Waupaca County Caregiver Coalition Meeting

Waupaca County Caregiver Coalition Meeting

Waupaca County Caregiver Coalition Meeting

Mission Statement

We educate and support caregivers through community

awareness, identifying needs and filling gaps in service.

Date/Time:

Tuesday, February 10, 2015 ~ 8:30 am - 10:00 am

Location/Food Host:

Park Vista, 950 Hwy. QQ, Waupaca

Minutes

Attended: Bobbi Jo Pethke, Chad Selenske, Darlene Kramer, Debrea Brunner, Jennifer Schimmelpfenning, Jennifer Schwirtz, Joscelyn Deanovich, Kathleen Albert, Kay Edlebeck, Melanie Draska, Miriah Seyler, Sue Williams, Tammy Malewski, Tiah Gretzinger, Sarah Halstead

Welcome new members, introductions

Presentation: A Caregiver’s Story – Kathryn BehnkeShared her story about her husband who was diagnosed in 2009 with a rare liver disease and their journey.

They could not have made it through without the healthcare team. Kathy has been a nurse for many years, but very different when it’s your husband. She had high expectations of the nursing care he received. Kathy stayed by his bedside 24/7.

The nurses pulled them together with kids and family, encouraging them to journal or use Caring Bridge. It’s therapeutic, to journal each day, look for the improvements, the blessing each day. They encouraged them to go through the journey even though it was going to be hard. The nurses gave permission to be angry, this is normal, the new normal.

During this time, they really learned to trust others. Look for the little blessings. Encouragement brought hope, which built faith and give that inner energy to get up every day. Learn to hand off to the professional caregivers.

Review of January minutes - correction noted Power Tools for Caregivers.

Old Business

  • Meeting calendar
  • We plan to meet during the summer to accomplish everything.
  • We plan to rotate throughout the communities between Clintonville, Waupaca, New London.
  • The coalition was asked if they had suggestions for speakers, certain topics or themes – no suggestions.
  • The Alzheimer Walk Group will meet directly after the meetings.
  • Teri had an idea of dementia friendly community with business cards, resources and information. Teri is seeing more dementia at the senior center. Help our community understand a little more about dementia. When they think someone may be “acting strange”, tips how to support someone, handy easy to refer to.
  • Mariah suggested we take our coalition minutes for a press release on our meeting to help with education.
  • Sarah suggested if you attend a workshop/conference; bring what you learned back to the group (maybe even a presentation on that topic). We don’t have to be formal experts but it’s good to share.
  • Next time we meet we will be doing the committee breakout time in March.
  • Arc Angles will host May 12th in Clintonville at the Fox Valley Tech in Clintonville.
  • If you are organizing a speaker, please let us know if you have any special needs.
  • Waupaca Senior Center will host July 14th at the Waupaca Senior Center, rec center for food and location host.
  • Follow up to Strategic Planning – Workplan/Goals

What / Who / When / Goal/Metric / Comments
Create and implement a marketing plan:
  • Create a marketing and communication development plan with 3 basic goals.
  • Have a written format for minutes
  • Revisit quarterly
/ Marketing Committee / March 10 / Plan to include various media channels throughout county
Create and implement a brand plan:
  • Create a logo for the coalition.
  • Create brochure, flyer, or other collateral material.
  • Determine what the use of radio, press releases will be consistently.
  • Have a written format for minutes
  • Revisit quarterly.
/ Marketing Committee / March 10
Coalition Structure:
  • Each member will be on a committee.
  • Committees will meet during the large coalition meeting every other month.
  • Committees will meet for 60 minutes and with a report to the large group on the progress made.
  • Written notes to be distributed to committee members and shared with coalition minutes.
/ Coalition / Ongoing

Follow up to Strategic Planning – Work plan/Goals (continued)

  • We will update the committee list, and we will need a chair or co-chair for each committee.
  • Homework: If you were to summarize the Caregiver Coalition in 15 words or less, what would you say? Bring to the next meeting.
  • Homework: Bring names of newspapers, radio, and otherresources to the next meeting.
  • Committee meeting minutes to the large group when we send agendas and minutes at the start of the month prior to meetings.
  • Please consider if you would like to be a co-facilitator of the large group. It has worked well to rotate between 3 people to share the work and we are down to two.
  • ADRC – Respite List update: Jennifer provided us with a list of different websites for respite care. The county will not keep up the list of what different agencies provide, but they will update the list with national or local resources. The list will be sent as a separate attachment to the minutes.

New Business

  • Committee Reports & Discussion
  1. Marketing Committee Update - no new business
  2. Education Committee Update – no new business
  3. Event Committee Update – no new business
  4. ADRC Update – no new business

Other Business/Updates

The Women’s Wellness Day in New London is on Saturday, February 21st at New London High School.

Next meeting: Tuesday,March 10th, 2015

Location & food host: St. Joseph’s, 101 E. Beckert Rd., New London

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