Letter From the President - Calmra Inc.Natalia Villafuerte 14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707...
Transcript of Letter From the President - Calmra Inc.Natalia Villafuerte 14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707...
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
Kathy Labukas
President
As we enter into a new year 2020, we welcome new members to CALMRA’s Board: Susan Cady Johnson, sister of Brian who re-sides in our Parallel home; and Elsie Ziepolt who resides in our Princess Garden home. She will represent our residents along with Lois Funk from the Allview home.
Elsie’s parents were members of CALMRA’s founding Board.
We also thank Fred Windbeck and Hazel Roeder who have retired from the Board for their many years of service and their active participation in all CALMRA relat-ed projects, fundraisers and activi-ties. CALMRA members who attended our Annual Membership Meeting
W I N T E R , 2 0 2 0 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
2019 CALMRA
BOARD OF
DIRECTORS:
President: Kathy Labukas Vice President: William Moon Secretary: Joan Echols Treasurer: David Brokate
Directors: David Saville Sheila Saville Patricia Morris Lois Funk Sara Henry Bill Lowell Mark Mazz Elsie Ziepolt Mary Kenney Trudy Thornton Kenneth Windbeck Susan Cady Johnson Nancy Tolbert
CALMRA
ADMINISTRATIVE
STAFF:
Executive Director: Nancy Tolbert Chief Operating Officer: Danna Zacharek Dir. of Program Oper.: Tammy Money RN: Kadi Decker Director of Finance: Kelsey Jackson Human Resources Director: Farrah Mirambeau Office Manager: Micah Simon Dir. of Day Services: Susie Thompson Activity Coordinator: Antonia Bayly Program Admin.: Felicia Mukasa-Kintu Fostina Kamara Margaret Mbeseha Maintenance: James Allen Robert Money Frank Saenz
Letter From the President
CALMRA’S MISSION: to improve the lives of persons with developmental disabilities by providing
the highest quality residential and other support services in an ethical and loving environment.
Newsletter for and about CALMRA, INC.
The CALMRA Communicator
CFC # 36749
in December were able to hear the audit report that CALMRA contin-ues to have financial difficulties. There are several reasons for this. Primarily, this is due to meeting the required minimum wage for our dedicated direct care staff and to completing the renovations needed for our Mary Solko Senior Day Program to move into our large building. Many thanks to some of our family members who raised much needed funding through Facebook fund-raisers and to all who made dona-tions to our Fall Gift Solicitation. We are seeking other avenues to raise money, including applying for grants. We encourage all members to renew your membership and to
Letter from the President………………………….…………………………………….. 1
Letter from the Executive Director…………………………………………………….. 2
Birthdays and New Employees…………………………………………………………... 3
Gifts With Special Meaning …………………………………………...………………..... 4
From Our Homes….………………………………………………………………………. 5-14
From Our Senior Center…………………………………………………………………. 15-18
From Our Nurse…………………………..………………………………………………. 19
Montgomery County InterACC/DD…………………………………………………….
Tips for Coping with Stressors As You Age…………………………………………….
20
21-22
Giant Food Fundraiser……………………………………………………………………... 23
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
seek out any resources in your community network that can be tapped for raising funds for CALMRA, Inc. I hope to see all of you at the CALMRA Family Picnic in June.
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
Nancy Tolbert,
Executive Director
From the Executive Director’s Desk
The holidays are over and we are all attempting to get back into the full-time swing of things. Staff report all our homes had a great Christmas and family, friends, and Santa were very good to everyone at CALMRA. I am very grateful to all our supporters who gave generously to the annual Gift Solicitation campaign. Your dona-tions will help us con-tinue our mission and assist us as we move forward!
we are struggling financially but mak-ing plans to improve this situation. Looking forward to warmer weather and the promise of spring!
CALMRA’s Senior Cen-ter, The Mary Solko Senior Center has com-pleted their move!! Everyone seems to have settled into their new digs, and there is a lot of room for their daily activities! I must thank and extend our appreciation to our maintenance crew;
Frank Saenz, Bobby Money, and James Al-len for all their work to make this move go smoothly. Also, Susie Thompson and her staff were phenomenal and pitching in to make the move complete on time! Thanks every-one! We held our Annual meeting on December 10th. Attendees got the first-hand report of our fiscal audit and learned
P A G E 2 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
FOR WAYS YOU CAN
SUPPORT CALMRA,
PLEASE SEE PG. 25
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
CALMRA would like to recognize
the following residents who have
celebrated or will soon celebrate a
birthday:
Welcome New Employees!
