North Carolina moves forward to be a more "DEMENTIA CAPABLE STATE"

North Carolina, through its Alzheimer's and dementia Coalition, is moving
forward on addressing five elements key to making North Carolina a more
'dementia capable' state. The key elements are:

1. Public Education and Awareness including early detection, public
education, general awareness and advocacy.
2. Workforce Development including training for professionals,
paraprofessionals and direct care workers to enhance quality care or create
efficiency.
3. Care Transitions which include integrated care, discharge planning
and medical homes.
4. Supports for People with dementia including consumer directed care,
reaching-out to and respecting diversity.
5. Caregiver Supports including caregiver training, respite care,
information and assistance, support groups and options counseling.

Recommendations around these elements will be addressed in the next
four-year DAAS Aging Services Plan. Mark Hensley is the Project C.A.R.E.
lead, is the contact person for our work on this plan and the Coalition.

GEM has been the lead agency in Dare County proactively addressing these
issues. We have provided complimentary Memory Screenings since 2007
promoting early detection. GEM's Community Outreach parties have been
instrumental in providing public education, general awareness and advocacy
reaching out to the many volunteers that helped provide these events. We
present a National Candle lighting to "Honor, Remember and Care" for our
friends and families that have experienced cognitive challenges since 2007.

Gail developed with Susan Firman, RN and Linda Hester Caring Effectively for
people with dementia. Gail has been teaching this class at the College of
the Albemarle for over 10 years. Students include Nurse's aides, family
and professional caregivers and community friends. We are working together
to promote quality care for people with dementia. This class carries 12.0
Continuing Education Credits for staff of Assisted Living facilitates. GEM
also collaborates with the Alzheimer's Foundation of America to provide
qualification classes for [Qualified Dementia Care Provider] increasing the
knowledge of professionals and family caregivers in dementia Care. Our next
class will be June 21, 2014.

GEM has partnered with Dr. C. Petzing, Cathy Pfendler, RN together we
developed a four page document, Who am I? This is for family caregivers to
complete and bring to the hospital Emergency Department if a visit is
necessary. [You can view the document at www.gemdayservices.org.] This
document will assist the staff in caring for your loved one with memory loss
in the most proactive way.

GEM's newest program is geriatric care management which will help caregivers
and people with cognitive challenges with care transitions and community
inclusion.


Supports for People with dementia including consumer directed care,
reaching-out to and respecting diversity. GEM has learned through the years
and applied this knowledge by providing programming that enhances the
quality of life for people with dementia and their caregivers. Our
programming is designed to provide purpose and ensure success.


GEM has provided many workshops supporting caregivers, our first caregiver
education conference featured Teepa Snow and Melanie Bunn at St. Andrews -by
the -Sea in 2001. Our latest workshop Hopeful Aging promoted the" I'm Still
Here Approach"C of Hearthstone Alzheimer Care in February 2014.

GEM developed the first Group Respite Care program in Dare and successfully
provided care for 10 years. We currently provide the GEM CLUB a monthly
lunch and learn for anyone interested in the BEST Practices in Care for
people with cognitive challenges. GEM's website provides the latest
information about issues in dementia. GEM's Issues and Concerns of
Caregivers was the first Alzheimer's Support Group on the beach beginning in
1997.

If you would like to know more about GEM please call Gail Sonnesso, MS, QDCS
@ 252-480-3354 or email her at gsonnesso@gmail.com and visit our website:
www.gemdayservices.org


73 N2DYN Angelo

2014 National Alzheimer's Disease Plan Available

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 29, 2014

Contact: HHS Press Office 202-690-6343

2014 National Alzheimer’s Disease Plan Available

Updated Plan highlights 2013 achievements, new goals in research, care, and services

HHS today released the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease: 2014 Update, reflecting the nation’s progress toward accomplishing goals set in 2012 and current action steps to achieving them. The 2011 National Alzheimer’s Project Act calls for all Plans to be updated annually; the 2014 Plan follows the initial Plan released in May 2012 and an updated Plan released in June 2013.

The 2014 Plan was developed with input from experts in aging and Alzheimer’s disease from federal, state, private and non-profit organizations, as well as caregivers and people with the disease. The 2014 Plan includes the following five goals: finding ways to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025; enhancing care for Alzheimer’s patients; expanding support for people with dementia and their families; improving public awareness; and carefully tracking data to support these efforts.

“Since 2012, we have made strides in our fight against dementia under the framework of the National Plan,” HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said. “We continue to strive to reduce the burden of these conditions on people, their families, and our health care system.”

