We strive to make life better for Caregivers!

Transportation Connections-Call JCA Connect-A-Ride- 301-738-3252

For help with caregiving referrals and services call: 240-777-3000.

Montgomery County Support Group Programs

                    Kensington Club 

Proven to decrease family caregiver distress, burden and depression, while increasing caregivers’ sense of competence and confidence in their care role. Feel confident and competent in your role as a caregiver.

Kensington Club- NEW EVENT

December 9^th  7-8pm on KC Zoom

Julz Abate from the ARC Montgomery County

will present on the Free Respite Coordination Program in Montgomery County for unpaid caregivers.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7771623920?pwd=NEdYUWRiaHdaVDFzSXZTSVRtdkdoUT09&from=addon

Meeting ID: 777 162 3920 Passcode: 535850

                   *************************************************************                Holiday Park Offers Support Through Two Free Support Groups 💓

Coping with Change Thursdays from 10:30 am to 11:30 am

Yasaman Alavi, LCPC a therapist from Affiliated Sante Group, leads a support group to help participants overcome challenges of aging. For questions, call 301-332-0462. 

Max You - Maximize the Quality-of-Life Tuesdays from 10:30 am to 11:25 am

Edie K. Mahlman, LCSW-C, facilitates a drop-in support group that confronts the challenges and options inherent in the process of aging.

Holiday Park Senior Center, 3950 Ferrara Drive, Silver Spring Phone:  240-777-4999

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Caregiving Support Groups ♥♥♥

Rockville Support Group | 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. | Carole Ashendorf csa9606@gmail.com, 281.216.0940 | RSVP Required. Contact the facilitator.

Holy Cross Resource Center | (Several groups for adult children and Caregiver Spouses) |Please contact: Sarah McKechnie:  Email: mckecs@holycrosshealth.org

Leisure World on Georgia Avenue |1st and 3rd  Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. | Sandy Levy smlevy54@gmail.com , 781.595.8732, Nina Helwig, ninahelwig5@gmail.com | RSVP Required. Contact the facilitator.

Café Latino (Spanish language) | 2nd Saturday at 10:00 am | Diana Backlund and Sarah Rodriguez, alz.cafelatinova@gmail.com | RSVP Required.

Iona Senior Services Contact the facilitators. Second and Fourth Wed at 6pm - for Adult Children who are caregivers -- Bill Ampt -- bamt@iona.org

In-Person support Group at Winter Growth:

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Sandwich Generation Support Groups- contact Group Leader for details:

1. Sandwich Generation Fourth Wednesday 8pm Andrea Friedman -- ajfrie@gmail.com
2. Sandwich Gen| 4th Thursday at 8pm | Linda Weitzman lcweitzman@gmail.com | Megna                                                                        Guggari mvguggari@gmail.com 

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Seniors Helping Seniors:

A new support group for family caregivers is beginning. The first session is on December 2^nd, 2024.

Day: First Mondays- starting December 2^nd

Time: 4 pm to 5 pm

Place: Virtual -see link below

The group will meet on the first Monday of every month from 4pm-5pm. The group meets virtually over zoom. The sessions will also have a wellness component to help with self-care. Participants will primarily be caring for someone with dementia, but the group is open to everyone and there is no charge.

Anyone interested in attending can register here: https://us9.list-manage.com/survey?u=566bfc6261b50dc23aec419e1&id=e28fa69584&attribution=false

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Ingleside Engaged: A SOCIAL DAY PROGRAM FOR PERSONS WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT

Where: 1615B Piccard Drive Rockville, MD 20850

When: MONDAY–FRIDAY: 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Call for more information: 240-499-9024

www.ikfmd.org/ingleside-engaged

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The Caregiver Teleconnection Call- 1866-390-6491 or 210-871-7767

The Caregiver teleconnection is a free, bilingual, and confidential program that connects caregivers and family member to provide resources and support.

