[CARPE DM Dance Marathon] We liked this post by Laura Howard that we're...

From: The Gem Center [mailto:notification+zrdzv1oedlez@facebookmail.com]
Sent: Monday, September 26, 2016 5:05 PM
To: CARPE DM Dance Marathon
Subject: [CARPE DM Dance Marathon] We liked this post by Laura Howard that we're...

 

The Gem Center posted in CARPE DM Dance Marathon .       The Gem Center September 26 at 5:04pm   We liked this post by Laura Howard that we're sharing it here too! ~ Calling all DANCERS.. we are looking for teams, could be two of you, could be 10 that share time dancing! ~ You could dance for 45 mins once, or for shifts of 15 mins for hours.. but this AWESOME CAUSE needs some heroes... OBX is gorgeous in November! ~ Don't / can't / won't dance? Donate/ Attend/ Support.. We need you! Adults with Cognitive Impairment need your support to find a facility for US ( Me and several amazing, giving artists, and generous, caring citizens for whom this is a passion) to serve them with day programming , socialization and FUN! ~ Help however you can, PLEASE!!! Do it in honor of someone you love, or knew who struggled with Alzheimers, Head Injury, or any kind of Cognitive Impairment.... <3 SERVICE IS LOVE IN ACTION <3   Like Comment Share               Facebook             The Gem Center posted in CARPE DM Dance Marathon.       The Gem Center September 26 at 5:04pm   We liked this post by Laura Howard that we're sharing it here too! ~ Calling all DANCERS.. we are looking for teams, could be two of you, could be 10 that share time dancing! ~ You could dance for 45 mins once, or for shifts of 15 mins for hours.. but this AWESOME CAUSE needs some heroes... OBX is gorgeous in November! ~ Don't / can't / won't dance? Donate/ Attend/ Support.. We need you! Adults with Cognitive Impairment need your support to find a facility for US ( Me and several amazing, giving artists, and generous, caring citizens for whom this is a passion) to serve them with day programming , socialization and FUN! ~ Help however you can, PLEASE!!! Do it in honor of someone you love, or knew who struggled with Alzheimers, Head Injury, or any kind of Cognitive Impairment.... <3 SERVICE IS LOVE IN ACTION <3     Like Comment Share                 View on Facebook       Edit Email Settings             Reply to this email to comment on this post.             This message was sent to asonnesso@gmail.com. If you don't want to receive these emails from Facebook in the future, please unsubscribe. Facebook, Inc., Attention: Community Support, Menlo Park, CA 94025

 

Caring with love and expertise

Caring with love and expertise

Gail Sonnesso, graduated from East Carolina University in 1996 with a MS in
Rehabilitation Counseling and Vocational Evaluation. Her undergraduate
degree is a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology. In 2015 she
completed a program in Geriatric Care Management at UF Gainesville.
Gail's career working with older adults began in 1985. Employed in a 900-bed
nursing home Gail's responsibilities included providing therapeutic
recreation for 80-residents.
Volunteer experiences include working in a physical therapy department, and
working with the occupational therapy staff to provide care for severely
mentally ill patients in a long term psychiatric hospital.
Gail is the founder and executive director of GEM Day Services, Inc. a
non-profit organization providing memory care, education and support for
the OBX community. Gail founded the Outer Banks Caregivers Support Group in
1997 and has developed and teaches "Caring Effectively" a class that offers
effective person centered living that enhances caring for a person with
dementia.
Gail is the President of the Nags Head Lions Club, Board Member of the
Healthy Carolinians of the Outer Banks, Dementia Task Force, Co-Host of the
international "Arts and Dementia workgroup", member of The Elder Abuse
Collaborative and a former member of the Dare County Nursing Home Advisory
Board, Founder of the North East NC Respite Coalition, Art at the Park and
Caring TEENS.
Gail E. Sonnesso, MS
Excellence in Care Specialist

College of the Albemarle
LEARN to Care for a Person with living with Alzheimers Disease
with Love and Expertise!


