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North Tampa Behavioral Health Hospital

Health and Wellness Fair focuses on the elderly

August 14, 2019 By Brian Fernandes

A free community Health and Wellness Fair, held recently in Land O’ Lakes,  focused on services that are available to the elderly, as they face changes in mind and body.

The Aug. 1 event was hosted by Keystone Place at Terra Bella, 2200 Livingston Road, which offers residential options for independent living, assisted living and memory care.

Bryan D’Onofrio spoke at the event on behalf of the North Tampa Behavioral Health Hospital. The Wesley Chapel facility serves people who are suffering from issues such as depression, anxiety or substance abuse, by providing in-patient and out-patient services – including a geriatrics unit.

Local organizations in the Tampa Bay area gathered at a Health and Wellness Fair held at Keystone Place at Terra Bella to inform the public about various services available to help the elderly. (Brian Fernandes)

Many of the elderly patients who are admitted are dealing with depression,  D’Onofrio noted.

“As we get older, things don’t work like they used to,” he said. “As those things hit us, we can suffer some depression.”

At the behavioral health hospital, patients engage with a psychiatrist, therapist, social workers and licensed mental-health counselors, to receive the right treatment.

Patients also partake in group therapy to keep social, and recreational therapy, such as board games, yoga and other exercises. They are encouraged to continue activities when released home, to help them stay positive, D’Onofrio said.

Bayada Home Health Care and Bluestone Physician Services also participated in the event.

These companies offer mobile services — providing medical care to residents in assisted living facilities, such as Keystone Place at Terra Bella in Land O’ Lakes.

Tyler Patrick, marketing manager at Bayada, said that the goal of this type of care is to help prevent the need for hospitalizations.

Patrick added that, “If you’ve got a resident that has a disease that’s becoming exacerbated, the doctor may want an RN (registered nurse) checking in on that resident two, three times a week to monitor [and] make sure the medications are working. Our nurses can come in and do that.”

Assisted living facilities also provide a safe and secure environment for those known to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.

Amanda Wood, a program manager at the Alzheimer’s Association, shared information that help individuals, or their loved ones, identify the disease.

The Alzheimer’s Association, offers this list of 10 early warning signs:

  • Memory loss that disrupts daily life
  • Challenges in planning or solving problems
  • Difficulty completing familiar tasks
  • Confusion with time or place
  • Trouble understanding visual images
  • Difficulty with speaking or writing
  • Misplacing things and difficulty retracing steps
  • Decreased or poor judgement
  • Withdrawal from work or social activities
  • Changes in mood or personality

“One of the best things to do for noticing these signs, is to talk about it,” Wood said. “Go talk to your primary care physician.”

She emphasized the importance of initiating the conversation, whether it’s the individual exhibiting the signs, or a loved one witnessing them.

That person’s doctor can then refer them to a neurologist for further analysis.

An ongoing consistency in these signs may be a red flag that can differentiate them from usual memory loss, Wood said.

When a current or potential Alzheimer’s patient is living at home, it is also important to plan ahead for emergencies.

Teresa Haver, of the Alzheimer’s Family Organization, gave a demonstration on how the Wanderer’s Reunification Program is set up. This personalized kit can be useful in helping locate an Alzheimer’s patient gone missing.

Teresa Haver stood at the Alzheimer’s Family Organization booth and showed visitors one preparation technique – the Wanderer’s Reunification Program.

This is a free kit made up of sterilized equipment used in helping locate a missing patient.

“What you do is take the sterile pad and rub it on your loved one to get their scent, put it in the jar [and] seal it up,” Haver explained.

The jar is then placed on top of the refrigerator and is good for seven years.

Should the person go missing, the local sheriff’s department has already been trained to look for the jar on the fridge. Deputies then use blood hounds to search for the scent on the pad.

Haver also said the caregiver should familiarize themselves with the patient’s dominant hand, because they tend to wander in the direction of that hand.

She also recommended that a caregiver place an identification bracelet on the patient’s wrist and to have door locks that are higher than the patient’s reach.

Wood said there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s, but there are lifestyle choices that may help the brain age well.

Those include exercise, staying socially active, challenging the brain and a proper diet.

“Every time our heart beats, 25 percent of that blood goes to our brain,” Wood explained. “If we’re getting exercise, we’re getting more nutrient and oxygen-rich blood up to our brain.”

Exercise can include such things as walking up stairs and dancing, she noted.

Social activities, such as playing strategic games like chess, can help preoccupy and strengthen the mind, she said.

Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets are good alternatives, Wood noted.

These heart-healthy choices consist of nuts and grains, as well as foods high in protein and low in sodium.

The Rev. Virginia Walsh, of Unity North Tampa Church, also shared her knowledge at the health and wellness fair.

Proper nutrition can help lead to effective meditation practice, Walsh said.

Before doing a meditation session, participants should drink plenty of water.

They also should eat foods rich in protein, and stay clear of foods high in carbohydrates, processed sugar, flour and starches.

Walsh conducted a meditation class during the fair, offering participants tips they could apply at home.

“Meditation can help us think more clearly, be able to focus, and also has shown to often improve memory,” the reverend said. “Being mindful helps us to cope better with what happens in life.”

This in turn, produces more peace and may lead to a healthier brain, she said.