Caregiver Tele-Connection Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm

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Montgomery County, Maryland volunteers have been certified as - Montgomery County Dementia Friendly America Speakers Bureau Presenters.

Schedule an Information Session TODAY!

By 2025, the number of people aged 65 and older with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is estimated to reach 7.1 million. These numbers represent family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers, clients and customers. www.dfamerica.org

We offer FREE 45-60 minute* information sessions that help you to recognize the signs of dementia and provide tips on the ways to communicate with someone living with dementia.

*(We are happy to make time modifications due to staff/participants availability.)

Objectives:

• Learn about Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia.
• Recognize the signs of dementia.
• Discover tips for communicating and interacting with a person who has dementia.
• Establish tips for creating a dementia-friendly physical space.

By offering this information session to your staff and/or your community you will help heighten awareness of dementia and be equipped to respond warmly and effectively when serving people living with dementia and their families.

To Schedule an Information Session with the Montgomery County Maryland’s Dementia Friendly Initiative:

Contact: Ruth Kershner, Caregiver Support Program Manager, Dementia Friendly Champion

Email: ruth.kershner@montgomerycountymd.gov

Phone: 240-962-1151

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You Tube Episode with Ruth Kershner:

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The holidays will be here soon! As one of the busiest times of the year approaches,  

Here are some funny and lighthearted ideas to help adult caregivers get through the holiday season: 😍

1. Holiday "Caregiver Bingo": Make a bingo card with humorous tasks like “Hide in the bathroom for 5 minutes,” “Finish a whole cup of coffee while it’s still hot,” or “Successfully deflect unsolicited advice from a relative.” Reward yourself with a treat for each row completed!
2. Elf Yourself or Yam IT UP: Decorate your caregiving environment with tiny elves or little colored paper Yams or Turkeys or dreidels doing outrageous things—like hanging upside down from the showerhead or driving a remote-control car. A little whimsy can break up the day!
3. Ugly Sweater Day... for Everyone: Dress yourself and your loved one in matching or clashing ugly holiday sweaters for a laugh. Bonus points if you wear them on errands or to Zoom calls! Ugly sweaters aren’t just a December idea- dress in Turkey attire for November.
4. Holiday-Themed Caregiver Survival Kit: Put together a kit with “essentials” like an emergency chocolate stash, a flask labeled "holiday cheer," and earplugs for when relatives start talking politics.
5. Re-Gifting White Elephant: Wrap ridiculous items from around the house (like that weird mug or a random kitchen gadget) and have a white elephant gift exchange with yourself or with others. You can surprise yourself with the random stuff you've forgotten about!
6. Caroling Karaoke: Turn household tasks into a holiday karaoke session! Sing caregiving-related holiday parodies, like “I’m Dreaming of a Silent Night” or “Deck the Halls with Lists of Meds.”
7. Rebrand Holiday Stress: Call holiday prep "extreme caregiving" and pretend you’re in a reality show. Narrate your actions like a host, e.g., “Will she juggle the mashed potatoes and the medication schedule? Tune in to find out!”
8. Cookie Bribery: Bake a ton of cookies and shamelessly use them as bribery to get family members to help with caregiving duties. “I’ll give you two gingerbread men if you help me with the dishes!”
9. Holiday Pajama Day: Declare a day where you and your loved one stay in holiday-themed PJs all day, no matter what happens. It’s easier to laugh at holiday stress when you’re dressed in candy-cane striped or menorah pajamas.
10. Wrap Everything: For fun, wrap random household items as “gifts”—TV remotes, utensils, or even the dog’s toys. When you open them later, act super surprised. It’s a goofy way to inject some fun into routine tasks.

Adding humor to the holiday season helps lighten the mood and provides some much-needed stress relief for caregivers!