Gentle Expert Memorycare
October 2016
Fridays from 1-4pm


GEM Day Services, Inc., is a non-profit organization providing dementia
care, education and support within the OBX community for over 20 years
presents a 4 week class "Caring Effectively and with Love" for a person
living with dementia. Designed for family caregivers as well as healthcare
professionals, the course has been well received within the Alzheimer
research community.
Lisa P. Gwyther, education director for the Bryan Alzheimer's Disease
Research Center at Duke University has praised the "Caring Effectively"
curriculum, calling the series of classes "rich, practical
and comprehensive."
Each session will address a specific aspect of providing effective care for
people who are living with dementia. Topics include understanding the
progression of the disease, how to communicate effectively at each stage of
the disease, examples of guidelines to provide successful
person centered living! Connections to supports and services.

Learn to care with love and expertise!"
What is this Dementia? It is not a normal part of aging! It is a disease!
Class One
Skill Building How to Communicate Class
Two
Ways of Helping Visual Cues * Verbal Cues * Tactile cues
& Progression ... Class Three
Meaningful Days Learn to direct "the flow" Class Four

Connect with People ~ Turning Knowledge into Skills
Practicum
GEM Adult Day Services, Inc.
PO BOX 3601
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
252.480.3354
gsonnesso@gmail.com
www.gemdayservices.org
For more info about the Class contact:
Registration /information
Sign up for:
Caring Effectively

Name
Address
Phone

I am interested in respite care for my family member
To Register call 252-473-2264 ext. 7033, in person here, or on line by
going to albemarle.edu and clicking the link to job training.
Roanoke Island Campus, across from Island Pharmacy Manteo , NC

To Register of for more information call COA at 252-473-2264 ext.
7033 to register
I Am interested in a scholarship
Successful completion of this class entitles you to 12.0 CEU's in Effective
Dementia Care recognized by NC Dept. of Health & Human Services Adult Care
Licensure Section.
"You help me be who I am supposed to be!" Vernon, GEM participant

What will You Learn ?

We have
Treatment
SERVICES
SUPPORTS
And
A caring community
Join us to learn more about the path to solutions!

Complimentary Memory Screening

For Immediate Release

Complimentary Memory Screening
Date: 10/6/16

Time: 1:30 -3pm

Where: Community Care clinic of Dare, Health Center Drive, down from Nags Head Ace Hardware and across from the nursing home

Provided by: GEM Adult Day Services, Inc.

PH: 252-480-3354

 

WHY ARE MEMORY SCREENINGS IMPORTANT?

 

Did you know that Memory Screenings are the first step toward finding out if a person may have a memory problem. Memory problems could be caused by Alzheimer’s or other medical conditions and some are reversible. A screening is also a great time to use the screening results as a baseline to your medical records

While a memory screening is not used to diagnose any particular illness and does not replace consultation with a qualified physician or other health care professional, it is very helpful. A screening can check a person’s memory and other thinking skills. A screening can indicate if someone might benefit from a more complete medical visit.
GEM will also provide print information on the next steps and connections to services and supports.

 

To register of for more information call or email Gail Sonnesso at 252-480-3354 or gsonnesso@gmail.com to register for a complimentary screening.

 

Gail E. Sonnesso, MS, QDCS

AFA Excellence in Care Specialist

GEM DAY SERVICES, INC.

252-480-3354

www.gemdayservices.org

60% of people living with dementia are cared for at home!

https://www.facebook.com/TheGemCenter

 

GEM LUNCH & LEARN Thursday 9 15 16.docx

 

Dear GEM friends,

 

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday at 11:30 to learn more about respite and how this service can help you and your family.

 

GEM Lunch & Learn
Topic: What is Respite and how do I go to get it?

Date: Thursday September 15^th 2016
Time: 11:30 -1pm
Where: Sentara Education Suite, 5200 Croatan Hwy, Kitty Hawk

 

What is Respite?

 

Respite offers “relief from the caregiving role” and is very hard to come by if you are caring for a loved one living with dementia. Join us for a complimentary light lunch and learn more about respite from Gail Sonnesso, MS, GEM Executive Director. Topics will include what exactly is respite and to how to access this valuable service.

There is no charge but registration is required. Call Gail Sonnesso & 252-480-3354 for more information and to register.

 

 

Gail E. Sonnesso, MS, QDCS

AFA Excellence in Care Specialist

GEM DAY SERVICES, INC.

