Personalized Elder Activities Resources

04/17/2017

Sharing this BBC article- Prince Harry talks about facing the grief of his mom's death after 20 years. We can all relate to trying to turn away from sad thoughts or loss, but as he says, opening the flood gates of grief allows for healing.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39619684

Prince Harry tells the Daily Telegraph he spent 20 years trying not to think about the death of his mother.

11/28/2016

PEAR representatives strive to enrich the lives of elderly people, working to get to know them personally, and often developing long-term relationships. We are able to respond to the changing needs of the elderly individual, tailoring activities to abilities and interests. PEAR feels so privileged to be a part of people's lives, and as part of the life cycle, to be a supportive and familiar face in times of illness or injury. PEAR is also used to hospice care and what it means to approach the end of life; there is no greater honor than to love and support someone in their last days. Whether it is reading, playing music, supporting family members, or sitting quietly, PEAR feels the weight of such an important time, and responds with love and compassion. Though we miss our clients and friends that have passed, we look back on the good times, and lives lived fully. We will always carry their memories with us, and we honor them by continuing to care and love as they would.

This Maya Angelou poem, When Great Trees Fall encompasses so much of how it really feels to lose someone you love. I read it often and work to be better:

When great trees fall,
rocks on distant hills shudder,
lions hunker down
in tall grasses,
and even elephants
lumber after safety.

When great trees fall
in forests,
small things recoil into silence,
their senses
eroded beyond fear.

When great souls die,
the air around us becomes
light, rare, sterile.
We breathe, briefly.
Our eyes, briefly,
see with
a hurtful clarity.
Our memory, suddenly sharpened,
examines,
gnaws on kind words
unsaid,
promised walks
never taken.

Great souls die and
our reality, bound to
them, takes leave of us.
Our souls,
dependent upon their
nurture,
now shrink, wizened.
Our minds, formed
and informed by their
radiance, fall away.
We are not so much maddened
as reduced to the unutterable ignorance of
dark, cold
caves.

And when great souls die,
after a period peace blooms,
slowly and always
irregularly. Spaces fill
with a kind of
soothing electric vibration.
Our senses, restored, never
to be the same, whisper to us.
They existed. They existed.
We can be. Be and be
better. For they existed.

― Maya Angelou

05/11/2016

We are loving this beautiful weather, what is even more enjoyable for PEAR representatives is seeing the joy brought when we are able to help our elderly clients get outside into the warm sunshine. From walks to gardening, trips for ice cream to drives in the Gorge, this time of year in Oregon is awesome for senior activities. Contact PEAR today to see if our services could help enrich your loved ones life!

04/25/2016

It's astounding to think about the costs associated with caring for ourselves or our elderly family members, especially with the added element of dementia. I have seen firsthand the immense cost of care facilities, which do a lot but cannot do it all. Often we see our family members fall between the cracks.... unable or uninterested in going to the dining room for meals, out for group trips, or even engaging in the crosswords they used to love. As a PEAR representative, I visit to forge strong relationships and engage my elderly client in whatever way sounds fun or interesting that day, including crafts, music, gardening, outings, etc. Finances have never held PEAR back from offering services, we work with care providers and/or families to find a rate that is appropriate. http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/03/30/472295791/big-financial-costs-are-part-of-alzheimers-toll-on-families?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20160330

A survey of more than 3,500 people caring for family members with dementia finds that many are spending down personal savings and cutting into their own basic needs to meet their loved one's expenses.

01/08/2016

Happy New Year! It's great to be back with clients after a lovely maternity leave. Baby Milo has made the 'rounds and 5 out of 5 seniors agree, he is a cute one! I have to thank all my clients and their family members for giving me the gift of being able to be with my new son and know that my job waited patiently for me to heal and get him established in life:)

I'm very excited for what 2016 holds for Personalized Elder Activities Resources and I can't wait to meet more seniors in the Portland area. PEAR serves all seniors and focuses on those in long term care situations that could use more activity in their lives (as we all could!). PEAR facilitates outings to meaningful places for that specific individual or fun and interesting places around Portland; museums, restaurants, farmers markets, etc. In addition to optional scheduled outings, PEAR provides one-on-one in-home activities that are also individualized based on the interests, physical and cognitive abilities, living situation, etc of the particular person. If you are interested in speaking further please give me a call! More to come and again, cheers to a wonderful 2016!

05/18/2015

This is a great read, always amazing to see how Alzheimer's affects people in such different ways. PEAR is also amazed daily to see the way small things, like a harmonica, can positively impact a person.

How a musical instrument brought some joy amid the heartache of Alzheimer's Disease.

02/07/2015

Rare, early-onset Alzheimer’s, as shown in “Still Alice,” devastates parents and their young adult children.

02/07/2015

02/07/2015

PEAR has been busy socializing with our lovely elderly clients, men and women, of various ages. From clock-making, to Youtube videos of Greek dancing, to Valentine's day decorations, it has been a busy week! PEAR's website is in the process of being built, very exciting!! Stay tuned:)