Senior Support
Do you need ideas or support for changes that that happen with aging?
As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I specialize in working with the older population around mental health issues, life transitions, and maintaining independence by activating the brain through targeted activities. For your convenience, I provide in-home assessment, counseling, consultation and stimulation/exercises to keep the brain active and your loved one as independent as possible. I can offer support to you, the caregiver, in terms of information and resources. I can collaborate with your medical provider to provide wrap around care into the home.
Maintain Your Brain!
In addition to assessment and traditional therapy or counseling, I have experience using cognitive rehabilitation activities to engage the client using all parts of the brain. As we age, sometimes our mental efforts just slow down as we become less active or homebound; so too the brain can begin to atrophy with lack of stimulation. Engagement of the brain through language use, puzzles, games and other activities can help to improve memory, recall, attention, word use, problem solving and executive functioning. Research shows that twice weekly therapy is the optimum for enhancing brain activity and keeping cognitive processes active. Our brains have a resilient capacity to rewire and create new pathways with stimulation and use. This “neuroplasticity” is good news particularly in terms of helping people with stroke or brain injuries to further recover. Short, cognitive assessments are given tri-yearly and can reflect a slow down or improvement in cognitive function particularly in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early dementias. While this therapy does not cure or stop Alzheimer’s and other dementias, it can improve cognitive functioning to the benefit of you and your loved one.
The great news is that there are many ways to stimulate all areas of the brain, preserving function, reinvigorating memories and eliciting participation from your loved one! I use a variety of fun tools including word puzzles, problem-solving games, reminiscence therapy, tangrams, and manual puzzles (ranging from difficult to 12 piece puzzles) and many more. My clients and I both love this work because it is fun, engaging, creative and tailored to the person!
In most cases Medicare will cover the cost of therapy. I can work with insurances or accept payment as an out of network provider.
Call me today at 719-717-9009. I will be happy to discuss my services for a free 15 minute consultation.
