Maude’s Awards with Marilyn Raichle, Part 4

*The following is the output of transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors.

The following is a podcast from a qualified senior care provider, hurt, on the answers for elders radio show. And Welcome back everyone to answers for elders radio and I am here again with Marilyn Rachel and Marilyn is the executive director of MoD’s awards and Maryland. I first want to say thank you for sharing this amazing program with us on our show and if you’re listening to the show today, I would venture to guess that every single listener knows of somebody and they may know of certain scenarios or situations where this pit is a program that really is making, you know, encouraging those that are devoted in there in their care of those of those who have Alzheimer’s to acknowledge what they do and certainly bring forward the space to really be innovative. And so thank you for all of you guys do for our community. So, Marilyn, I am just curious a little bit about you know, you’ve had such an amazing response to this concept and certainly we had some amazing winners this last year award ease. I guess tell us a little bit about where do you see Mond’s words going? In the future? Well, I think this year it had a regional focus because we it was for for sure. So we start right age only and see how it goes. But it very quickly managed to reach more and more people who heard about it, and so we started getting applications from all over the country and of course we were not going to say Oh, you can’t apply if you’re not in Seattle, because that’s not our points. Our point is to make up for inadversions. And so while we had the focus in terms of the notification of applications and the outreach to generate applications with regional it grew and so as we go forward it will have a national reach because we want to know as many innovations as possible. So I exact that the number of applications we get next year could possibly double and which is very exciting. I we’re not plan I am curious national approach at this point. Yeah, I’m curious a little bit about you know, I have never heard of a program like what your organization does anywhere else in the country. So you guys. I can imagine there’s any other real organizations that are doing what you’re doing. Are there? Well, but the National Caregivers Association actually started a program of awards in two thousand and eight and I would like to call the mountains and thank them very much for the help they’ve given us in developing MODs of words and they they have. They are now giving out continuing to give awards out every year, and so are thanks to them and and you can actually go on their website and see all of the innovations that they’ve they’ve actually awarded since two thousand and eight. It is it so that? But there then there’s lots of individual awards. But yeah, this one’s kind of special and especially because it’s about sharing them and widely as possible. And I think that’s what really makes this this special, because it’s at the heart of MoD’s words not just to a word people and say, okay, you can use this as you will, but to share them and to let people know, because people are so eager and and needing to know about practices of care and programs, anything that can improve the lives of their loved ones and also their own lives as care partners. And you know a lot of these programs you as I was walking about them in the last segment, about all these activities that you can do with your loved one, which decreases their social isolation but also increases your joy as a care partner. So it’s really quite inspiring, it is and certainly, you know, understanding this whole process of how the you know, the program works, at everything like that. I’m sure that there’s families out there that are listening to this, this program and they’re thinking to themselves, you know it, you have a loved one that has had exemplary care or, you know, had some new breakthroughs. Is there a way for a family to connect with you, to nominate that organization? How would how would they get involved in something like very good question, in one we actually haven’t really considered, but I will bring this up to the next advisory board meeting. One of the things that were actually one of the plans that we were going to do this year, but it’s on delay because of Covid was a program called MODs conference, and MoD’s contents what it’s going to bring people together to workshop innovations. But what we’re also gettering in this is really in development at this point, is we’d like to learn about new ideas that are in development, ideas that are the plate, but ideas that could use some encouragement. And so we haven’t actually had a nominations process just because, I think, because we’re young and new and it would have a whole new element. But that’s a very interesting idea because I think there are a lot of people who would want to say, take a look at this. On the other hand, you could also say to those organizations, do you these people, to the people that they would want to nominate? Do you know about this program because you replant and so and I think the other good reason to be on our mailing list. You know, I think what you’re saying is has so much validity. But I know as a care provider, or you know, when my mom was in skilled nursing and towards the end of her life, I wanted to be so accurate, so I would correct my mother when she would have and I remember having a nurse take me aside and say, you know what, Susanne, the truth at this point in their life is no longer relevant. You know, you need to back off and we know what the what the real truth is. You have to understand and that was so helpful to me. Yeah, it was truly helpful. But I think looking back at my caregiver experience after you’re out of it, in you’re reflecting on there your time, there’s certain