December 6th, 2008 Newsletter
Our December 6th meeting started out with a change in management!
Sally Renlund was voted in as chairman of our HOPE 4 MS Board, taking over for Sarge Kennedy. We welcome Sally!
Sally gave a recap of the trip Beth, Sally & Patricia took to Santa Clara to attend the Self-Help Group, Leadership Conference, put on by the NMSS. The gals came back with lots of good ideas and possible speakers for future HOPE 4 MS meetings.
Our guest speaker today was Susanne Rossi, Director of Mountain Caregiver Resource Center, PASSAGES. She gave us information that was helpful for everyone in our group (we are all caregivers of some sort). Susanne’s program offers many services, such as: Information & Referral, Family Consultation & Care Planning, Short-term Counseling, Legal/Financial Consultation, Respite Support, Social Adult Day Care, Support Groups, Assistive Equipment, Minor Home Modifications, and Peer Support.
One valuable service PASSAGES offer is their respite care where they provide (at no cost) a caregiver to come to your house on a short term basis to take over duties and give a break to the person normally offering care, such as a family member or friend.
Susanne explained how a new Consortium is being developed with other groups like ours (Alzheimers, Parkinsons, traumatic brain injury, VA, Golden Umbrella, as examples) that will pool resources to better serve our North State. This group’s first priority is to work on getting patients to doctors appointments that are out of the area.
Her contact information is as follows:
Susanne Rossi, Director of Mountain Caregivers Resource Center
530-229-0878
405 South Street, Suite C, Redding, CA 96001
Susanne covers many north state counties and can put us in touch with any other county in the state.
We can look back through this past year knowing that much research is taking place offering us more hope for the future treatment of MS. As slow as it seems to us, we can find comfort in the fact that there are many dedicated researchers working diligently to find a cure for us.
The MS Society, MS Foundation and MS Association offer so much support for all of us. Remember to check out their services because they all want to help.
Locally, HOPE 4 MS is entering it’s 5th year and continues to offer speakers, information, support and camaraderie. We are entering a season of reflecting and giving. It truly is more blessed to give than receive and with that thought in mind, know that many of us have a very unique, precious gift. Our disabilities reach out to others who really want to help and by accepting these offers, big or small, we allow others to experience the joy of giving. This is twofold for us because we are giving others this opportunity as well as receiving what they offer. This can be a wonderful exchange of giving in the true spirit of the season.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE!
Beth, Sally, Patricia & Robyn