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Agesong 4 page n ewsletter

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2 3 that it is never too late to develop an avocation. I listened to his story as he showed me his creative sculp- tures. He was originally an engineer, but he started creating sculpture when he was in his 70s. He’s now in his mid 90s. He also exercises every day. I admire his joy of life, imagination, and creativity, shown by his beautiful moving sculptures, which are on display in the AgeSong at Bayside Park lobby and on the 2nd floor patio. Sam is a doer, as well as a creative thinker. He set up a workroom in a studio near his apartment at AgeSong, Bayside Park. The studio is filled with work in process. Sam always has a twinkle in his eyes and is very friendly. I’ve heard that what you see in oth- ers you have in yourself, though it may need to be developed. I look forward 30 plus years from now to being creative and physically active like Sam...with a twinkle in my eyes. What have you learned from an elder by listening? Sally Gelardin, Editor 3 continued from page 1 CONSTANCE HUNT, MULTI-TALENTED ACTIVITY DIRECTOR Constance Hunt is one of two Com- munity Enrichment Coordinators at AgeSong in San Francisco. Originally from Fargo, North Dakota, she moved to California and enrolled in Notre Dame de Namur, where she received her Master’s De- gree in Marriage Family Therapy and Art Therapy. She is currently a MFT Intern and Registered Art Therapist. Constance is also an exhibiting art- ist, working in tapestry, printmaking and liturgical art. She has exhibited locally, nationally and internationally and her work is featured in several books. She is now weaving a tap- estry for an Invitational Show in the Midwest, as well as preparing a lecture to be given in June at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles. She believes in the healing power of art and art-making and appreciates the opportunity to work in a com- munity which supports that belief and celebrates that vision. 3 DANIEL CUNNINGHAM, VALUED AGESONG PRO- FESSIONAL AFFILIATE Daniel (Danny) Cunningham is one of many valued professional affili- ates of AgeSong’s elder communi- ties. He is a California Licensed Fiduciary, who runs a professional care management company. Danny was a dancer, singer, and ac- tor when he was in his 20s and 30s. When his sister developed cancer and died, he transitioned to working as a volunteer and later as a volun- teer coordinator with Hospics Ser- vices. Then he became director of client services for home health and transitioned to director of opera- tions for a managed care organiza- tion. Just before working as a fidu- ciary, he became executive director for AgeSong at Laguna Park. Most recently, he co-founded Pro- Care Professional Care Manage- ment, Inc. with Rafael Herrera. The company serves the Bay area and provides fiduciary and case manage- ment services. The company’s clien- Above “Earth: From the Sketchbook Series” 4’ x 8’ by Constance Hunt Left: Sculpture by Sam S. tele include both seniors and young adults living with medical, neurologi- cal and psychiatric disabilities. As an avocation, Danny now dances and sings with other professionals. He is currently perfoming in the musical Hairspray. For people who are interested in exploring the fiduciary world, view: PFAC, http://www.pfac-pro.org, and Fiduciaries Bureau, http:// www.fiduciary.ca.gov/ . For more information, read the article in AgeSong Today and listen to in- terview with Danny Cunningham, http://agesongtoday.com/1466/ daniel-danny-cunningham-an- agesong-professional-affiliate/ .3 HAVE YOU NOTICED OUR NEW VOLUNTEERS? Over the past couple of months, over 20 new volunteers have signed up for AgeSong’s Volunteer Training program. You will hopefully meet these volunteers as they kindly offer their time and energy assisting our residents and staff with activities at our Bayside Park & Lakeside Park communities. Have you met Kevin working with our residents on their Mural Project? Have you said “hel- lo” to Evelina as she pampers our residents during spa time? Have you heard Ja’nice pounding away in the Drum Circle? Perhaps you have been served by a new volunteer as- sisting with our Tea Party? Our volunteers, varying in age from 14 to 74, have an amazing diversity of education, experience, and culture. What they all share in common is a desire to give back to their community. Volunteers offer our residents encouragement and support while receiving a unique opportunity to learn from the almost infinite and diverse experiences of the elders residing within our com- munities. AgeSong offers the rich LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN AGESONG TODAY AND WE ARE AGESONG BECOME ONE Soon AgeSong Today online journal and We Are AgeSong quarterly newslet- ter will be combined into one online journal. Please register (for free) at http://agesongtoday.com to receive weekly digests. environment that fosters loving and creative exchanges between these generous volunteers and our very special elders. We look forward to meeting many new volunteers. If you know of anybody who might be interested in this unique experience that AgeSong offers, our volun- teer coordinator can be reached at [email protected] or (510) 318-7739, ext. 360. 3 We Are AgeSong Co-Editors Nader Shabahangi, Ph.D. Sally Gelardin, Ed.D. Contact [email protected]
Transcript
Page 1: Agesong 4 page n ewsletter

