Watch Out for Scams!

I post a lot about scams. That's because they are everywhere. That's also because people continue to fall prey to scams. It's also because so many of the people in our area are vulnerable. We have a lot of older folks. There are a lot of people who have some memory ...more

Isolation Continues

As we see our COVID numbers rising exponentially across the country, strong recommendations are made for us to remain vigilant, remain isolated as much as possible (or remain socially distant), and continue to wear a mask. Experts in the fields of immunology and infectious diseases support wearing masks and work ...more

Thank You to Our Veterans - Our Heroes!

Today is Veteran's Day. This is the day we set aside to honor those who have served in the military and those who are serving. They have served to protect our country. They have served all over the world. These men and women have served unselfishly so that we may live ...more

HELP! I AM SO STRESSED OUT!!

Caregiving is difficult. Unless you are or have been a caregiver, you may not realize how every aspect of your life is affected by that role. As we wind our way through this pandemic, many caregivers are sharing how much the isolation is impacting them. In the best of times, providing ...more

Caring for Yourself as You are Caring for Others

When we're taking care of someone, it's difficult to think of caring for ourselves. Here are some ideas to help you do a little self-care. Laugh about something every day. Keep a humor file - something you can go to for a quick giggle. Talk with someone every day. It's important to ...more

Should Your Loved One Live Alone?

Not long ago, I posted some signs that may indicate that your loved one needs help. There are many other signs that may indicate that extra help is needed. Medication problems such as taking too many, taking too few, mixing up pills or using expired prescriptions Changes in weight Depeleted financial resources "New" friends ...more

Does Your Older Relative Need Help?

It has been difficult to monitor our loved ones during the pandemic. We may not live close. We may not be able to visit as frequently as we did not so long ago. We may not be able to visit due to underlying health issues of our loved ones or ...more

PANDEMIC POUNDS - THE QUARANTINE 15

We have had to make many adjustments to adapt to doing our jobs at home. We have had to make sure we have supplies. We have had to make sure we have access to the information we need to serve our consumers. We have had to update our computers. We've had ...more

Caregivers: Are You Ready for an Emergency?

Have you made an Emergency Plan for your care receiver? We are coming on fall with an increased risk of storms, electrical outages, flash floods, and tornadoes. Often, we can shelter in place but there are times that we need to evacuate or move to another place in the house ...more

Are you interested in the Altenheim cottages?

It's hard to believe that our first cottages were constructed in 2008! Three more cottages were completed in 2012 and the last two were constructed in 2014. The first three are an A-frame design with an oversize garage and no basement. The dining room is adjacent to the kitchen, and just off ...more

Follow-up on Vaccination Blog

I was wondering what to post when my husband reminded me that I am now a senior citizen, and maybe I should post on my experiences as an older adult. As an aside - It's difficult to really understand that I AM a senior! I have my Golden Moutaineer card ...more

Are You Up to Date on Vaccinations?

We're all concerned about a vaccine for coronavirus / COVID-19 and hoping that our researchers find the answer sooner than later. While we are concerned about the current state of events, we can't forget our regular vaccinations! We're coming on the "regular" flu season. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about ...more

Isolation and Loneliness

Are you almost ready to answer your phone and chat with whoever is on the other end? Staying home has been challenging for so many of us. We aren't seeing our colleagues at meetings nor are we able to plan special events. The evening dinners with friends have morphed into Zoom ...more

What Are You Doing?

Hey! How are things going? Are you working from home, going in part time, or are you back full time? I am still working from home and have gotten into a rhythm. People who need information have found me through this Web page, email or our alternate phone number. It's ...more

Observing 25 years in a Pandemic

When I was hired by Altenheim as Resource Services Coordinator of their new division Altenheim Resource & Referral Services in March 1995, I didn't know where this new position would lead. I knew that this position was a great opportunity to help older adults and their caregivers. I had just ...more

What Do I Do With All My Stuff???

Do you look around your house and think "Where did all that stuff come from?!" Our house is small, and I have no idea how I managed to cram so much in such a small space! Since I've been working from home, I am constantly reminded of my need to ...more

MOVING OUR BODIES DURING THE PANDEMIC

Many of us are still working from home, socially distancing when we're out, and trying to stay at home as much as possible. I'm going out for groceries and necessary items, and to walk our dog but am trying to stay in and away from people as much as possible. ...more

VOTE!! VOTE!! VOTE!!

Tuesday, June 9 is Election Day for West Virginia. Some of you may have taken advantage of mail-in ballots, and others may have voted through the Early Voting process. For those of you who are voting in person - the day is coming up! Voting is a privilege. People have fought ...more

BE SAFE. BE WELL. BE CONSIDERATE.

We are still living an altered lifestyle. Businesses and services are slowly reopening in West Virginia and Ohio, just as we observe Memorial Day - which usually signals summer (although it's still about 3 weeks early for the official start of summer). We are so anxious to get out, to ...more

Have You Been Counted? The 2020 Census

It's CENSUS time! Have you been counted? You should have gotten your "invitation" to be counted, and you can respond online, by phone or by mail. Some of us got short forms which were concise with questions. Others received longer forms which requested more information. So - you might ask - ...more