P A G E 3 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
Birthdays and New Employees
CALMRA would like to recognize the following
staff members who have
celebrated or will soon celebrate a
birthday:
Mary Horan
Joan Wyvill
Lillian Maureen Gray
Eugene Perry
Jeffrey Rolston
Elsie Ziepolt
Hilda Newman
Eileen Harrington
Louis Cox
Gloria Shen
Bianca Gatten-Rivers
Rebecca Wright
Ruth Shipps
Dawit Gebretsadik
David McDermott
Arlene Dockendorf
Hope Crutchfield
Cassandra Chijoke
Frank Saenz
Joy Sappleton Howell
Louis Kamara
Patricia Okongwu
Hana Asfaw
Atinuke Babayale
George Morgan, Jr.
Felicia Mukasa-Kintu
Olufunmilayo Oke-Adeniyi
Tymeka Williams
Rosalie Poukouta Mbimi
Ruth Sackey
Felix Ibe
Rose Delice
Tochi Duhu
Kim Washington
Tymeka Williams
Diane Dekoladenu
Isata Jalloh
Theresa Enwerem
Marie Delice
Kim Washington
Catherine Tate
Veronica Conteh
Rose Delice
Kenneth Mmakwe
Vera Selmah
Catherine Awung Nke
Farrahdia Mirambeau
Babatunde Ladejobi
Natalia Villafuerte
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
P A G E 4 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
Day Program Donations
Matilda Bradford
Gifts With Special Meaning
Staff Appreciation
Being rich is not about how much we have, but how much we give.
Carol Aspinall Laura Bennett
Susan Cady Johnson Sara and Austin Henry Veronica and Bill Lowell
Mark Mazz Shawn Perry Lincoln Pitts Hazel Roeder
Sheila and Dave Saville Peter Van Houten
Tolson’s Landscaping
William and Barbara Nock
Joan and Lester Echols
Susan DePlatchett
Jay Davis
Damascus United Methodist Church
Bill Moon
Theresa Brown
Eric Siegfried
Patricia Savory
Christopher Otley
James Langworthy
Karen duVon
Patrick Cady
In Memory of In Memory of Mona Turner Stuart Eisen
Sara Watt John & Christine Proctor
Chris Connell & Kathy Wilson
In Memory of
Sara and Austin Henry
Kathy Labukas
Ruth and William Flahive
Matthew Titus
Lynn Edward
In Honor of
Michael Connell
Liz Labukas
General Donations
In Honor of Gabby Roeder
Theodore Junghans
Mary Julia Bailey
General Donations Cont.
Farrah Mirambeau
William and Sandra Halloran
Constance Russell
Training & eTracking
Solutions
Sharon Spurrier
Clareen Heikal
James and Carol Lowell, Sr.
In Honor of Julia & Bill Lowell
Marcel and Susan Heuver
In Honor of Frederick Tolbert
Laurie Saenz
In Honor of Gwen N.
Julie Vermeulen
In Memory of Elysse
Joyce Camacho
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
News and Events from October 2019 through December 2019.
From Our Homes P A G E 5 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
The ladies also en-
joyed Thanksgiving. Julie
was with her family of
course, and Lois and Bianca
ate right at home. They en-
joyed everything, even their
pumpkin pie!
December and
Christmas were here before
we knew it! The ladies loved
going Christmas shopping
for each other. They made
banana pudding.
Boy, was it deli-
cious!
We had our annual
Christmas party at our
house. It was so much fun!
We enjoyed listening to
Christmas music, dancing
and eating good food of
course! Gathering around
with each other was the
most fun and exchanging
gifts. � Thanks for the staff
gifts, Mrs. Kenney and
Kathy!
Lois continues to
enjoy the social club/ thea-
ter club and going to see her
friends at her Golden Age
club. She loves being a
Calmra Board member as
well. She and Julie went to
see A Christmas Carol and
loved it!
The ladies and staff
at Allview would like to
thank Kathy Labukas, Mrs.
Kenney, and all that helped
with getting us a new oven!
The ladies love it and truly
appreciate all the donations.
ALLVIEW
Please stay safe and warm
as we will try to do the
same!
Greetings from
Allview House! The ladies are
doing great! They have been
enjoying the winter weather.
The ladies loved the fall as
well! In October we all
dressed up for Halloween as
our favorite characters from
the Wizard of Oz! What fun it
was giving candy out to the
trick or treaters in the neigh-
borhood. Julie and Bianca are
back with their bowling team
the Woodchoppers. Lois is
their cheerleader!
In November, the
ladies celebrated the Queen
of the house’s 81st birthday,
Lois Funk! She wanted to go
to Olive Garden to celebrate.
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
P A G E 6 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
jor renovations .