individuals that stood out to you, certain, yeah, experiences that stood out that I think we could potentially bring forward some really amazing, you know, ways in which seniors are acknowledged or, you know, just in general, but especially in Alzheimer’s care, because I think sometimes we just are so lost in the forest of trying to take care of a loved one during that time, but I think after the fact there’s a lot of ways in which we can, you know, have some Aha moments. Wow, that was really valuable information that was given to me that I didn’t even discover at the time. Do you know what I’m saying? Well, this is really interesting. I mean because as we are developing mods of words that you just suggested something that is well worth investigating and is well worth pursuing, and so I thank you for that because you’re very welcome. You know, is we’re here to support, you know, families that are navigating senior care and of course, we answered her elders has been very involved with the Alzheimer’s Association and, you know, with my own background of being a caregiver. I know you know I’ve kind of walked the path similar to what you walked Maryland, because currently those of us that have been in those shoes of so many of what they’re dealing with now, you know how, and I think the other side of it is how can we who have been through it support those that are going through it? I think there’s a lot of yes, please you. One thing I did that I would recommend to everyone. One of the things I did is that I actually kept a journal and I wrote down in real time everything we did together and what she said that because I would not have remembered half of them and as I read through it now, it’s like, oh my gosh, and you saw this, this progression in this trajectory of her life and it was it’s a sort of living testament to mom. Yes, and it’s so interesting you say that because I have an exercise that I do with with family caregivers and it’s a little card that you put on your on your bathroom mirror, and every day it’s called look for the diamonds, and there’s whole story about looking for the diamonds that had to do with my aunt that always said in every adversity. You know, adversity creates friction and this is what molds your character and so you know, you will emerge the diamond. So this is a whole story. So if you see a shopping cart that somebody left out in the parking lot, you bring it back, you know, don’t know. Those are the kind of things that I was taught. So coming back to that piece of understanding that you know, we have a lot as a community to come together to give back to those that are going through the process, and nobody knows better than somebody that has been a caregiver. But looking for those diamonds, what did you learn today? You know, what were the breakthroughs today? To connect with those little moments on helps people get through the process and that support, and I certainly think that you know your program and how you support care partners are really, really valuable. Yeah, thank you. It’s and as you as you mentioned it, it’s just reminds you to take take each day and find the joy and ever expecting can remember to enjoy this person you aren’t with well and you have some well, absolutely, and you’ve been such a joy and a gift to being on the program with us. This hour and, Marilyn, I want to do whatever I can to support your program and certainly whatever we can do to bring forward some of these innovative ideas and things like that. So again, let’s talk a little bit about this very important MODs awards handbook of innovations that you have available, and how can they could get it? Yes, so it is a handbook of and has detailed information on the eight awardees, plus also sixty eight other innovative ideas and programs and practices of care that would be of value to any care partner, and we are making these available in a digital handbook and also a printed one. And to receive yours, you can go to MODs awards dot Org and downloaded and you can also ask for a printed coffee. This is free. Absolutely free. Yeah, absolutely free, because our goal is to actually enhance the lives of persons living the dementia and their care partners and their family members, and that as our goal. And you can also sign up for our list so that you can keep getting information about women. ext applications will begin at also what’s going on and who the awardees are. Highly recommend it, and you can also, and I this is not my first language. It’s a we’re also on twitter and in say, booking into them, but it’s all explained on the website, mods Awardsorg. Well, we’re so glad you are with us today and certainly look forward to hearing how mods awards progresses throughout the next, you know, decade and we’re just really glad that you’re you joined us. So thanks again for being here, Maryland, and thank you so much. and to each and every one of you. Ask yourself the question, who do I know that has that might benefit from a book like this? Who Do I know that I could potentially help? Who Do I know that I could potentially reach out to and say thank you, to a care provider, to somebody that’s in your world, or maybe it’s just somebody that you might know of work, you know, that you work with or something like that. But be there for each other and be good to each other. Until next week, take care of you. One answers for elders radio show with Susan Newman. Hopes you found this podcast useful in your journey of navigating senior care. Check out more podcast like this to help you find qualified senior care experts and areas of financial legal, health and wellness and living options. Learn about our radio show, receive our monthly newsletter, receive promotional discounts and meet our experts by clicking on the banner to join the Senior Advocate Network at answers for elders, radiocom. Now there is one place to find the answers for elders.