Owner’s Thoughts: Celebrating Older Americans Month
Senior Care in Long Island, NY:
This week we are excited to be attending the Suffolk Office for the Aging Senior Celebration Luncheon. This annual event is held in honor of Older Americans Month and pays tribute to the senior citizens who continue to give back and serve their communities. Family First will close its doors for the afternoon to attend the event and celebrate with the Office for the Aging.
The luncheon features speakers, exhibitors, musical entertainment, and an awards ceremony for the Senior Citizen of the Year. As a company that serves seniors every day, this event is a great reminder of the joy and pride we feel with working with older adults. From our phone interactions to our in-home assessments to our follow up visits, our office team genuinely enjoys meeting and speaking with our older clientele and works hard to ensure they are happy with our services.
For myself, appreciating older adults all started in childhood when my grandmother lived right below us in our hi-ranch. She spent every night with us for dinner, helped us with our homework, drove us to various sports and activities, and shared every birthday, holiday, and special event. She was very loving toward us and a strong mentor. My grandmother taught me how to be patient, how to be self-disciplined, how to have pride in your work, and the importance of taking care of yourself, your home, and the people you love.
What did your grandparents or other older adults in your life teach you? The wisdom one can share after living a long life is priceless. They went through the tough learning lessons and save us from having to go through them too. I’ll never forget one of our client’s Lillian who was 96 years old and lived in Rego Park. She was very independent and physically in good health but forgetting to change her clothes, maintain personal hygiene, and clean her apartment due to developing the beginnings of dementia. She needed someone to accompany her to appointments, for shopping, and some light assistance around her home. Her secret to good health and well-being was “everything in moderation” and while she felt she did not need a Companion, she would really appreciate the company and having someone to talk to. She was still active in volunteering in her community, attending the senior center daily, and socializing with the employees at her favorite grocery store. This week’s Senior Celebration truly celebrates people just like Lillian for whom age is just a number, who continue to make an impact on others, and for whom life is still filled with endless possibilities.
Jennifer has specialized training in Alzheimer’s disease through the Long Island Alzheimer’s Association and the Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation.She also volunteered her time with the Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Center of Long Island for 3 years by providing cognitive stimulation to an Alzheimer’s patient group.
Jennifer educates the community about elder care and speaks to caregiver support groups, senior centers, and at professional organizations.Topics include home safety, effective strategies for family caregiving, elder care planning, and awareness about elder abuse.
- Caregiver of the Month: Kathy - April 8, 2022
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- Caregiver of The Month: Jacqueline B - February 21, 2022