252-480-3354

www.gemdayservices.org

70% of people living with dementia are cared for at home!

https://www.facebook.com/TheGemCenter

 

https://www.facebook.com/obxTheRiffTides/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lifespan Respite Care Program Expansion Supplement

We have good news! NC's grant application for one-year funds for additional
respite care services was selected for funding by the U.S. Administration
for Community Living. This will allow us to add additional dollars to our
respite voucher program managed by the NC Respite Care Coalition. We are
excited and grateful for the opportunity to serve new and more family
caregivers than we have been able to previously. We anticipate the
application process for the vouchers will begin in late October/early
November and will operate similarly to how it has in the last three years.
We are trying to reach new and unserved populations with these funds so if
you have referral sources who are not familiar with the purpose and process,
please help us spread the word. The note below is a short article that
hopefully hits the highlights of the program and how readers can join the NC
Respite Care Coalition and find out more about the vouchers as they become
available. If you have listservs, electronic bulletins, etc. that may
benefit from this information please share this with them.

Thank you. We'll have more info as we proceed and look forward to seeing all
who can join us at our next Team meeting on November 18th.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has been awarded
a one-year Lifespan Respite Care Program Expansion Supplement from the U.S.
Administration for Community Living. This one-year grant will provide
approximately 150 respite vouchers to family caregivers of people with
special needs of any age who do not qualify or are on a waiting list for
other publicly-funded respite programs and are determined to be in need of
the service. The grant award is managed by the NC Division of Aging and
Adult Services (DAAS) and is the fifth Lifespan Respite Care Program grant
awarded to DAAS since 2009. The vouchers will be administered by the North
Carolina Respite Care Coalition through a contract with DAAS. More detailed
information and an online application for these $500 consumer-directed
respite vouchers will be available online at
northcarolinarespitecarecoalition.org later this Fall. Membership in the NC
Respite Care Coalition is free and members will receive further information
as it becomes available directly through email. Persons may join the
Coalition through the organization's website. Agencies who work with family
caregivers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with this respite
voucher program and assist family caregivers who may benefit from the
service with the brief application.

An advisory team of more than 50 representatives from NC DHHS divisions,
local and regional providers, family caregivers, and area non-profit
organizations provide counsel and assistance to the DAAS project leadership
team on a variety of activities related to the NC Lifespan Respite Care
Project. In addition to direct respite care, the NC Lifespan Respite Project
seeks to expand and enhance respite services, improve coordination and
dissemination of services, streamline access to programs, and improve
overall quality, utilization and sustainability of respite services across
the lifespan. For more information, contact Alicia Blater, Lifespan Respite
Project Coordinator and Family Caregiver Support Program Consultant at
Alicia.blater@dhhs.nc.gov and 919-855-3413.
For assistance accessing this valuable problem contact
Gail E Sonnesso M.S.QDCS
GEM Adult Day services Inc.
(252) 580-3354
Email: gsonnesso@gmail.com

Harmony Cafe Sat. September 10th 11-3pm at Kitty Hawk United Methodist Church

Hello Friends,

Our Last Harmony Café was hosted by the RIFF TIDES and their spouses! We really enjoyed their 50’s rock N Roll music! SAGA’s Community smiles program provided a wonderful lunch of sandwiches, sides and salads.

This month we changed to date to the 10^th and were we lucky we missed Hermine!

 

Our hostess this month is Mary Ellen Hawthorne and the music will be provided by Angelo & Friends!

Our craft will be Pansy’s, flower sticks  and creative flower pots to hold them. If you know of someone who could use a cheerful pansy let us know!

 

Next month on October 1^st we are thrilled to announce that Outer Banks Presbyterian Church is our co-host and we look forward to their visit. Jean Basnight a GEM board members [and member of OB Presbyterian) will be joining us too.

Pictured L-R Jane Susan & Sara (Riff tides spouses) and  Nick,  Janes Husband.

Please let me know by calling ~GAIL @ 252-480-3354, that you are joining us so we have enough supplies.

 

See you soon,

 

Gail E. Sonnesso, MS, QDCS

AFA Excellence in Care Specialist

GEM DAY SERVICES, INC.