For starters, we went on vacation to Williamsburg , Virginia for a two weeks' stay at the Staybridge Suites hotel at Newport News. During the first week both guys were under the weath-er and the virus was later transmitted to staff as well but with resilience, we all pulled through and were
able to do some sightseeing within Newport News and some of the attractions we visited include but not limited to the Mariner museum, which is a popular attraction for the Newport News guests. Also, at the Yorktown riverfront, we saw colonial architecture which gives character to the specialty shops and restau-rants that line the riverfront.
We are exploring possibilities of changing day program ser-vices for David, who is going through a lot of unwelcome challenges at his current day program. We will hate to see him lose friends and other ac-
BEAUWICK
The Beauwick crew started the quarter with celebrating David's 52nd birthday at home with his room mate and staff before he got picked up again by his sibling to complete the celebration at his dad's place with close relatives. We spent the rest of the holidays away from home because our house is currently going through ma-
quaintances but his welfare takes precedence over other matters. Finally, we like to take this op-portunity to make our impression felt by thanking our able PA/DOO for her tireless efforts in making us realize our dream of a com-fortable home and the incredible support she gives us a whole in-cluding all those who in one way or the other have contributed to help forge through these trying times.
BEECHVUE
Greeting from the ladies and the
staff from Beechvue house. Happy
New Year! We began the new
year with a lot of hope and bless-
ings. We hope everyone is
enjoying the new year as
are. Nancy Trainman had a
very nice birthday. She
turned to 73 years old. She
was very excited about her
birthday celebration. Nancy
picked the cake and the dec-
orations from the store.
Marilyn had a wonderful
holiday. Also, she was very
effective helping her house
mates and staff. Marilyn did a
lot of arts and crafts. Melynda
visited her family for Christ-
mas and New Year.
We had an unforgettable time
going to different malls, the
Watkins Christmas lights, park
and planning, holiday hop and
movie nights. We went to
church every Sunday, and had
a wonderful and precious time
in the church. The ladies lost
their long-time pastor. Please
pray for him and his families.
We have been invited to a
friend’s church a couple of
times, and we had wonderful
experience over there. The
ladies received beautiful
Christmas gifts from friends
and family. They were very
happy and thankful.
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
P A G E 7 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
BRANCH VIEW
Hello from Branch View. The fall came with warm
weather. Halloween was celebrated as the guys handed candies to the kids. They were very ex-cited. Louis and Kevin went on their trip to Georgia. They had a lot of fun while Wade took a day trip to Ocean City. He was very excited. Wade celebrated his birthday in October. He had cake and
ice cream which he shared with his housemates and staff. They also went to the CHI Christmas Party, and gift bags were handed out. We celebrated our Christ-mas party too. The guys decorated their tree and wrapped their gifts. On
December, Blessing and Law-rence went to Beltway plaza.
Eugene’s family came to Bucklodge on the 22nd of De-cember for their Christmas gifts exchange and spent time with him. Eugene’s sister, Betty from Minnesota, is planning to see Eugene. Everyone is plan-ning to celebrate his 53rd birthday in March.
BUCKLODGE
Hello friends and families of Calmra. Bucklodge staff and the resident extend their greetings to our new HR Di-rector and CLS of Greencas-tle.
On the 29th of October, staff and residents went to Arun-del Mills Mall and enjoyed our lunch at McDonald's. On the 22nd of November, staff and Lawrence went to Costco for shopping. On the 1st of
Christmas day everyone opened their gifts. They were so excited. Louis went to camp. He said he had a lot of fun. Everyone remains in good health.
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
P A G E 8 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
Saturday.
For Halloween, they all dressed up in their favor-ite costumes and attend-ed the Halloween cele-bration at their Day Pro-gram. For Thanksgiving, Donald and Dawit went home to spend the holi-day with their families.
In December, the guys enjoyed decorating the house and putting up the Christmas tree. They had the opportunity to go shopping to buy gifts for
themselves. Donald and Dawit participated in the Holiday Hop Party orga-nized by Park and Plan-ning in Landover.
We at Columbia house and the Calmra family are happy that the guys are in good health
COLUMBIA
Greetings from Columbia house! Our residents and staff wish everyone a Happy New Year. The guys have been really busy as usu-al. They still continue to keep in shape by partici-pating in the Park and Plan-ning fitness activities once a week and using the tread-mill at the house. Bowling is another favorite activity that Donald and Lewis have been participating in every
DRESDEN
brated Thanksgiving feasting with lots of food and desserts. For Christmas the ladies had a blast ex-changing presents.
Colleen went to her family Christmas party and the family were very happy to see her and she had lots of fun and presents. The family Christmas party was very delightful.
Monique's family came to celebrate the holidays with her in the house.
