracker
an American holiday
tradition not to be missed. Beloved Russian fairy tale
characters, Father Christmas and his granddaughter the
Snow Maiden, add to the whimsical and imaginative
storytelling that sets this
Nutcracker
apart.
A Christmas Carol
Nebraska Theatre Caravan
Sunday, December 15 at 2PM
Tickets: $37 & $47
Timeless English carols are interwoven within the classic
story of tight-fisted Ebenezer Scrooge and all the beloved
characters from Dickens’ 1843 novel. The touching
climax is based on Dickens’ belief that the ills of a greedy
world can be healed by brotherhood and unselfishness. A
spectacular holiday treat for the entire family.
It’s a Wonderful Life
WVL Radio Theatre
Wednesday, December 18 at 2 & 7PM
Tickets: $10 at 2PM, $25 at 7PM
It’s Christmas Eve in 1945, and only a handful of WVL
Radio’s actors have braved the blizzard to perform that
evening’s broadcast of
It’s a Wonderful Life
;
the only
hope for keeping the station afloat. This clever stage
adaptation breathes new life into the poignant story of
George Bailey and Bedford Falls.
MAKE EACH DAY COUNT –
BUILDING ON POSITIVE INTERACTIONS
IN DEMENTIA CARE
By: ComForcare Home Care
The American Journal of Public
Health
reports that Americans are
living longer and are in better phys-
ical health in old age than ever
before. New treatments and better
knowledge about how to manage
chronic conditions are making a real
difference.
Unfortunately, longer lives mean
that dementias associated with
advanced age now have more time
to appear. While only about 7% of
people age 70 to 79 exhibit demen-
tia signs, the incidence for those
over 90 years old is 37%. Dementia
poses a real challenge for family and
professional caregivers alike.
While Alzheimer’s is the most com-
mon form of dementia, it is only
one of several different types. It is
important for a person showing
symptoms of dementia to receive a
comprehensive evaluation by a geri-
atric specialist. Treatment and man-
agement of symptoms can vary
depending on their cause.
While medical science seeks ways to
prevent and treat dementias, those
of us who work day-to-day with
seniors have also been learning a
great deal. New understanding of
what it feels like to live with demen-
tia is transforming our approach to
caring for these patients and help-
ing them live fuller, happier lives.
An approach known as “habilitation
therapy” is now considered a best
practice in dementia care. It focuses
on creating positive emotional expe-
riences for dementia patients and
engaging them in meaningful activ-
ities. It reminds us that dementia
patients never lose the ability to
experience a full range of feelings
and that, like all of us, they need to
have some control over their daily
lives.
If someone with Alzheimer’s or
another dementia is part of your
life, here are a few tips you can use
right away. These approaches can
head off problems before they
begin and help you and your loved
one make the most of your time
together.
•
Emotions are contagious. If you
are tense, rushed or annoyed, the
patient will perceive that immedi-
ately and react to your emotional
state.
•
Let go of any instinct to correct or
argue with a dementia patient. It
almost never works and it just
causes frustration!
•
Build on the abilities your loved
one retains to engage and interest
her. She may still be able to fold
clothes, set the table, or help with
simple cooking tasks. Feeling use-
ful is a great morale booster.
•
Dementia can affect depth percep-
tion and make small, busy patterns
on carpets or table cloths confus-
ing. Visual simplicity and clear
color contrasts help patients navi-
gate and manage daily tasks. For
example, it’s easier to see a fork
resting on a solid color placemat
than on one with a floral pattern.
•
Dementia also affects peripheral
vision. You may startle an
Alzheimer’s patient if you
approach him from the side.
Objects and people need to be
directly in front of the patient and
at or near eye level to be seen
clearly.
These are just a few of the tech-
niques we are training our home
care aides to use to make each day
with their dementia clients as happy
as possible. Please call us at 908-
927-0500
if you would like to
receive a copy of ComForcare’s
12
Tools for Effective Dementia
Care.
We would be happy to send
you a copy.
www.theconnectionsnj.com