What makes older people happy?

Insight for caregivers into the mysteries of brain failure

National dementia expert Teepa Snow is in town this week to offer training to staff members at Pines of Sarasota nursing home, and will be giving a workshop Friday for the public on Lewy body dementia.

Teepa Snow, left, and conference attendee John Elwood, Assistant Chief with the Sarasota County Fire Department, demonstrate how first responders can direct a person with dementia during a workshop last year at The Pines of Sarasota. (Herald-Tribune staff photo / Mike Lang)

Lewy Body Dementia Seminar with Expert Teepa Snow

- It Isn’t Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s Disease: Avoiding Misdiagnosis and Harmful Medications

Teepa Snow, a nationally recognized dementia expert, will give a seminar on Lewy Body Dementia on February 8, 2013, at Pines of Sarasota.

The seminar, presented by the Pines Education Institute, will educate health care providers and family caregivers on the intricacies of the second most prevalent form of dementia.

Lewy Body Dementia, a highly misdiagnosed but extremely challenging form of dementia, is affecting millions of Americans and their families. Often mistakenly seen as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s Disease, Lewy Body causes vivid hallucinations and aggression in those affected. Commonly prescribed antipsychotics for other forms of dementia such as Alzheimer’s can cause potentially fatal conditions in Lewy Body patients, stressing the urgent need for improved physician training on this common type of dementia.

Fabulous Finds Thrift Stores Donate Clothes to Victims of Hurricane Sandy

Sarasota - Fabulous Finds Thrift Stores donated bags of winter clothes to Symphony Salvage to transport to victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Fabulous Finds volunteers and staff, whose efforts usually help support the not-for-profit senior care community Pines of Sarasota, bagged coats and blankets to aid people in storm-struck New Jersey, New York and Staten Island. Symphony Salvage, an organization that usually distributes wearable items to impoverished children and families on a global scale, will bring the donated items to its recipients.

“We truly empathize with the people that have been hit by this disaster and hope our efforts can make a small difference for some of those affected,” John Overton, CEO of Pines of Sarasota, explains. “This support truly stems from the entire Sarasota community, as all of our goods are donated by people from this area. We sincerely appreciate the support, which helps support Pines and enables us to help those affected by hurricane Sandy.”

Pines of Sarasota: Preserving the Region's Richest Cultural Heritage

By Lalaena Gonzalez-Figueroa

Since its establishment in 1948, Pines of Sarasota has become a haven for individuals seeking quality elder care for themselves or their loved ones. The organization is one driven by compassion and concern, and seeks to consistently raise the bar on its services while providing outreach and education to those in need.

Seniors become honorary grandparents to preschoolers

SARASOTA - When you think of a daycare, you normally picture a room with one or two adults taking care of kids.  But a Sarasota day care is run a little differently at a senior care facility.

At Pines of Sarasota, there's a different sort of noise in the halls: children.

"I have grandchildren and great grandchildren, but I have these little babies as a part of my life," said resident Margie Jackson.  "I've gotten to know them even better, and all their little quirks."

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Joint-Pain Seminar with Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Adam Bright at Pines of Sarasota

Sarasota, FL - Dr. Adam Bright, Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon and Medical Director of the Specialized Rehabilitation Center at Pines of Sarasota, will give a complimentary joint-pain seminar at Pines of Sarasota on August 27^th, 2012, from 4:30pm to 5:30pm.

The one-hour seminar, presented by Pines Education Institute, will inform audience members of non-surgical treatment options, partial and full joint replacement of the knee and hip, and enable audience members to present their questions to Dr. Bright.

Pines of Sarasota receives Dementia Training Grant from Gulf Coast Community Foundation

Pines of Sarasota, a 64-year old not-for-profit senior care community, received $30,490 from Gulf Coast Community Foundation on June 25, 2012.

This grant will help fund an innovative Alzheimer’s Dementia Caregiver Training Program with four certification levels, to be piloted with Pines staff. Teepa Snow, a nationally renowned Dementia Caregiver Training Expert, will teach participants how to adapt their own behavior to increase understanding and communication with dementia patients.

