Tag Archives: Seniorcare in Southern Maryland

Sagepoint’s Donors Provided Unprecedented Support in 2020

As a senior care nonprofit organization, Sagepoint has faced deep challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, and our financial needs have increased dramatically since the spring of 2020:

Increased equipment costs for supplies such as HEPA filtration, sanitation and technology needs
Regular purchasing of personal protective equipment supplies for staff and residents
Soaring costs of continued weekly testing for staff and residents
Additional staff education to keep up with extensive regulatory changes throughout the pandemic.

However, our gracious benefactors have helped the organization meet these challenges by increasing their generous donations over the past several months to help us counter the effects that COVID-19 has disproportionately had on seniors. For this, we are honored and immensely grateful.

Please visit our website here to learn how your contributions can continue to help Sagepoint sustain the health and well-being of seniors in southern Maryland during these unique times.

SAVE THE DATE!

Sagepoint’s Annual Golf Tournament is September 22, 2021.

We will continue to update you with more information.

Sagepoint Senior Services Foundation Welcomes Community Leaders to Foundation Board of Directors

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As a respected nonprofit organization in service to the people of Southern Maryland, Sagepoint holds it in the highest importance for our top leadership to be pillars of the community who demonstrate our shared commitment to our fellow citizens on a daily basis. This is why we are particularly proud to welcome three new members to our Foundation Board of Directors.

Charles County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Augustus “Gus” Proctor is a Charles County native who has shown his dedication to county residents throughout his career and personal life. Sgt. Proctor has been with the Sheriff’s Office for 29 years, and today serves as the Southern Region Coordinator and Administrative Sergeant for Districts 1 and 2. He volunteers with Lifestyles of Maryland, Special Olympics Maryland and also serves on the Board of the Spring Dell Center. He and his wife have three children and two grandchildren.

Shirley Hancock retired from the Charles County Department of Health after 38 years as a nurse in several areas of public health, including maternity, pediatrics, communicable diseases and geriatric care. As part of her duties at the Health Department, she served as an Acting Director of Health Partners in Waldorf, and upon retirement was the Supervisor of the Colorectal and Prostate Cancer Programs. Nurse Hancock volunteered for over 15 years for the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center Foundation Board of Directors. She served many roles for the Foundation such as a term as the Board Chairperson, Chairperson for the gala event for many years and a member of the Capital Campaign Committee. Shirley lives in La Plata and is married with two children and two grandchildren.

Ann Page brings a 44-year career in health care to her position with Sagepoint. Prior to her retirement in 2019, she served with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Quality and Outcomes Division in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. She has been a past Director of the Health Care Delivery and Management Administration of the D.C. Department of Health Care Finance. Her career has also included health policy leadership positions with the National Academy of Science’s Institute of Medicine, the Maryland Governor’s Office, the National Committee for Quality Assurance and the nationwide Institute for Health Policy Solutions in Washington, D.C. Ms. Page is the author of dozens of health care policy publications.

These new Board members join Sagepoint’s already exemplary Board leadership. The Board of Directors for 2021 is as follows:

New 2021 Officers:

Christine Parker, Chair
Sue Greer, Chair Elect
Craig Renner, Secretary
Terry Weaver, Treasurer
Board Members:
Sally Jameson, Immediate Past Chair
Carolyn Core, SSLS Board Chair
Andrea Dwyer, President and CEO
Scot Ebron
Shirley Hancock
Evie Hungerford
Ann Page
Augustus “Gus” Proctor
Joyce Riggs, Foundation President

Memory Care Makes a Difference

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It’s the most frustrating thing in the world when suddenly everything from the most impactful moments of your life to cherished memories with loved ones seems to disappear overnight. Nothing is sacred when it comes to memory loss, a devastating reality that many will struggle to come to terms with. When dealing with dementia, it’s incredibly important to arm yourself with the information needed to navigate the unknown. Because with the right tools, you can help your loved ones live a fulfilling life after their dementia diagnosis.

What Is Dementia?

Dementia is the deterioration of memory in ways that affect thinking and behavior within everyday life. The result is a loss in capacity that exceeds what can be accounted for through normal aging. And for so many elderly individuals, this is the main factor that increases their dependency on others. One of the most common forms of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, however, there are many other known types that present in various ways.

Who Is Affected?

Nearly 10 million new cases each year contribute to this world-wide epidemic with nearly 50 million individuals affected in total, according to the World Health Organization. Plus — since age is the strongest known risk factor of dementia — as the population continues to grow, a rise in dementia cases can also be expected in the coming years. Because of its broad impact on so many facets of daily life, dementia will not only bring new and overwhelming changes for the individual but will also deeply affect family members and others in their social circle.

How Is Dementia Treated?

While there is no known treatment to cure dementia at this time, there are a number of ways to improve the lives of those affected by dementia. One of the best things you can do is diagnose dementia early, from there it will be easier to discern exactly what impact it’s having on the individual and what type of care would be best for their particular symptoms to optimize their well-being.

Memory Care Solutions

At Sagepoint, there are a variety of Memory Care options available at our facility. Our highly trained staff is always on hand, providing top-notch supervision and compassionate care. Each day activities and trips are provided to keep our residents active and engaged. The Opening Minds Through Art activities are a perfect example of how we tap into the creative pathways that are still active so that our residents can create something that they’re proud of.

Along with doing all we can to care for our residents with dementia, we’re also focused on educating our wider community about this widespread syndrome. Earlier this winter we had the opportunity to work with our community leaders during Leadership Southern Maryland’s Healthcare Day. There, we led a demonstration that provided a glimpse into the struggles that dementia patients face each day, as well as the challenges that our healthcare community works to overcome.