Published August 14, 2019

Filed Under: Health, Land O' Lakes News, Local News Tagged With: Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Fmaily Organization, Amanda Wood, Bayada Home Health Care, Bluestone Physician Services, Bryan D'Onofrio, DASH diet, Keystone Place at Terra Bella, Land O' Lakes, Livingston Road, Mediterranean diet, North Tampa Behavioral Health Hospital, Teresa Haver, Tyler Patrick, Unity North Tampa Church, Virginia Walsh, Wanderer's Reunification Program

A home welcomes Zephyrhills’ impoverished

May 29, 2019 By Brian Fernandes

There’s an open-door policy to whomever walks in the Samaritan Project of Zephyrhills Inc., with economic struggles weighing them down.

The organization has become a fixture in Zephyrhills to combat the continuing cycle of homelessness.

Established in 2008, the agency was in response to those already living on the streets, or on the verge.

The Samaritan Project works to get its name out to the community in helping the homeless. Pedro Molina and Roxxy Geisenheimer advocate on behalf of the organization at Zephyr Park. (Courtesy of the Samaritan Project of Zephyrhills Inc.)

Roxxy Geisenheimer is the executive director for the Samaritan Project and has been with the agency for the past two years.

“This organization was founded to stop the domino effect that happens when people experience traumas, tragedies or unforeseen circumstances,” she explained.

The director added that Zephyrhills saw a need for a “one-stop shop resource center.”

In turn, its office has a donation pantry where the less fortunate can come to collect food boxes, hygienic products and comb through racks of clothing.

The Samaritan Project staff also sits down with individuals to assess their situation and refer them to the proper resources.

Some may need things as simple as identification cards or bus passes, while others’ needs are more urgent.

In pinpointing the necessary resources, the agency works with the Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County, among other organizations, in what is known as the Continuum of Care.

Under this program, local institutions collaborate in collecting data to ultimately house the homeless and take preventive measures.

One such partnership the Samaritan Project has is with United Way of Pasco County.

Together they have established an agreement with Duke Energy to help clientele with past due electric bills.

Homeless veterans and their loved ones are referred to the Supportive Services for Veteran Families to help get on track to stable housing.

And, while the Samaritan Project has a psychologist on staff, there are those whose mental instability prevents them from properly articulating their needs.

In these cases, they may be sent for treatment to such places as Premier Community HealthCare, BayCare Behavioral Health or the North Tampa Behavioral Health Hospital.

Agency staff is also ready to drive people to their needed destinations, if necessary.

The collaborations go both ways as the Samaritan Project also receives referrals from local hospitals, law enforcement and churches, Geisenheimer said.

“We all try to share information and resources the best we can, and wrap around people who are struggling,” she added.

Job counselors help to get some on the road to employment, and disability attorneys advocate for those who cannot work.

Guardians ad Litem also support parents in the courtroom to reunite with their children when living conditions begin to improve.

However, not everyone who walks through the agency’s door comes from a cycle of poverty.

Samaritan Project staff members often go outdoors to befriend the homeless and help to get them on their feet. From left, front: Karen Greene, Carol Greene and Roxxy Geisenheimer; and, back: Paul Bathrick and Lawrence Vickstrom are several of the friendly faces found at the agency’s office.

“We work with people who, at one point, did very well for themselves,” the director said.

She noted that currently employed individuals, such as electricians, health care workers and teachers, also find themselves homeless.

From 2013 to 2017, the average household income in Zephyrhills was only an estimated $35,100 and the current poverty rate stands at 20 percent (of the population), according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

While some with jobs make a steady income, it may not be enough to keep them in their home – or even put down a security deposit.

In turn, the agency offers the Rent/Utility Assistance Program.

This initiative grants funds to help pay the rent or mortgage short-term, while trying to find a long-term solution.

“We try to help them figure out ‘how do we prevent this from being a problem next month,’” Geisenheimer explained.

With the Emergency Cold Weather Shelter program, staff will be on call 24 hours a day.

When the temperature drops below a certain level, displaced individuals are taken to safe shelters, whether a gymnasium or a hotel room.

To support its efforts, several grants are given from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Florida Department of Children and Families.

However, most of the agency’s funding comes from community donations, like businesses, churches or individuals, the director said.

Although Geisenheimer has seen various demographics seek help, she said she’s most surprised by the amount of elderly people who are homeless.

She recalled once helping a wheelchair-bound woman in her 80s make the transition from the woods to being placed in an assisted living facility.

That too, is what staff will do once closing up the office – street outreach. The agency sets out to find those in the woods or in abandoned buildings.

And, while they offer assistance to get people off the street, they will help set up tents for those not quite ready to leave the outdoors.

This is understandable to staff that volunteer, as they were, at one point, in the position as those they serve.

Geisenheimer, herself, was struggling years ago to find a stable home when she was pregnant.

She stated that staff members offer others not sympathy but empathy, noting:

“They know when they walk through the door, that they’re not being judged.”

What’s more, the agency does not operate in a plaza or off a main road, but within a residential area.

Its office is a renovated, two-bedroom house, which adds to a welcoming atmosphere, the director said.

She said that those who are displaced should remain hopeful that their situation is temporary.

And, by stepping through the front door of the office, that hope can become a reality.

For additional information or help, call (813) 810-8670, or visit Facebook.com/SamaritanProjectZephyrhills.

Published May 29, 2019

Filed Under: Local News, Zephyrhills/East Pasco News Tagged With: Baycare Behavioral Health, Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County, Duke Energy, Emergency Cold Weather Shelter, Florida Department of Children and Families, North Tampa Behavioral Health Hospital, Premier Community HealthCare, Roxxy Geisenheimer, Samaritan Project of Zephyrhills Inc., Supportive Service for Veteran Families, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, United Way of Pasco County

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