**Talk at Holiday Park Senior Center to help you get through the Holidays- hints and assists**

Date: Monday, December 2nd at 1 pm to 2 pm

Speaker: Ruth Kershner, LCSW-C, Caregiver Family Support Manager

Place: 3950 Ferrara Drive, Silver Spring, MD

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Smile for this month:😄

While talking to the neighbors about how healthy it is to eat dried grapes, my partner asked me why I was telling them that. I told her I was just RAISIN AWARENESS!                      *************************************************************************

🚗See Me at the Smithsonian (See Me) is a free, virtual interactive program for adults with dementia and their care partners. During each event, pre-registered participants (12-15 people) explore some of the Smithsonian’s most beloved objects through small group discussions and multi-sensory activities. See Me programs provide intellectual engagement, socialization, and an opportunity for loved ones to spend time together in a relaxed setting. Programs rotate between Smithsonian museums and are offered virtually via Zoom.  

Our public programs are held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month from 2:00p.m. to 3:00p.m. EST on Zoom. Please email access@si.edu  for specific program dates and Zoom links.

In addition, we provide private programs for larger groups by request. Please email us at access@si.edu to request a private program for your organization. 

See Me at the Smithsonian -

 National Museum of Asian Art

Wednesday, December 4

Time: 2pm to 3pm

REGISTER: access@si.edu

National Portrait Gallery

Wednesday, December 18

Time: 2pm to 3pm

REGISTER: access@si.edu

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Caregiver mental wellbeing for the Holidays and every day.

1. Check in With Yourself

          Now’s the time to check in on your mental and emotional wellbeing.

• Need a break? Consider taking a mental health day. Set aside time for yourself to recharge and reset. Learn how to identify when you need a break and how to make the most out of a day to yourself.
• Practice self-care as an act of kindness. Self-care isn’t just a routine, it’s a fundamental practice for a healthier you. Integrating self-care into your life can positively impact your overall mental health.
• Save These Mental Health Resources

• • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: For free and confidential support from trained crisis counselors 24/7 nationwide, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org/chat.
  • SAMHSA’s National Helpline: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7 information service that provides referrals to treatment and support to people facing mental health and substance use challenges. Call 800-662-4357 (HELP).

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TALK: Keeping Seniors Safe Speaker Sally Pessin, volunteer with Montgomery County Police Department

The FBI reports that millions of older adults fall victim to various types of financial fraud each year. Sally will share information to help you recognize common fraud tactics and scams. Come learn how to protect yourself from these predatory practices.

Cost: Free

Place: Ring House- 1801 East Jefferson Street, Rockville, MD 20852

Phone: 301-770-8329 to register

This is an in-person seminar and lunch will be served.

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Holidays and the Military - Can be Hard- Contact for Help:

Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families
David Skisano, Veterans Benefits Specialist II (VBS)
Email: davidj.skisano@maryland.gov
Christina Williams, Veterans Benefits Specialist II (VBS)
Email: christina.williams1@maryland.gov
Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration Service Center
15 Metropolitan Grove Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
301-987-8412 (V)
301-987-8413 (V)
301-987-8496 (FAX)
By appointment only.  Contact via email or phone.
Please leave a message and he will return the call as soon as possible. 

FOR TRANSLATION HELP: Contact the Montgomery County Patient Navigator Program:

If you or someone you know is in need of assistance in accessing a Montgomery County health service, contact the Patient Navigator Program today. Information specialists are available to assist callers in Chinese, Dari, Hindi, Korean, Vietnamese, other Asian languages, and English.

(301) 760 – 4991– Chinese Navigation

(301) 760 – 4992– Vietnamese Navigation

(301) 760 – 4571– Hindi Navigation

(301) 760 – 7058– Korean Navigation

(240) 396 – 2191– Dari Navigation

(301) 760 – 7051 – For other languages press 0 to speak with the operator.

For More Information about Montgomery County programs: 🌞

For general information about County programs and services, call 3-1-1. Sign up for the County's Alert Montgomery notification system at alert.montgomerycountymd.gov to receive emergency alerts regarding weather and other emergency information.

For help with caregiving referrals and services call: 240-777-3000.