Author Archives: Elizabeth Miller

Remember These Moments

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We all have special moments that live in our hearts. The first time meeting your best friend. Saying I do. Watching your granddaughter receive her diploma. We remember these moments because they bring us so much joy, help us stay forever young and keep us connected to loved ones passed. 

 

These moments are magical, and they’re worth more than gold. But for too many in our community, these moments are slipping away. There are currently 13.5 million people living with dementia in the U.S. In Maryland, the number of people with Alzheimer’s is expected to increase by nearly 20% in the coming years. 

 

As 2022 comes to an end, we are asking you to please donate and support our year-end fundraising campaign, “Remember These Moments.” The focus of this campaign is to raise funds to help grow awareness of dementia and Alzheimer’s and the effects it has on the person, the family and the community as a whole. However, we believe it to also be important to know who you’ll be directly supporting with your donation and how much it means.

 

 Valerie Neal and Annette Miles are sisters who wanted their mother to stay at home as long as she could but knew they needed professional care to help with her dementia. Having a previous connection to Sagepoint due to one of their sisters being a longtime employee, Valerie and Annette trusted Sagepoint to take care of her mother and found the staff treated her with respect and “were very personable with great people skills”. The sisters also noted how much calmer she has been since being a part of our memory care residence and praised our organization as being outstanding. This is just one of many stories that demonstrate Sagepoint’s commitment to helping those who need us in a caring and compassionate way. 

 

By donating to this campaign, you’ll be helping people like Valerie and Annette’s mother receive the care she deserves as well as numerous others in our community. We truly couldn’t do this without you so please consider donating to “Remember These Moments” today.

Caretaker and Resident

Sagepoint’s Respite Services-A Critical Service for Caretakers and Family Members Alike

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Caretaker and Resident

 

Sagepoint’s philosophy is that assisted living is about more than services or a facility. It’s about a true sense of place, of fulfillment, of community and making the patient feel like they are a part of our family.  

 

To ensure we live this philosophy for Assisted Living patients, Sagepoint began offering respite services nearly a decade ago. Respite services are a critical component of a patient’s long-term care. It gives dedicated caregivers or family members a much-needed opportunity to rest and recharge while ensuring the patient receives the highest level of care. 

 

Our respite offerings are flexible and take the form of a wide variety of services, including Home Care, Adult Day Services and Assisted Living.

 

While under a respite stay, we have a nurse and care staff on hand that are able to assist with the coordination and implementation of all aspects of care. Our devoted team takes great pride in providing quality care while your patient or loved one is under our care.

 

With the summer quickly approaching and vacations coming up, our respite services are a popular option for families to ensure their loved ones receive the highest level of care possible. 

 

To learn more about Sagepoint’s respite services, please call 301-934-0222 to arrange a personal consultation.

Mae celebrating her birthday

105?! Now That’s A Lot Of Candles!

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Mae celebrating her birthday

 

While every resident’s birthday is cause for celebration at Sagepoint, we couldn’t let this one pass by without making a little fuss over it. We would love to, again, wish Miss Mae Bowie a very happy 105th birthday! She turned 105 years young on Sunday, May 1, and celebrated with her family and friends and was even joined by the Mayor of La Plata.

 

A lifelong resident of Charles County, Mae was married for 70 years and has been blessed with three children, six grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren!

 

Once she raised her family, Mae started as an aid and teacher at the Head Start Center in Marshall’s Corner, La Plata. After working for 10 years in the program, she retired as the Director of the Head Start Center in Newburg, MD.

 

She became a member of the Sagepoint family back in 2012. An avid morning exerciser, gardener and bingo player, Mae is definitely one of the staff’s favorite residents, thanks to her happy demeanor and kind words. 

 

Please join all of us in wishing Miss Mae a very happy 105th!

Golfers walking on the course

Sagepoint Senior Services Foundation Ready to Tee It Up for 2022 Golf Tournament

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Golfers walking on the course

 

Ask any golfer, and they’ll tell you that the only thing better than a round of golf is another round of golf! After an incredibly successful Second-Annual Sagepoint Tournament, we’re teeing it back up and hitting the links again this year. The Third-Annual Sagepoint Tournament is set for Wednesday, September 21, at Swan Point Yacht & Country Club. This is the perfect opportunity to connect with community leaders and make a difference in senior care in Southern Maryland.

 

The tournament will include a full day of golf with a captain’s choice scramble format, putting contests and exciting raffle opportunities. Once again this year, we will be raffling limited chances for an exclusive opportunity for a round of golf on members-only Pinehurst Course No.2 with a caddie.