Greetings from the from the ladies at Dresden. The winter has not been quite brutal albe-it a little bit of a nuisance. The ladies went on community outings weather permitting. Places visited were Shoppers, Costco, The Mall at Prince George’s, Greenbelt Mall, Lau-rel Library, Boston Market, Anne Arundel Mall, and took rides around the community for sightseeing. The ladies cele-
Ms. Smith and her brother, David came to spend some time with Nanita during the holidays. Colleen and Nanita continue to enjoy full partic-ipation at Mary Solko Senior Center whereby they are highly supported by excellent staff. Monique also continues to enjoy her participation with her attendance at the Arc of Prince George’s County.
Overall, the ladies are grate-ful for a wonderful winter, and nevertheless; we are looking forward to wonder-ful spring Season.
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
P A G E 9 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
October started the
quarter with a fun-filled
Halloween party. Follow-
ing the party, the guys
passed out candy to the
local kids in their neigh-
borhood.
The holidays were upon
us, and that means par-
ties, family, fun and love.
However, November was
quite uneventful. There
were long days and short
nights as we looked for-
ward to the Thanksgiving
holiday. That week all the
guys spent time with their
families.
As December rolled in,
the guys were excited
about Christmas. Just like
Thanksgiving, the guys
spent time with their
families.
DURANT
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P A G E 1 0 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
warm days. Kristy helped with picking out fresh new plants for inside the house, they are so nice and beauti-ful. Jennifer enjoyed a beautiful church ser-vice, and Gabby loves
GREENCASTLE
Happy New Year, From Greencastle!!
The ladies from Greencas-tle are not letting the cold stop them from going out! Especially on our
her car rides with some nice music away from the cold weather. We
definitely are ready for some warm weather!
GAVIN
With all of the holidays Maureen and Joan experi-enced it was nothing less than amazing. We had the opportunity to spend this time with family and those whom are close to us. We enjoyed family dinners, musical plays, concerts, and games just to name a few .
Maureen spent time with her sister and was so hap-py at the sight of all her gifts. Joan was delighted to taste every dish pre-pared for Thanksgiving.
We have had so much to be thankful for over the months and we look for-ward to what lies ahead. Happy New Year to all from Gavin house.
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
LACKAWANNA
The folks of Lacka-
wanna have en-
joyed good health,
a cold or two, but
nothing very seri-
ous. Eileen contin-
ues to get healthier
everyday. This is in-
deed good news
and a blessing.
Pamela celebrated
her birthday on
Halloween. Unfor-
tunately, she had to
share it with trick-
or-treaters. Yet she
still managed to
enjoy her birth-
day with cake, ice
cream and
friends. Pamela
wore her cos-
tume as she
joined her house-
mates in passing
out candy.
Thanksgiving was
a busy and fun
time at our
home. We cele-
brated at a family
member’s home,
which was fun.
Everyone came
with their favor-
ite dish. The tur-
key and trim-
mings were pre-
pared here. It was
a fantastic night
with more than
enough food to
go around.
Next we decorat-
ed for Christmas
and went shop-
ping. Once we
setup the tree, it
looked like one of
the prettiest ones
in the neighbor-
hood. Pam, Eileen
and Delores
couldn’t stop
staring and smil-
ing at it.
“Goodbye televi-
sion. Hello tree.”
The ladies also
enjoyed the Festi-
val of Lights, shop-
ping at different
stores and the annu-
al Holiday Hop.
We pray all of you
have made it though
this cold winter. We
look forward to the
coming spring.
May God keep you
in his arms as you
move forward.
Much Love,
Delores, Eileen,
Pamela and Staff
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
P A G E 1 2 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
PARALLEL
"HAPPY NEW YEAR"!!! from Parallel house.
It's the beginning of a new year, with lots of planning to do and new year resolutions to keep. The resi-dents visited their families for both Christmas and New Year, which they all enjoyed very much. They also enjoyed going out
to their scheduled outings every week, which they look forward to every weekend and during the week when possible. Christopher seemed to like going to the Guitar Place in Lau-rel. He always draws a cheerful crowd when he starts to bang the
drums and laughs. Jeffrey visited church in his community which he liked very much when asked. Brian also enjoyed his community outings each time he was taken out, whether it be looking at planes or just simply a car ride in his community. They all have vari-ous likes and dislikes like anybody else, and that's what makes them unique in their own way.
The residents are fun loving individuals who get along with each other in the home. More and more each day, Parallel house feels more like a warm and welcoming home instead of a job. Thanks to all who have contributed to the wellbeing of Parallel house. Both staff and
residents, you have made it all possi-ble. Thanks again.