Highlights during the past year include:

·         Identification of 11 Alzheimer’s risk genes, providing new insights about disease pathways and possible drug targets;

·         Training and support to more than 23,000 health care providers on dementia;

·         Focused and coordinated public-private efforts that reduced the inappropriate use of antipsychotics among long-stay nursing home residents with dementia by nearly 14 percent; and

·         Funding to states for development of dementia-capable long-term services and supports systems.

The 2014 Plan also identifies the following action steps led by HHS to better research, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s disease:

·         Acceleration of efforts to identify the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease and to develop and test targets for intervention;

·         Move research and care forward by increasing collaboration in science, data sharing, and priority setting among Alzheimer’s disease experts, health care providers and caregivers;

·         Expansion of current work to strengthen dementia-care guidelines and quality measures, including meaningful outcomes for people with dementia and their families;

·         Help for health care providers to better address ethical considerations related to caring for people with dementia, including how to balance privacy, autonomy and safety; and

·         Enhance support for global collaboration on dementia, including hosting a February 2015 follow-up meeting to the December 2013 G8 Summit on Dementia.

“The scientific opportunities in research on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias have never been greater,” said Richard J. Hodes, M.D., director of the National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health. “We have made important discoveries about factors influencing development of the disease and in 2014, based on what we have learned, will focus on building and testing interventions that can make a difference.”

For more information about Alzheimer’s disease, visit www.alzheimers.gov.

To read the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease: 2014 Update, visit http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/napa/NatlPlan2014.shtml.

 

 

 

Gail E. Sonnesso, MS, QDCS

GEM Adult Day Services, Inc.

Gentle Expert Memorycare

252-480-3354

 

Use of this approach has been shown to provide significant benefits such as decreasing falls by as much as 50% and antipsychotic drug use by as much as 75%,

Hearthstone Alzheimer Care
This is a good summery of This program.

 

 

Cheers to everyone that is working so hard to bring the importance of good dementia training to the fore. Thank you all for sharing these wonderful resources! Hearthstone’s I’m Still Here™ Approach is a comprehensive, non-pharmacologic, resident-driven method of working with persons living with cognitive impairments that provides a high level of meaningful engagement and can significantly reduce the common symptoms associated with dementia. This methodology has been researched for over 20 years and has been field tested extensively at Hearthstone’s six assisted living residences. Use of this approach has been shown to provide significant benefits such as decreasing falls by as much as 50% and antipsychotic drug use by as much as 75%, while creating a substantial increase in the quality of life for persons living with cognitive challenges. The Hearthstone Institute provides training and certification in the approach to organizations that care for persons experiencing all stages of memory loss, including SNFs, CCRCs, Homecare and Assisted Living providers. Please contact me if you are interested in learning more about how to bring this approach to your community (wecare@thehearth.org). By Sharon Johnson

 

 

 

Gail E. Sonnesso, MS, QDCS

GEM Adult Day Services, Inc.

Gentle Expert Memorycare

252-480-3354

 

Top Priority

 

 

73 N2DYN Angelo

 

From: Tommy Fulcher [mailto:bounce@bounce.myngp.com] On Behalf Of Tommy Fulcher
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2014 9:10 AM
To: Angelo Sonnesso
Subject: Re: Top Priority

 

Friends,

The news about the environmental damage to the Dan River caused by the recent coal ash spill has been alarming.  As bad as the environmental impact has been it could get even worse.  It is possible that the public might get stuck with the bill to clean it up.  This is completely unacceptable.

Our campaign has created a petition demanding that our state holds polluters accountable for their own actions and not the public.

This is a very critical issue.  Click here to sign our petition to ensure that when corporations harm the environment the burden does not fall on our families. 

Protecting our natural resources is vital to our economy and environment.  Please sign this petition today and tell Duke Energy they must pay for the environmental damage to the Dan River. 

Tommy Fulcher

Campaign Manager, Stan White Campaign

P.S., Once you sign the petition, click here to share it with your friends.  Forward To A Friend

 

Paid for by the Stan White Campaign

Stan White Campaign
PO Box 1447
Nags Head NC 27959 United States

If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe.

Take The Pledge

 

 

73 N2DYN Angelo

From: Tommy Fulcher [mailto:bounce@bounce.myngp.com] On Behalf Of Tommy Fulcher
Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 12:41 PM
To: Angelo Sonnesso
Subject: Take The Pledge

 

 

I just had a great conversation with Becky Howard in Currituck County today and she said "It is so rare to see someone as genuine as Stan who is willing to serve the people despite all of the negativity these days. I was pleased to hear Stan speak at the Currituck County Democratic Party meeting and it is great to see him out in the district working hard to win back the senate seat".  My friends that is the essence of the campaign.  We have to remind people to look past the negativity and take a clear look at the people who seek to represent them. 