252-480-3354

www.gemdayservices.org

70% of people living with dementia are cared for at home!

https://www.facebook.com/TheGemCenter

 

https://www.facebook.com/obxTheRiffTides/

 

 

 

 

 

GEM Adult Day Services Inc. the Story

Activities & Accomplishments of Organization

GEM Day Services, Inc. has been providing direct support, education and
community awareness to people living with dementia and their caregivers
since 1996. GEM fills in the gaps in dementia care for families caring for
their loved ones at home. This is done by providing the first Caregiver
Support Group (1996), the first Adult Day Program (2001), the first offering
on-going classes for caregivers, both family and professionals
(2004-present). GEM in collaboration with the Alzheimer's Association
brought the first Dementia Educational workshop to the Outer Banks (2004)
and introduced Teepa Snow, FOTA, world renowned Dementia Trainer to our
community. GEM founded and continues to provide: Caring Teens, Art at the
Park, and our newest program "Harmony Cafe". GEM is the only organization
providing Memory Screenings in collaboration with the Alzheimer's Foundation
of America on an ongoing basis since 2008. GEM continues to provide the
only Candlelighting Service to "honor and remember and care" for our loved
ones living with dementia and those who have passed on.

GEM in collaboration with Cathy Pfendler, RN and Christina Petzing, MD
created the first document providing hospital staff and family caregivers
with a tool enabling better and more informed care for patients with
dementia when seen at the OBX Hospital.

GEM has published two books: COOKING WITH ISABEL, which includes tips and
eating solutions for people living with dementia and ACTIVITIES AS TREATMENT
which is a game plan for family caregivers and community friends. GEM also
presented the First GEM GAMES, enabling people living with dementia to
compete and win medals; GEM also includes people living with developmental
disabilities in their games.


What Has Been Their Greatest Impact on the Outer Banks

GEM has consistently raised awareness in our community to the gaps in
services for families living with dementia. With a grant from the Outer
Banks Community Foundation and the guidance of Robert Green, Ph.D., we
surveyed Dare County citizens to learn how much they knew about dementia.
Dr. Green determined that 957 of our 6000 seniors were at risk. GEM
provided the results to community groups in Dare County and GEM continues to
work with community leaders to develop much needed group respite care
programs in our area.

GEM provides on-going programs to this population such as art classes with
the Dare County Arts Council, a collaboration with the Community Care Clinic
of Dare for Memory screenings and the current "Harmony Cafe" at Kitty Hawk
United Methodist Church; this well-received offering gives a break for
everybody: the caregiver, the person living with dementia, and their
friends in our community. Harmony Cafe is the only program of its kind in
Dare County.

GEM's dream is to have a Dementia Center that addresses the myriad and
diverse issues faced by our elderly population and their extended families.
This center would include a licensed Adult Day Health/Social Center,
offering arts and crafts, exercise, and other activities. Dreams are good
things to aspire to!

Why Do They Deserve Recognition?

Getting involved as a volunteer with GEM is an exercise in learning about
dementia: about caregivers and their needs, about dealing with those who are
in the first, middle or last throes of dementia, and about how ONE person
can possibly made a difference.

GEM is a volunteer-run and volunteer-staffed organization whose sole mission
is simple: make things easier for both the patient as well as the caregiver.
The many ways this can be done is both uplifting as well as daunting, but
GEM leaders, Board members and supporters tend to roll up their sleeves and
forge ahead.

GEM has been called by many of those who use its services, "a beacon", "a
lifeline", and "a shining example of what can be done, and what needs to be
done" for those families who deal with dementia on an ongoing basis.

GEM addresses dementia in all its forms: PTSD dementia, AIDS dementia, as
well as the more familiar versions of Alzheimers. The organization reaches
out across governmental, religious, and civic groups to better forge
relationships that will result in advances in care and treatment.

Collaboration is a by-word for those who are actively involved with GEM.
Identifying like-minded groups, be they government/civic/business, as well
as other non-profits such as themselves has become a great tool to craft new
and innovative ways to help those with dementia.

It is with no small amount of pleasure and hope that this nomination is
submitted. We have a great task; we have great people working on this task;
and a pat on the back is often just one more nudge that pushes us all
forward toward a society that will embrace those who are challenged by
dementia and those whose honor and burden it is to serve them.