Nuevo Advertising Group Works with Pines of Sarasota to Explore Hispanics' Needs

SARASOTA, FL – Nuevo Advertising Group™ is working for Pines of Sarasota, which has been leading the way in senior care in southwest Florida since 1948. Through its Education Institute, Pines is focusing on Alzheimer’s care and education. Nuevo has been retained to research the caregiving needs of Hispanics with a focus on culturalizing Pines’ training DVDs used by professionals, paraprofessionals and home caregivers for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

JoAnn Westbrook, director of Pines’ Education Institute, stated, “We’re thrilled with our partnership with Nuevo. Alzheimer’s and dementia affects all ethnic groups and communities, and providing useful caregiving tools is the first step to improving a dementia patient’s quality of life.“

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Techniques of Renowned Alzheimer’s Dementia Trainer Now Accessible in Europe

“Teepa’s sense of humor took the fear out of issues I was afraid to deal with. She calmed me down and helped me understand what to expect and how to deal with it. It was helpful to see I’m not alone and helped me understand the need for compassion and patience.” 

Such experiences are frequent for program viewers of Alzheimer’s Dementia Caregiving Expert Teepa Snow. 

Teepa has been traveling throughout the U.S. for decades, helping caregivers better understand their loved ones and patients suffering from dementia. Her presentations, which are now available on DVD at Amazon in Europe, are unlike any other dementia programs. 

Five Residents Celebrate their 100+ Birthdays at Pines

Five residents of Pines of Sarasota celebrate their centennial and post-centennial birthdays this April:

Lauretta Antonucci, who has been at Pines for almost 4 years, celebrated her 100^th birthday at the beginning of this month. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Lauretta is the proud matriarch of a large and loving Italian family.

Valia Tomsons came to the U.S. from Latvia in Russia, and turned 104 in early April. Her experiences during the depression and wars are forever documented as her daughter, a published author, sought inspiration from her mother’s stories for many of her works. In “Battered Heart” she describes her mother as “a supreme survivor who has taught me how to live with a joy that embraces a profound knowledge of pain”. Valia still smiles and enjoys life at 104.

Emergency Responder Seminar at Pines to support those that “Serve and Protect”

Sarasota, FL - A recent altercation between a police officer and a 66-year old man with dementia in Melbourne, FL, has left communities in shock. The officer stated he acted in self-defense, thinking he was going to be attacked by the gentleman.

“Not being able to recognize symptoms of dementia and knowing how to interact with a person with the disease easily leads to misunderstandings that could be considered a threat by an unknowing police officer,” JoAnn Westbrook, Director of Education at the geriatric-oriented Pines Education Institute of S.W. explains.

President of Florida Orthopedic Society to give lecture at Pines

Sarasota, Fl - Pines Education Institute of S.W. Florida will host a seminar by Dr. Adam Bright, president of the Florida Orthopedic Society and partner at Schofield, Hand & Bright Orthopaedics, LLC, on Thursday, February 23^rd from 4-5pm.

The seminar on “New Advances in Treatment of Arthritis of the Hip and Knee” will offer attendees insight into the benefits of rehab before and after surgery, different options and treatments, and offer an opportunity to bring questions for Dr. Bright to answer.

For more information and complimentary registration please visit www.arthritis.eventbrite.com or call the Pines Education Institute at (941) 365-0250, Ext.1114.

2012 Alzheimer’s Dementia Caregiver Conference at Pines

Sarasota, Florida – Pines Education Institute of S.W. Florida, the education department of the not-for-profit Pines of Sarasota, announces this year’s Alzheimer’s Dementia Caregiver Conference.

Scheduled for March 19-21, 2012, this series of seminars addresses the ever-growing need for hands-on caregiver training.

Key note presenter and nationally renowned Dementia Caregiving Expert Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, will teach attendees techniques to ease dental care. Another seminar will give tips and advice on how to handle end of life care.

Pines of Sarasota Board of Directors Elects New Officers

Sarasota - Pines of Sarasota announces the election results of its recent Board of Directors annual meeting: 

George Manser, who joined the Pines Board in 2008, was elected to serve as the new Chairman. In a recent interview Mr. Manser stressed the reasons for his continued support of Pines: “Sarasota has many great institutions, and they’re all deserving of support. But in my mind, the Pines is a higher priority. We change lives here. These folks save lives. They work diligently, whether it is in the Assisted Living facility, the nursing facility, or the Alzheimer’s unit – they make a difference to people. And that is truly meaningful.”