PERSONAL SUPPORTS
"Hello my name is Sean, and I have been busy with the help of my Personal Support Staff, Pete, from CALMRA! We have been working on a bunch of things I like to do and want to get better at. We've been spending time each week learning what I will need to know to pass the MD Drivers Knowledge Test, the first step to getting my Driver's License. I am getting faster at correctly answering the prac-tice tutorials test questions online. I can only get two of the 25 questions wrong and still pass the real test. I am getting a lot closer and hope to be ready to take the test before the end of winter. Last October my support team met, and we came up with a new goal for me to make a new friend inde-pendent of my family connections. In December, I met up with someone I know from the Spirit Club gym and Special Olympics cycling events. He lives near me, and we had lunch at The Outta The Way Cafe in Derwood. You can see the picture we took together! In January, we went to the new Star Wars movie and had a great time. We are working on going to Dave & Buster’s soon! I am also talk-ing to someone I met at my group exercise class in Brookeville and hope to be able to get together with him because we like the same things. This spring I'll be looking into local car/truck clubs in hopes of making more new friends who love vehicles as much as I do. I'm also including a picture of me "driving" a tractor at the Montgomery County Agriculture Museum that Pete and I like to walk around on nice days. I have be-come more independent with my daily medications by learning to use a pill box which I refill each week. Next, I will be sitting down with my dad so he can show me how to order refills from the pharmacy. I've learned how to enter appointments and upcoming events in the iCalendar and use Reminders on my iPhone to be more independent about getting ready for them on time. Pete and I explored the possibility of taking American Sign Language classes at Montgomery College and may start as early as February. We're also going to take First Aid/CPR together, probably this summer. These new skills will help me pursue my dream to become a personal trainer. I com-pleted a job duties checklist for a position being created at the Spirit Club gym helping to put away the equipment at the end of the day. I know I would be able to complete most of the tasks inde-pendently after some initial training. I have lost some weight with regular exercise and eating a healthier diet. I can't wait to see what this year will bring and I wish you all a very Happy New Year!!"
- submitted with the support of Pete VanHouten
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
. Happy holidays from the resi-
dents and staff at Princess
Garden! We hope everyone
had a thankful Thanksgiving,
the merriest of Christmases and
a prosperous and blessed New
Year!
We started our holiday season
with our annual Thanksgiving
dinner with our families and
staff. We had a table full of in-
ternational dishes represented
by our staff and traditional
Thanksgiving food. It was an
enjoyable evening, and all had a
great time. We were stuffed
with not only food but also fel-
lowship.
We had Julie’s birthday celebra-
tion in December at Long Horn
Steakhouse in Bowie. Julie was
so excited with all her gifts and
enjoyed herself.
We had our annual gift ex-
change for Christmas with staff
PRINCESS GARDEN
P A G E 1 3 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
SCOTT
It’s been a wonderful winter for all of us at Scott as we have enjoyed winter without snow.
By the grace of God the ladies are in good health and they've enjoyed different ac-tivities over this few months as the weather permitted. They went for a picnic at Wheaton, shopping in Colum-bia Mall, Target, Macy's etc.
Gwendolyn is doing well.
and residents. We had such a
good time with laughter and fun
for all.
Diane went to spend Thanksgiv-
ing and Christmas with her sis-
ter. Julie spent Thanksgiving and
Christmas with her Mom and
Dad. Elsie spent Thanksgiving
with her cousin and Christmas
with both of her brothers.
New Year was spent with lots of
She enjoys rides to the parks without complaints. She enjoys rocking most of the time, and she’s still the main boss of us all.
Gloria went out with her family to celebrate Chinese New Year. She had a lot of fun and looking forward to next year's celebration.
Rebecca celebrated her birthday with her mum and other family members, and she visits home as often as possible.
The ladies are looking forward to a wonderful year ahead and thanks to all staff for holding down the house when their CLS was away. God bless all.
cheer and fun, fun, fun here
at Princess Garden. CLS Ol-
ive toasted and danced to
bring in the New Year with
the ladies’ favorite sparkling
cider. What a fun night we
had!
We had such good weather
to begin in January. The la-
dies went to see the Martin
Luther King Jr. Memorial in
Washington, DC. We en-
joyed the warm day by walk-
ing around the memorial
reading all the quotes from
Dr. King. What a beautiful
way to start the New Year.