 

If you are new to golf or have never played the game, try out our Sip and Swing event! You’ll get a taste of golf with a short instructional clinic, but most of the event is fully dedicated to fun. During the day, you’ll also be able to participate in a crafting activity where you can create a beautiful gift to take home with you. Plus, at the end of the day, you’ll enjoy a delicious food and wine pairing from the Chef at Swan Point. 

 

Sagepoint is a nonprofit organization caring for seniors and people with disabilities in southern Maryland for nearly 50 years. The goal of the funds raised for the golf tournament is to help Sagepoint raise awareness of dementia and the effects it has on the individual, their family and the community. These funds will allow us to expand our community outreach efforts and develop caregiver support and training programs for those who care for loved ones with dementia and other long-term cognitive illnesses.

 

Sponsorship opportunities have been selling quickly. With different levels available, sponsors make the tournament possible with their contributions and enjoy benefits such as logos on tournament signage and presence on digital and social media. If you’re interested in becoming an event sponsor, please contact Joyce Riggs at jriggs@sagepointcare.org.

LEADERSHIP SOUTHERN MARYLAND EDUCATES LEADERS: Class of 2022 Experiences Healthcare in Southern Maryland

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LEONARDTOWN, Md. – May 27, 2022: On May 19, 2022, the Leadership Southern Maryland (LSM) Class of 2022 participated in the last of nine educational sessions for the 2021-22 LSM Executive Program – Healthcare.

Sponsored by the Chesapeake-Potomac Healthcare Alliance, this one-day event began with a presentation by Sagepoint Senior Living Services on the memory care services they offer to seniors. Sagepoint representatives also provided the class with the unique opportunity to participate in a dementia exercise that demonstrated the challenges faced by those coping with memory loss and sensory issues.

Next, the class took part in a mental health first aid exercise followed by an exploration of dental health in Southern Maryland. This portion of the day included tours of the Health Partners dental site in Waldorf and a visit from the CalvertHealth Mobile Health Center. The morning wrapped up with the Southern Maryland Hospitals Panel during which class members had the opportunity to ask questions of leadership from CalvertHealth System, University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center, and MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital.

Following lunch, the class walked through a health fair where they had the opportunity to explore numerous services and wellness-related topics including nutrition, meditation, chronic disease prevention, and many others.

The afternoon portion of the day kicked off with a discussion on public and community health issues where panelists from the three Southern Maryland county health departments fielded questions about their programs along with the challenges they face in the public health sector. The session rounded out with a focus on behavioral health featuring small-group presentations by the St. Mary’s County Health Department Harm Reduction Program Office, Maryland Coalition of Families, the Calvert County Healthy Beginnings Program, and a tour of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office’s HOPE Trailer.

LSM Executive Program Class of 2022 participants explore the CalvertHealth Mobile Health CenterClass members Rob Vest and Pat Hickey participate in a dementia exercise during the Healthcare session on May 19, 2022.
Top: LSM Executive Program Class of 2022 participants explore the CalvertHealth Mobile Health Center. Bottom: Class members Rob Vest and Pat Hickey participate in a dementia exercise during the Healthcare session on May 19, 2022.

Together We Overcome: Despite All Challenges, Our Community Lifts Us Up

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These past months have been a stressful time not only for our local community but also the world. COVID-19 has dramatically changed the way we live day-to-day, and this is especially true for us here at Sagepoint.

Some of the groups at greatest risk for COVID-19 are older adults and immunocompromised people. In our facilities we serve seniors and people with disabilities — most of whom have preexisting health conditions or complications. Because of this it’s no surprise that the pandemic has had such a large effect on long-term care centers.

While we have always worked closely with our larger community, we must rely on these connections now more than ever. Because it truly takes a village to support our most vulnerable neighbors.

Sagepoint has always taken the safety of our seniors seriously, and COVID-19 was no different. We were quick to implement preventative protocol, many times even before it was mandated at the state or national level. This includes practices like ample PPE and regular testing.

Especially at the height of the pandemic, these measures represented a significant financial cost that Sagepoint was not anticipating. To date, we have spent nearly $1 million on routine COVID-19 testing for staff and residents alone.

This is no small expense, but we continue to utilize these techniques because we understand that it is the only way to keep our seniors safe — which has always been our top priority. Due to the early adoption of this protocol, Sagepoint went 16 months without a COVID-19 positive resident.