2 3

that it is never too late to develop an avocation. I listened to his story as he showed me his creative sculp-tures. He was originally an engineer, but he started creating sculpture when he was in his 70s. He’s now in his mid 90s. He also exercises every day. I admire his joy of life, imagination, and creativity, shown by his beautiful moving sculptures, which are on display in the AgeSong at Bayside Park lobby and on the 2nd floor patio. Sam is a doer, as well as a creative thinker. He set up a workroom in a studio near his apartment at AgeSong, Bayside Park. The studio is filled with work in process. Sam always has a twinkle in his eyes and is very friendly. I’ve heard that what you see in oth-ers you have in yourself, though it may need to be developed. I look forward 30 plus years from now to being creative and physically active like Sam...with a twinkle in my eyes.

What have you learned from an elder by listening? Sally Gelardin, Editor 3

continued from page 1 CONSTANCE HUNT, MULTI-TALENTED ACTIVITY DIRECTOR

Constance Hunt is one of two Com-munity Enrichment Coordinators at AgeSong in San Francisco.

Originally from Fargo, North Dakota, she moved to California and enrolled in Notre Dame de Namur, where she received her Master’s De-gree in Marriage Family Therapy and Art Therapy. She is currently a MFT Intern and Registered Art Therapist. Constance is also an exhibiting art-ist, working in tapestry, printmaking and liturgical art. She has exhibited locally, nationally and internationally and her work is featured in several books. She is now weaving a tap-estry for an Invitational Show in the Midwest, as well as preparing a lecture to be given in June at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles. She believes in the healing power of art and art-making and appreciates the opportunity to work in a com-munity which supports that belief and celebrates that vision. 3

DANIEL CUNNINGHAM, VALUED AGESONG PRO-FESSIONAL AFFILIATE

Daniel (Danny) Cunningham is one of many valued professional affili-ates of AgeSong’s elder communi-ties. He is a California Licensed Fiduciary, who runs a professional care management company.

Danny was a dancer, singer, and ac-tor when he was in his 20s and 30s. When his sister developed cancer and died, he transitioned to working as a volunteer and later as a volun-teer coordinator with Hospics Ser-vices. Then he became director of client services for home health and transitioned to director of opera-tions for a managed care organiza-tion. Just before working as a fidu-ciary, he became executive director for AgeSong at Laguna Park.

Most recently, he co-founded Pro-Care Professional Care Manage-ment, Inc. with Rafael Herrera. The company serves the Bay area and provides fiduciary and case manage-ment services. The company’s clien-

Above “Earth: From the Sketchbook Series” 4’ x 8’ by Constance HuntLeft: Sculpture by Sam S.

tele include both seniors and young adults living with medical, neurologi-cal and psychiatric disabilities. As an avocation, Danny now dances and sings with other professionals. He is currently perfoming in the musical Hairspray.

For people who are interested in exploring the fiduciary world, view:PFAC, http://www.pfac-pro.org, and Fiduciaries Bureau, http://www.fiduciary.ca.gov/ . For more information, read the article in AgeSong Today and listen to in-terview with Danny Cunningham, http://agesongtoday.com/1466/daniel-danny-cunningham-an-agesong-professional-affiliate/ .3

HAVE YOU NOTICED OUR NEW VOLUNTEERS?

Over the past couple of months, over 20 new volunteers have signed up for AgeSong’s Volunteer Training program. You will hopefully meet these volunteers as they kindly offer their time and energy assisting our residents and staff with activities at our Bayside Park & Lakeside Park communities. Have you met Kevin working with our residents on their

Mural Project? Have you said “hel-lo” to Evelina as she pampers our residents during spa time? Have you heard Ja’nice pounding away in the Drum Circle? Perhaps you have been served by a new volunteer as-sisting with our Tea Party?

Our volunteers, varying in age from 14 to 74, have an amazing diversity of education, experience, and culture. What they all share in common is a desire to give back to their community. Volunteers offer our residents encouragement and support while receiving a unique opportunity to learn from the almost infinite and diverse experiences of the elders residing within our com-munities. AgeSong offers the rich

LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN AGESONG TODAY AND WE ARE AGESONG BECOME ONE

Soon AgeSong Today online journal and We Are AgeSong quarterly newslet-ter will be combined into one online journal. Please register (for free) at http://agesongtoday.com to receive weekly digests.

environment that fosters loving and creative exchanges between these generous volunteers and our very special elders. We look forward to meeting many new volunteers. If you know of anybody who might be interested in this unique experience that AgeSong offers, our volun-teer coordinator can be reached at [email protected] or (510) 318-7739, ext. 360. 3

We Are AgeSongCo-Editors

Nader Shabahangi, Ph.D.