Every day I speak to people who tell me that they are excited about Stan running for North Carolina State Senate this year and how much they miss his leadership and representation. 

At a public meeting in Knotts Island people were encourage to know that Stan remains committed to fighting against unfair ferry tolls for local residents even though the incumbent has continued to flip-flop on the issue.

I hope all of you will make a pledge to forward this message to at least 10 of your friends and neighbors and ask them to visit our campaign website.  Grassroots outreach is the only sure-fire way to combat the money machine that will back Stan's opponent.    

Whether it is at the Wildlife Arts Festival in Beaufort County or the Stumpy Point Oyster Roast in Bayview Chapel, people are enthused when they hear about Stan's commitment to continue serving them and fighting to bring common sense back to our state government.

I hope that Stan can count on you to spread the word to your friends. 

Sincerely,

 

Tommy Fulcher

Campaign Manager, Stan White for Senate

.P.S. Want to help our campaign?  Forward this email to at least 10 of your friends.

 

Paid for by the Stan White Campaign

Stan White Campaign
PO Box 1447
Nags Head NC 27959 United States

If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe.

FW: Gene therapy technique for Choroideremia patients helps restore some vision

Angelo Sonnesso M.A. M.S. QDCP
N.C. Department of Health and Human Services
Social Worker III
Pasquotank DSS
709 Roanoke Ave
Elizabeth City, NC27909
(Office) 252-338-2126 Ex179
(Fax) 252-335-7192
Cell: (252) 202-1190
angelo.sonnesso@dhhs.nc.gov
www.ncdhhs.gov/dsb

Email correspondence to and from this address is subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties by an authorized State official. Unauthorized disclosure of juvenile, health, legally privileged, or otherwise confidential information, including confidential information relating to an ongoing State procurement effort, is prohibited by law. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete all records of this e-mail.

From: Welton, Dennis
Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2014 8:48 AM
To: DSB-ALL
Subject: Gene therapy technique for Choroideremia patients helps restore some vision

Another medical breakthrough that restores (some) sight to individuals who have Choroideremia - a rare form of progressive blindness:
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/01/16/gene-therapy-improves-vision-patients-with-form-incurable-blindness/?intcmp=latestnews

Sincerely,

Dennis Welton, MSBME, MBA
N.C. Department of Health and Human Services
Assistive Technology Consultant
NC Division of Services for the Blind
4265 Brownsboro Rd., Suite 100
Winston-Salem, NC 27106
Phone: 336-896-2227 x224
Fax: 336-896-7048
dennis.welton@dhhs.nc.gov<mailto:dennis.welton@dhhs.nc.gov>
www.ncdhhs.gov/dsb/<http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dsb/>

Email correspondence to and from this address is subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties by an authorized State official. Unauthorized disclosure of juvenile, health, legally privileged, or otherwise confidential information, including confidential information relating to an ongoing State procurement effort, is prohibited by law. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete all records of this e-mail.

"Hopeful Aging" with Sharon Johnson

Date: Thursday February 27^th
           Currituck Cooperative extension Center - Barco NC

Time: 10:30 -3:30

Cost   $15.00 scholarships available to family caregivers [if needed] includes lunch and light snacks

RESPITE  (From 10:30 – 3:30) or relief from the caregiving role is available during the workshop –please register by Jan. 30^th [there is no charge but you must register so that we can provide enough caregivers]

Venders spaces are limited, the cost is just $15.00

 

GEM Adult Day Services, Inc. is sponsoring Hopeful Aging for people with and without memory loss                                                                     and we are very thankful for the support of:
Sharon Johnson of The Hearthstone Institute

Laura Alverico and Lynne Raiser of The Area Agency on Aging

Olivia Jones of Currituck Cooperative Extension

Courtney Gallop of Gallop Funeral Services.

Check out the link below if you would like to know more about Hearthstone Care  

 http://www.thehearth.org/johnzeiselbio.html

 

For more information please call Gail Sonnesso 252-480-3354                                                                                                                                       or email gsonnesso@gmail.com  or visit our website www.thegemcenter.org

 

Gail E. Sonnesso, MS, QDCS

GEM Adult Day Services, Inc.

Gentle Expert Memorycare

252-480-3354