The theme for our 2021 end-of-year giving campaign is “Together We Overcome.” This pays tribute to all of our recent challenges while still recognizing the triumphs we can have when we come together as a community.

Your contributions will be making a direct impact on our Sagepoint seniors. Funds will be used for offsetting staggering COVID-19 costs and also help launch new initiatives within our facilities.

All year-end gifts are tax deductible. You also may be able to do charitable giving through your IRA, which can reduce taxable income. If you’d like you can also set up a recurring donation to support Sagepoint.

However you are able to contribute this year, we couldn’t be more grateful for the continued love and support from our community. We truly couldn’t do this without you.

Donate Now>> 

Man golfing

Our Second Annual Golf Tournament Brings Even More Success

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Man golfing

 

Returning for its second year, our Sagepoint Golf Tournament was held on Wednesday, September 22 at Swan Point Yacht & Country Club. The tournament has quickly become one of our most popular — and successful — fundraising events.

We are so grateful for such an incredible turnout again this year, and have been blown away by the continued generosity of our community. With the contributions of our tournament sponsors and participants we were able to surpass our fundraising total from last year raising more than $57,000!

Event attendees were able to enjoy an exciting day on the course. Food and drink from our sponsors only added to the festivities. Even those who don’t golf still had a fun-filled day at our Sip & Swing event, where they had an itinerary complete with crafts and activities.

It was amazing to see our Sagepoint community out in full swing, but the best part of the tournament isn’t even what happened on the day of the event. The true reason for the event was to rally in support of our Sagepoint seniors and continue to provide them with the best care possible.

The funds from the event will help support both programs and operations as well as new initiatives at Sagepoint. Our residents deserve nothing less. And at a time when the world is still recovering from the impact of COVID-19, every contribution will make an even greater impact.

Because the Golf Tournament always brings happiness to both our seniors and the larger Sagepoint community, we’re excited to announce that the date is already set for next year’s event. Mark your calendars now for September 21, 2022!

Family enjoying time together

Giving Tuesday is Coming and Sagepoint Would Love Your Support

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As we get closer to the holiday season, one very important global event is also approaching. Every year, Giving Tuesday marks a chance to come together and celebrate the generosity of communities across the world. 

Giving Tuesday is not exclusive to any one particular cause or charity, instead allowing all to coexist without competition. Since its inception in 2012, the event has inspired millions of people to step up and make a difference in thousands of communities in different places. 

It’s also important to note that not every donation has to be monetary. Giving Tuesday started with the simple idea that everyone has something to give. This can mean making financial contributions to a cause that’s close to your heart, but it can also mean showing up to events or using your voice to advocate. 

Even if you just give an extra hand to a neighbor in need or smile at someone who’s having a bad day, you’re making a difference for that person. Every act of generosity is important, and it starts with you. 

If you’re a part of our Sagepoint community and show support for our seniors this Giving Tuesday, we would be so grateful. For your safety and convenience, there are countless ways to contribute online. 

In fact, we are launching our annual year-end giving campaign, called “Together We Overcome.” Our seniors have shown so much resilience over the past few years, and the funds raised from this campaign will ensure they continue to receive the best possible care. 

To make a tax-deductible gift, please visit our secure campaign website. Thank you so much for your generosity and continued support. 

Two seniors chatting with caring staff member

Specialized Memory Services Make Daily Life More Manageable

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Two seniors chatting with caring staff member

 

No two people are the same, which is why every senior at Sagepoint will always receive a personalized plan of care that works best for their unique situation. One of the specialized services that residents have to choose from is our memory care program. 

Memory care is particularly important for people dealing with memory loss due to dementia. Our experienced caretakers have specific training to help with residents who need more support with their memory.

The first thing that we do is try to make each person as comfortable as possible. Every room is designed to be cozy and feel less sterile and more like home. This has a positive effect on residents’ mental health because it allows them to actually enjoy where they’re living. 

Some of the room features that residents love include the open layout that promotes greater mobility throughout the living space. Another element that they appreciate is having a private bathroom with a shower. Every part of their suite is carefully planned for easier day-to-day living. 

Beyond just their living space, residents are also encouraged to be as active as possible each day. Our caretakers encourage that they participate in normal tasks to the fullest extent they are able, while also being nearby for added safety and any necessary supervision. 

Our staff is always staying on top of the newest memory care advancements. We are eager to introduce new technology like cognitive stimulation into the programs for our memory care patients. Even non-medical approaches, like our innovative art-making lessons and music program, can reveal strong neural pathways.