Sally Gelardin, Ed.D.Contact [email protected]

Page 2: Agesong 4 page n ewsletter

4

We Are

FEATURED CARE PARTNER: DIANA LOPEz

I put myself in their shoes and give them dignity. I go out of my way to help them and I’m lucky to know them. I am amazed to hear all their stories.

A care partner at AgeSong, Lake-side Park, Diana Lopez provides a full range of helping services to residents. “I wake them up, help them get into the diningroom, bathe, feed, and dress them,” she says, “If I notice anything differ-ent in their behavior from usual, I report it. I give them dignity

by not going in the bathroom with them. I ask first for permission.”

Diana bases her skills with elders on her closeness with her grandmother, who lived with her immediate fam-ily for five years, and was aflicted with diabetes and on dialasis. Diana went to school in the Alameda. She knew she wanted to work with elders and applied for a job upon the encouragement of a friend who worked at Lakeside. She is currently training to be a Certified Nursing Assistant and aspires in the future to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. 3

NOTHING IS UNATTAINABLE

I was born and raised in San Francisco, California. I was raised by my mother with my older brother in the Richmond District and spent Sundays with my father in the Mission District. Later on, during my weekends with my father, I was joined by my step sister and eventu-ally my little sister. My parents came to California from other countries; my mother is from Peru and my father is from Mexico. They always stressed the importance

of education, hard work, and dedication. Not only did they instill these values in me, but always told me that nothing that is unattainable; if you really want it, you can make it happen.

During my senior year in high school, I set my sights on becoming a Registered Nurse. It became my goal. I was always asked why nursing? I could never fully explain it because it was more of a feeling. Frankly, I could never see myself doing anything else or even considered another career. Once accepted into the RN program at City College of San Francisco, classes began. I loved it. It only solidified my feelings that this is what I was meant to do.

I have learned so much working here at Agesong and being the RN for Laguna Grove Care and Hayes Valley

Care in San Fran-cisco. There is always something new to learn and I am always accruing knowledge as I strive to do the best possible work I can for the residents and families. Working

with elders and attentive care partners, there are always sweet and touching moments every day I come into work. I have grown professionally and personally here at AgeSong. I am older now and have set a few more goals. One is to become a board certified RN in Gerontology and the second to go back to school and eventually become a Nurse Practitioner with a focus on Adult Medicine and Gerontology. I hope to become estab-lished enough one day to give back to my family, com-munity, and be a good role model for my younger sisters.

“Nothing is unattainable” - those words still stick with me today.

Elizabeth Vizcarra 31

INSIDE:Constance Hunt/Danny Cunningham Page 2Have You Noticed Our Volunteers? Page 3AgeSong Today & We Are AgeSong Page 4Diana Lopez:/Elizabeth .Vizcarra Page 4

Celebrating Life at Any Age

We Are

APPLYING AGESONG’S VISION

In the Winter/Spring issue of We Are AgeSong, 11 vision statements were listed. Vision Statement #5 is outlined below. What does this Vision Statement mean to you?

Vision Statement #5: Curiosity and ac-ceptance are foundational attitudes in the approach to everything we encounter in our work at our eldercare communities, both in the way we are with elders and with each other.

We have two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice as much as we speak. Think of one elder you care for. What have you learned about that person by listening? How has that made you more accepting?

I’ll start off. I learn something from every elder whom I encounter. From Tom I learn patience; from Jean I learn to be straightforward; from Fred I learn to listen. But the question is to identify one elder who you learn from by listening.

I choose Sam. From Sam I learn

Spring/Summer 2012

continued page 2

FEATURED COMMUNITY: LAKESIDE PARK

AgeSong at Lakeside Park celebrates its 10th Anniversary this month with music, a video documentary, and refreshments. In honor of the occasion, each guest will receive a special gift: Elders Today: Opportunities of a Lifetime, by Nader Shabahangi, AgeSong CEO.

Lakeside Park always has a full activ-ity calendar of trips and events. Here are a few recent and upcoming excursions and events:

Dogs Need So-•cialization, Just as Humans DoA Visit to General •LafayetteAgeSong at Lake-•side Park Addresses Forgetfulness IssuesA Decade of Devo-•tion

Thursday, April 26, 4:30 to 6:30 pm468 Perkins Street, Oakland, California

RSVP Anne Sanabria 510.444.4684 (Ext 111), [email protected]

Please join us AgeSong at Lakeside Park

10th Anniversary

Decade of Devotion with video, hors d’oeuvres & a variety of beverages

Parents Getting •Older? What’s Your Game Plan?

MORE...http://agesongtoday.com/category/agesong-communities/lakeside-park/ 3


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