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P A G E 1 4 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
Thanksgiving was celebrated with good cooking by the staff. We had apple cider to drink, cakes, pie, Jollof rice and mixed vegetables with some stew to grace the occasion. Our neighbor requested the recipe due to the aroma so that his wife can cook it. We went for a late fall season visit to Ocean City to stimulate our environmental awareness for change in scenery, and we managed not to get burnt by the sun. We went sight seeing in the area for Christmas lights. We saw the National Lights on the mall in Washington D. C.,
the Mormon Temple, Embassy Row Christmas Deco-rations, homes in the neighbor-hood. David, Antonio, and James enjoyed the weather so much with smiles. David went to visit his siblings, the three DJ's and their fami-lies for Thanksgiving holiday. He was also happy to see them. We are looking forward to a good weather again to continue our usual tour of the area to satisfy our awareness. On behalf of the residents and staff of Shanandale House, we wish to say thanks to everyone
SHANANDALE
SUSQUEHANNA
The season began well with vari-ous trips to places of interest to David, Antonio, and James. We went to the movies, malls, Wash-ington Harbor, and Baltimore Inner Harbor.
for their continued support. God's blessing always.
The ladies, families and
staff enjoyed a big
Thanksgiving meal at
home where everyone
gave a reason to be
thankful. A round table
prayer session was led by
Patricia, and Farida ended
her prayer in her lan-
guage. The ladies felt hap-
py as dinner was accom-
panied by music and
dancing. Christmas and
New Year’s were celebrat-
ed in a similar way, but
more people were invited
to the banquet.
This period brought a close
to Patricia’s garden of flow-
ers and vegetables. She har-
vested all her remaining veg-
Highlights during this period
were the celebrations of Hal-
loween, Thanksgiving, Christ-
mas and New Year’s.
For Halloween, the ladies
chose how they wanted to
dress. Patricia refused to be a
witch this time like the previ-
ous years and chose to be a
deer. Dorothy said she was a
lioness while Farida dressed
like a bunny.
etables and flowers and put
them in flowerpots in the
house. This outdoor activity
(watering, weeding and har-
vesting), was replaced by
yoga, an indoor activity at
the Marlboro Community
Center. She loves this and
looks forward to each ses-
sion.
The ladies have continued
to enjoy indoor activities
such as bowling, movies and
musical shows. They love
the pampering haircuts and
eating out. Saturdays and
Sundays are reserved for
bowling and church activi-
ties. During these days, they
are treated to lunch out.
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
P A G E 1 5 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
News and Events from the end of October, 2019, to the end of December, 2019.
From Our Senior Center
MARY SOLKO
SENIOR CENTER
October is always a “Spice-tacular” time for everyone. Each particpant spent days and weeks searching for the perfect costume in preparation for our annual Halloween Costume Party. All the Costumes were “fa-BOO-lous.” From the
smiles on the participants faces, we can say everyone had a happy "Howl-oween."
Greetings from everyone at the Mary Solko Senior Center! Fall was one of our busiest and fun filled seasons of the year. We re-located the senior center, created “fa-BOO-lous,” Halloween memories, observed the season of thankfulness, and celebrated Christmas with one of our favorite persons, Santa! We are so excited to share our memories with you.
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
P A G E 1 6 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
News and Events from October, 2019, to the end of December, 2019.
From Our Senior Center
FANGS so much for looking at our “fa-BOO-lous” Costumes.
The month of November brought in much colder weather. However, that did not stop us. During the month, we ventured to sever-al department stores looking for great deals, and a couple of our participants even found time to sneak in a lunch date.
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
News and Events from October, 2019, to the end of December, 2019.
From Our Senior Center
We started the month of December by planning for The Twelve Days of Christmas. Each day was filled with different activities, music, games, and delicious snacks. We also received a surprise visit from one of our favorite people, Santa. There were smiles on everyone’s faces as they received a nice gift, hug, and big smile from Santa.
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
News and Events from October, 2019, to the end of December, 2019.
From Our Senior Center
Last but not least, we welcomed a new family member, Arlene Dockendorf. Arlene warmed her way into the hearts of everyone with her big beautiful smile, gorgeous ocean blue eyes, and warm personality. She is a great addition to our family.
As we close the year with beautiful memories, we look forward to seeing what 2020 will bring.
