Earlier this year, AHCS signed up again  (2nd year in a row) to exhibit at Gwinnett’s largest road race, Run The Reagan. At the time, we knew that the race benefits a great cause, Gwinnett Community Clinic. But what we didn’t know is that mother nature had some special plans for that day, too.

Laying 5″ of snowfall at our feet in Atlanta the night before, the race did indeed go on. And so did its Family Festival of which we were a part of.

So, we loaded up the truck and stocked our booth with our new logo’d notepads, pens and magnets to greet the winter runnerland.

While the snow provided a bit of frost to our toes, the sun warmed our noses as we greeted many a 1 mile, 5k and 10K finisher who stopped by our booth to say hello.

We also met booth neighbor, Aysha Cooper of the new Sarah Care Adult Day Care Center in Snellville.  Aysha is excited about helping our community with her new day care center for seniors. For more information, call her at 770-685-6971. Or visit her website.

If you were planning to run or drop by and see us, but just couldn’t dig out, who knows? Maybe we’ll see you next year! Until then, thanks to everyone who stopped by.

The W.O.W.'s hold up a few of the sweaters they gave me last Thursday for Gwinnett County Seniors.

Last February, I met Mary Anne Lamb (shown back row on the left) at Run The Reagan 5K in Snellville, GA.  AHCS had a booth at the race and Mary Anne stopped by. I remember telling her about our “Sweaters For Seniors” program. She told me that her women’s group at Brookwood Baptist might be able to help us collect some sweaters.

Lo and behold! She was right as last Thursday AHCS was invited to the “Girl Friends’” meeting at Mary Anne’s Lawrenceville home.  It was a chilly winter night but you’d hardly know it thanks to the hospitality of these women. Warmly welcoming me in, I was given the floor to discuss our “3rd Annual Sweaters for Seniors” program.

Martha McCance (back row 3rd from left) introduced me to the W.O.W.s and pledged that they’d help next fall. One of my requests is that we get more Gwinnett County Schools involved this year. It seems that K-5 aged kids in particular love to collect sweaters for seniors. Martha explained, “We have some members who work at  Gwinnett County Schools and we’ll ask them to help.”

A huge thanks to Mary Anne, Martha, Lori and the rest of the “GF’s.” (I hear they also help seniors at Sunrise Assisted Living on Five Forks Trickum.) So with all they have on their plates, we appreciate their help with S4S all the more!

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month, an important time to spread the word about this sight-stealing disease that affects many older Americans.

“A recommended annual screening to check eye pressure with a dilated exam takes about an hour and costs around 100.00,” says an Atlanta vision care technician. “It’s also covered by most insurance plans.”

According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness. The disease is much more common among older people. Those aged 60 years or older are six times more likely to get glaucoma. Moreover, among African-American and Hispanic populations, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness.  And if you have diabetes, you may be three times more likely to get the disease.

To see the rest of this article and find out where you can get a glaucoma screening near you, click here:

Whether with our own extended families and grandparents or strangers we meet in our daily routines, the holidays are a time to show we care for others young and old.

In our home care business, we employ caregivers who provide personal care and companionship to seniors. Yes, they are certified and have skills in working with and helping seniors. But we also look for those who naturally show compassion and respect for others. Here are some traits of superb caregivers.

1) A good caregiver listens and doesn’t talk back to seniors.

2) A good caregiver has a soft touch. For instance, when applying ointment or lotion to a senior, they are always gentle.

3) A good caregiver speaks softly, not harshly to seniors.

4) A good caregiver lets the senior feel in charge. “He or she understands their senior has lost some independence by not being able to drive or cook by themselves anymore,” explains Njeri Soley, Staff Coordinator for Alternative Home Care for Seniors. “By asking questions and showing interest in the senior’s wishes, they empower the senior,” she adds.

5) A good caregiver is patient. This is especially important when transferring a senior from a chair or bed.

I encourage you to consider the above ideas when dealing with a senior, yourself this holiday and beyond in 2010. And if nothing else, please hold a door or let a senior get through it first the next time you’re at the grocery store. It’s a nice way to show respect for our elder citizens and it will make you feel good, too.

Derrick Merchant is the new Senior Issues writer for Examiner.com. You can see his other articles here.

Chaddick Arts Center at the Galloway School

Yesterday was a warm and sunny fall day. It was the kind of day that  Atlantans gladly walked their dogs at Chastain Park.

Meanwhile, just across the street,  children pre-K through 12th grade studied math or English. Some were on recess kicking a soccer ball on the playground as I pulled up in front of the Galloway School. Having luckily arrived at school with plenty of time to spare, I found a good parking spot and was ready to unload my booth supplies for the Service Fair.

Man's best friends had several booths at the Galloway School Service Fair

In the spirit of Galloway’s 40th anniversary and Founder’s Day, they invited 40 community organizations to promote their charitable works to Galloway’s students at the Fair. And we were one of those organizations! (We worked with the Galloway School last year for Sweaters For Seniors and thus, the special invitation.)

Grabbing my basket of sweaters and our handmade cardboard donation box, I headed into the Chaddick Art Center on the beautiful campus of Galloway.

The large, modern open space was flooded with bright sunlight seeming to forecast a happy day ahead for students, teachers, parents and nonprofits participating at the event.

Representatives from Atlanta Union Mission and Adopt-A-Grandparent

Royal blue tablecloths with hand painted clay pots decorated each vendor’s table. I overheard a teacher explaining that the students had made them for us. Each pot was filled with sand and had a pencil stuck in it with the name of service organization printed and taped to the top of it.

I found ours nestled around the corner from the main room and immediately met my neighbor, Ellen Milholland. Ellen was representing AAUW, an organization that helps girls and women with education and scholarships through a major book fair they do each year. We hit it off and started discussing our mutual interest in the nonprofit world and sharing our individual missions with each other.

Our booth neighbor, Ellen Milholland of AAUW

Before long, children of all ages soon began to fill the room. Yes! We had customers and I needed to be ready! So, I began my pitch. “Hi. My name is Sharna. I’m with ‘Sweaters for Seniors.’ We’re  looking for creative class leaders  to help us expand our program next year. Your class could make ‘Sweaters’ as creative and as special as you want it to be. I would help you promote it. Just let me know if you’re interested. Here’s my card.”

Burmese women refuges weave colorful scarves for "Threads of Promise"

This basic pitch along with questions I had for the students went on for 3 hours. Various aged groups and classes came at different times. The 4th graders who helped us last year recognized our booth and came up to say hello. Some of the older teens had sheets they were filling out as part of an assignment to better understand what nonprofits do and how they could help.

And there were many to choose from! Several animal organizations were represented and I must have spotted at least 9 dogs at 4 booths including Canine Assistants. There were large familiar organizations such as Unicef and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Plus lots of Atlanta nonprofits like AID Atlanta, Atlanta Community Food Bank, Atlanta Union Mission and Adopt-A-Grandparent.

The Service Fair gave me and many others a way to see how many needs we have in our society and also, the many special people who are working to serve those needs.

Me (Sharna Fulton) representing "Sweaters For Seniors" on behalf of Alternative Home Care for Seniors.

It was truly a day I’ll never forget. Thank you, Lexi Fields who organized and invited us to the Service Fair at the Galloway School. I hope we caught the interest of some of your students in helping us with our 3rd Annual Sweaters for Seniors! And if not, at least you know that all the students were inspired to do charitable works for some wonderful organization in the near future.

Lexi Fields, Service Fair Director, Upper Learning Economics & Humanities Teacher