Volume #83
Platinum Club Newsletter
March 2012
T he Pl at i num C l ub, sponsored by Gl enn Medi cal C ent er, i s
f ree t o al l Gl enn C o unt y resi dent s 60 ye ars of age and ol der .
The Platinum Club For Glenn County Seniors
The March gathering of the Platinum Club will feature a special
presentation by Wade Elliott of WestHaven in Orland. His presentation will be “Caring for the Caregiver - Healthy Choices and
Options.” Please join us on Thursday, March 22nd from 9:30am
to 11:00am in the GMC large conference room. We’ll be serving
a delicious breakfast buffet from our dietary department. Please
RSVP to Deborah at 934-1881 to make sure we have enough seats
and treats for all. This is a wonderful topic that is bound to hit
home for many of our members and their families. As always,
feel free to bring a friend - we enjoy seeing new faces.
*March Birthdays*
Kenneth Mohr
Sharon Robertson
John Horning
Irene Clemins
Elaine Stuart
Carlton Wright
Irville Gollnick
Carol Coffman
Dan Buxton
Evelyn Garbutt
Carol Windham
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What is a Caregiver?
In more than three out of every ten households, at least one of the
members is a Caregiver. In the USA today, there are 34 million of
them. Over half are women, many are children! They’re looking
after someone who can’t fully take care of himself or herself. In
some cases, it’s a temporary disability. In other cases, it’s a proHappy Birthday from
gressive disability, like Alzheimer’s. In many, it is terminal. And
all your friends at
in almost every case, the Caregiver makes a huge and commendaGlenn Medical Center!
ble effort looking after the care-receiver. Caregivers are magnificent and generous people, but they stubbornly look after themselves last, very much to their detriment.
What is the Value of Caregiving?
The Reverend Greg Johnson, a member of the President’s Committee on
Caregiving, estimates the market value of Caregiving at 450 billion dollars in patient services per year. The
math says that each caregiver spends
over 40 hours a week, and provides
$110,000 of free medical services a
year. That’s incredible!
The Caregiver’s Dilemma
The last time you were on an airplane,
the attendant showed you the oxygen
masks which deploy in an emergency.
Remember the counsel? “If you’re sitting next to a young child, take the mask
for yourself first, then help the child!”
They don’t want you to make the mistake so many caregivers do, taking care
of everyone else except themselves!
Soothe Dry Winter Skin
Although oatmeal is a centuries-old
skin soother, researchers only recently
recognized the avenanthramides in
oats as the key compounds that calm
inflamed, itchy skin. Put whole oats in
a clean, dry sock. Seal the open end
with a rubber band, and then drop the
sock into a warm or hot bath. Soak
yourself for 15 to 20 minutes. Enjoy!
A Caregiver’s Bill of Rights:
I have the right:
To take care of myself. This is not an act of selfishness. It will give me the capability of taking better
care of my loved one.
“Life is short...forgive quickly, love
truly, laugh uncontrollably...and never
regret anything that made you smile.”
- - - Anonymous
To get angry, be depressed, and express other difficult feelings occasionally.
To seek help from others even though my loved ones
may object. I recognize the limits of my own endurance and strength.
To maintain facets of my own life that do not include the person I care for, just as I would if he or
“Worrying does not empty tomorrow she were healthy. I know that I do everything that I
of its troubles...it empties today of its reasonably can for this person, and I have the right
strength.”
- - - Corrie Ten Boom to do some things just for myself.
Recipe of the Month
Citrus Chicken and Rice
1-1/4 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken
breast halves
1-3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup orange juice
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 cup uncooked regular long-grain
white rice
3 T chopped fresh parsley
Cook the chicken in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat
for 10 minutes or until well browned
on both sides. Remove the chicken
from the skillet. Stir the broth, orange
juice, onion and rice in the skillet and
heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low.
Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet. Cover
and cook for 10 minutes or until the
chicken is cooked through and the
rice is tender. Stir in the parsley.
To reject any attempts by my loved one (either conscious or unconscious) to manipulate me through
guilt, and/or depression.
To receive consideration, affection, forgiveness, and
acceptance for what I do, from my loved ones, for as
long as I offer these qualities in return.
To take pride in what I am accomplishing and to applaud the courage it has sometimes taken to meet the
needs of my loved one.
To protect my individuality and my right to make a
life for myself that will sustain me in the time when
my loved one no longer needs my full-time help.
To expect and demand that as new strides are made
in finding resources to aid physically and mentally
impaired persons in our country, similar strides will
be made towards aiding and supporting caregivers.
Take a Bath for Your Health
It doesn't get much better than a sudsy soak in the
tub, but now what you've always known about a
bath's power to relax body and mind is borne out by
science. Research found that soaking in warm water
daily for eight weeks is more effective at easing anxiety than a prescription drug. Good to know!