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
Hi All— Coronavirus is much in the news. There is one case in Maryland being investigated for verification of coronavirus. Just like the flu, folks should stay home if they are sick, watch for fe-ver, cough, cover mouth/nose when sneeze, look out for pneu-monia and— Hand washing, Hand washing, Hand washing. Please make sure folks are vaccinat-ed for the Flu vac-cine and Pneu-movax if they meet criteria. About Corona-viruses
There are many viruses in the coro-navirus family that can cause illness in
From Our Nurse: by Kadi Decker, RN
Coronavirus
• Shortness of breath Pneumonia While the exact incubation peri-od for this coro-navirus has not yet been deter-mined, it is be-lieved that most infected people will develop symp-toms 2-14 days after they were exposed. Transmission
Many of the pa-tients in the pneumonia out-break caused by 2019-nCov in Wuhan, China had some link to a large seafood and live animal market, sug-gesting animal-to-person spread. Howev-er, a growing number of pa-tients reportedly have not had exposure to ani-
both humans and ani-mals. Several coronavirus-es commonly circulate among people all of the time, and cause mild to moder-ate illnesses, such as the com-mon cold. Other coronaviruses commonly circu-late only in ani-mals. Rarely, animal corona-viruses can evolve and in-fect people and then spread be-tween people as has been seen with MERS and SARS. Symptoms of 2019-nCoV In-fection
Commonly re-ported symp-toms of 2019-nCoV infection include: • Fever • Cough
mal markets, indicating per-son-to-person spread is occur-ring. Prevention
There is no vac-cine available for 2019-nCoV. In gen-eral, people can protect themselves and others against respiratory vi-ruses by taking the following precautions: • Wash your hands fre-quently with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or soap & water • Cover your mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing • Avoid close contact with people who are sick • If you are sick, stay home
from work or school • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth • Practice good
health habits. It's not too late to get your flu shot! While the influenza vac-cine does not pro-tect against coro-navirus infection, it can help keep you healthy during the flu season.
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
Montgomery County InterACC/DD
On January 8th, The Montgomery County InterACC/DD held its meeting at the ARC of Mont-gomery County. The meeting was held to introduce the group and our individual agencies to the new Montgomery County Director of DHS, Dr. Crowel and other county employees. We shared three stories from people receiving our services. Jubilee, CALMRA, and JSSA had guests that shared personal stories of how services they received impacted lives. Cecil and Barbara Torrico from CALMRA talked about their personal life events with regards to their daughter Jennifer. It was a moving and touching story. The Torricos did a great job explaining their journey to obtain needed services for Jennifer and how CALMRA provides needed supports with help from Montgomery County and the supplement they give to pro-viders. The meeting was a great success and we send our thanks and appreciation to Barbara and Cecil for spending their time with all of us and their ability to personalize the meaning of our services to their family.
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14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
Tips for Coping with Stressors as You Age
By Kent Elliott
Many people hold the misguided belief that stress goes away after retirement. However, stress is unfor-
tunately something you have to deal with at just about every stage of your life. As you age, the factors
that cause stress simply change rather than go away. The effects of aging on your health, financial situa-
tion, and emotional well-being can cause a great deal of stress. It’s sometimes hard to think about fac-
tors that cause stress in your life, but you can improve your mental and physical health by addressing these concerns. Below, learn about five
things you can do to reduce your stress and cope with changes better as you age.
Learn How to Manage Stress
The first step in managing stress is learning how to recognize it. You probably know how it feels to be stressed, but stress has many signs and symptoms that may go overlooked. When these symptoms are ignored, you may find yourself dealing with physical complications of stress, such as a lowered immunity and digestive problems.
There are a variety of stress-reduction techniques that are particularly helpful for seniors. Things like meditation, cognitive puzzles, and breath-
ing exercises can have great results for older adults dealing with stress.
Know Where to Get Support
According to The American Institute of Stress, having strong social support is one of the most important ingredients for emotional well-being.
Social support can mean something different to each of us. For some, being involved in a religious group or having the support of a close net-
work of friends is the most important thing. For others, emotional support can come from a trusted counselor or a regular support group.
Having a pet may provide a similar feeling of companionship. For seniors in particular, there are many emotional and physical health benefits to owning a pet. When choosing a pet, be sure to consider your ability to provide everything your companion needs. A puppy, for example, might have more energy than you can handle on your own, whereas an older dog might enjoy a lifestyle that’s more your pace. Keep in mind that different breeds might be more suitable for seniors than others. Focus on Your Health
As you get older, your health needs are likely to change. However, the importance of eating right and exercising will always be the same. The right diet can keep your mind sharp, help you stave off illness and boost your energy as you age.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be a challenge as you encounter changes to your physical health. Many fitness experts recommend walking as the number one form of exercise for seniors. However, you can also try workouts to maintain your balance, strength, and flexibility.
Get the Right Insurance Coverage
One of the main stressors for older adults is worrying about what will happen after they pass away. If you are concerned about your family hav-ing to pay for your funeral arrangements, medical bills, and other debts you leave behind, consider buying final expense insurance. When com-paring insurers, it is important to choose a provider that specializes in this type of coverage and has a strong BBB rating, such as Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance.
Plan for Future Living Arrangements
Many seniors plan on living in a nursing home or assisted living facility when they are no longer able to be independent at home. If you are counting on your medical insurance covering long-term care costs, make sure you understand what your policy actually provides. If you have Medicare, for example, it won’t cover all types of long-term care. Medicaid, on the other hand, may cover some of these expenses, depending on your situation. Ultimately, you may find that it’s necessary to have a separate long-term care policy to cover your expenses.
Each stage of life brings on new challenges and opportunities. As you age, you will need to learn new ways to cope with stressors and maintain your physical, emotional, and financial health. By keeping a strong support network and planning ahead for the fu-ture, you can stay on top of common stressors you’ll face as you age.
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14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
Giant Food Fundraiser! CALMRA is selling Giant Food Gift cards that you can use just like cash at any Giant.
CALMRA will earn 5% of each card sold!
Cards are good for their face values (i.e. $25.00, $50.00, & $100.00).
PLEASE Consider purchasing these cards for your grocery shopping needs, gift needs, etc.
Thanks for helping!!
Date: ______/______/______ Phone: (______) ________________
Name: _____________________________________________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________________________________
Street
____________________________________________________________________
City State Zip
I would like a total of $ ___________ in Giant food cards in the following denomination(s):
_______ x $25.00 card (s)= $__________________
_______ x $50.00 card (s)= $__________________
_______ x $100.00 card (s)= $__________________
Payment options:
______ Cash
______ Check
______ Credit Card Type: ____Visa ____ MasterCard ____Discover
Card number: _____________________________________________
Expiration date: _____________________ CVC: _________________
Signature: _______________________________________________________
***********************************************Staff use only**************************************************
Date Processed: ______/______/______ Staff fulfilling order: ________________________________
Is this a Petty Cash order? YES ( ) NO ( )
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
PURCHASE GIANT GIFT
CARDS
Please remember that CALMRA
continues to sell GIANT grocery
gift cards. You get the full value
of your purchase and CALMRA
earns 5%. Please call the office to
order (301-982-7177), or you can
complete the Giant Gift Card
Order form on the preceding
page.
SHOP ONLINE AT
AMAZONSMILE
Amazon donates 0.5% of the
price of your eligible Amazon
Smile purchases to the charitable
organization of your choice. Just
visit http://smile.amazon.com
and choose CALMRA!
TAX-DEDUCTABLE
MONETARY
DONATIONS
CALMRA is always accepting
monetary donations for our
general operations, memorials,
special events, gift solicitation
drive, and CALMRA member-
ship. Please send checks to:
CALMRA, INC.
14100 Laurel Park Drive
Laurel, MD 20707
You can also donate through
our website at http://
www.CALMRA.org/
Donations.htm. Once you
have donated, you will receive a
“Thank You” card with our tax
ID number that can be used to
document your donation.
SHOP ONLINE AT
GOODSHOP
Many major online retailers will do-
nate a portion of their profits to non-
profits like CALMRA. Before buying
online, go to the website http://
www.goodsearch.com/goodshop
and select CALMRA as your organiza-
tion. Then link to one of the 700 big-
name stores hosted by the site (i.e.
Travelocity, Best Buy, Amazon.com,
etc.). Good Shop will automatically
donate up to 37 percent of your pur-
chase to CALMRA!
The mission of CALMRA, Inc. is to improve the
lives of persons with cognitive disabilities by
providing the highest quality residential, day
and other support services in an ethical and
loving environment.
It is the goal of CALMRA to ensure that each person
who has a cognitive disability has the opportunity to
live his/her life in a manner which is as close to normal
as his/her disability allows. This includes assuring that
the services which are needed to help individuals are
available and accessible and that they operate in a way
that meets the individual's needs while offering him/
her the freedom, dignity, and respect to which he/she
is entitled. To accomplish this, CALMRA works with
governmental agencies, private agencies, and providers
of generic and specialized services to develop and pro-
vide services which are not otherwise available.
CALMRA's ultimate goal is to assure that each person
who has a cognitive disability has the opportunity to
be fully integrated as an equal partner into the com-
munity at large.
Ways You Can Support CALMRA
-Serving people with cognitive disabilities-
We’re on the web!
www.CALMRA.org
14100 Laurel Park Drive
Laurel, MD 20707
Phone: 301-982-7177
Fax: 301-982-7805
Maryland Relay: 1-800-735-2258
CALMRA, Inc.
Thank you in advance for
your participation!
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E 2 5 , I S S U E 1
DONATE YOUR CHANGE
14100 LAUREL PARK DRIVE, LAUREL, MD 20707 PHONE: 301-982-7177 FAX: 301-982-7805 MD RELAY: 1-800-735-2258 WWW.CALMRA.ORG
CALMRA, Inc.
14100 Laurel Park Drive
Laurel, MD 20707
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