A few tips for helping your Alzheimer's family member enjoy the holiday season

by Terri Dee
Illinois News Connection

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Pay close attention to nonverbal cues when a patient appears agitated. Keep family gatherings small. Large groups can produce fear and confusion in those suffering from Alzheimer's Disease.

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CHICAGO - The excitement of the holiday season is celebrated with family get-togethers. But for Alzheimer's patients, large groups can produce fear and confusion. The disease causes brain cell deterioration and the ability to rapidly process information diminishes daily.

Macie P. Smith, a licensed social worker and gerontologist, advised paying attention to nonverbal cues when a patient appears agitated.

"If you're going to have a small, intimate gathering, I also recommend doing name tags," Smith suggested. "Go ahead and put the person's name and the relationship to the person on the shirt, so that way they won't have to guess and wonder and try to figure out who this person is. It just helps with the ease of engagement."

Reminiscing over the family photo album is a traditional holiday favorite. Despite the best intentions, Smith explained, asking an Alzheimer's patient to identify a relative can be frustrating. The questions cause them to use brain cells that are severely impacted and could produce combativeness and aggression. She recommended singing or playing music as better choices.

The Alzheimer's Association Illinois chapter reported 311,000 caregivers cook meals, assist with basic hygiene and monitor medication intake. The needs of patients are unpredictable, leaving them with sporadic break times.

Additional stress from gift shopping and work obligations underlines the importance for a caregiver to routinely nurture their physical and mental well-being. Smith advised using a calendar for scheduling enjoyable activities.

"I've asked caregivers, 'So, what do you like to do?' They don't know, or they don't remember, because they have been so engulfed with caring for someone else and depleting everything that they've had, they've lost a sense of self," Smith observed.

For unmanageable situations, Smith recommends contacting a professional respite care service through your local department on aging. The agencies offer vouchers to pay a certified person to sit with your loved one. Another choice is asking for help from a church member, trusted neighbor or a Medicare or Medicaid-funded adult day service.

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Starting in 2025, Illinois job hunters will see actual pay and benefits in all job listings

by Terri Dee
Illinois News Connection

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New law in 2025 says Illinois businesses with four or more employees must give equal pay for the same or substantially similar work in the same county regardless of gender or race.

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CHICAGO - Some companies will have new rules to follow amid changes to the Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003.

House Bill 3129 ensures employers with four or more employees give equal pay for the same or substantially similar work in the same county regardless of gender or race. Governor JB Pritzker's recent signing of an amendment to the law mandates an employer with 15 or more workers to include pay benefits and open information in a job posting.

Amy Sneirson, equal pay manager for the Illinois Department of Labor, sees the amendment as another tool as job hopefuls seek and consider employment options.

New Illinois law that takes effect in 2025 will ensure that workers are equally paid regardless of age or gender identity. The statute will also regulate advertisements and announcements for job openings.

Photo: Khachik Simonian/Unsplash

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"This is pay transparency, which is what this idea is called, being adopted in states and municipalities around the country," Sneirson explained. "The efforts to boost pay transparency are because pay inequity, despite the existence of very great laws federally and in the States, have not managed to extinguish pay inequities."

The amendment also requires if the applicable employer uses a third party to announce, post or publish a job posting, the employer must also inform the third party of the pay rate, who must include the pay scale in the job posting.

Employers are responding to the latest mandate for job postings. Sneirson pointed out the Illinois Department of Labor has hosted two webinars since October and has another one scheduled in a few weeks for employers to ask questions. The attendance, she added, has been good.

"We've had hundreds of employers attend, and they have been just wanting to gather information I think so they can be sure that they're complying with the law," Sneirson observed. "For a lot of national employers, this is not a new idea. They're already responding to pay transparency in other jurisdictions, and they just want to make sure that they're doing it right."

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, most employees in the Springfield area are in the mining, logging/construction, manufacturing, trade, transportation and utility industries.

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Flashback Friday | SJO defends home court in win over St. Thomas More

ST. JOSEPH - St. Joseph-Ogden's Bryce Haake dives across the floor after a loose ball with a St. Thomas More player on January 16, 2018. The Spartans won the exciting conference game before a nearly packed gym with a 95-92 advantage. SJO (26-3) went on to place third in the Illini Prairie Conference behind Monticello and Bloomington Central Catholic in the 2017-18 season. Follow this link to relive great moments from this epic conference game.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Low-level Laser Therapy: A safer alternative to weight-loss drugs

Meharry leads Rockets at shootout, hard-fought effort falls short

Unity's Claire Meharry drives to the paint in Unity's Country Financial Shootout game against Watseka. Meharry finished the game with 12 points. Combined with Lauren Haas' 12-point output, it was enough to stave off a late fourth-quarter surge of five unanswered scores by the Warriors, who went on to win the non-conference game 52-46 on Saturday. See more game photos here ...

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Nurturing this trait could bolster your child's confidence

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Creativity can even serve as a powerful catalyst for educational, emotional and cognitive growth. Parents and caregivers play a critical role in incorporating creative moments into their child's day. When a child creates something, it is empowering and a confidence booster.

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Family Features - Creative expression not only helps children convey their thoughts and feelings, but it also helps build the self-esteem and resilience needed to navigate life's complexities. Creativity can even serve as a powerful catalyst for educational, emotional and cognitive growth.

These findings are part of a Crayola-commissioned study conducted by YouGov of 702 6- to 12-year-olds that explored the connection between creativity and the development of essential life skills. The study revealed that when faced with challenges, children most often rely on their own creative ideas rather than depending on others or giving up. This instinct to turn inward for solutions demonstrates a natural tendency toward creative problem-solving.

Photo: Stephen Andrews/Unsplash

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More specifically, the study found 92% of participants believe being creative boosts their confidence, and 6 in 10 said participating in a creative activity gives them a sense of pride. What's more, 65% of children shared that engaging in a creative activity makes them feel happy and excited to participate.

"Creative activities help children recognize their unique talents and develop a deeper belief in their abilities - giving children an incredible sense of joy and accomplishment," said Cheri Sterman, senior director of education, Crayola. "By prioritizing creativity, we not only enhance children's immediate happiness and sense of pride but also equip them with the confidence and skills they need for future challenges."

The study supports the premise of Crayola's Campaign for Creativity, an advocacy initiative championing the importance of childhood creativity as a critical life skill that empowers kids to reach their full potential and encouraging adults to nurture that creativity.

Parents and caregivers play a critical role in incorporating creative moments into their child's day, whether it's in a traditional form of artwork or reflected in a wide range of other activities, including storytelling, drama, dance, music and even sports.

Notably, more than half of survey participants (53%) shared they wished they could spend more time expressing themselves creatively with a parent or caretaker.

"Engaging in creative activities together is a powerful way for parents and children to strengthen their bond while helping children grow into confident, capable individuals," Sterman said.

As a parent, you can tap into programs such as Crayola Creativity Week to gather ideas and inspiration for nurturing creativity that promotes development of essential life skills, including:

• Self-Expression: Engaging in creative activities allows children to express their thoughts, feelings and identities. This expression helps them better understand themselves and fosters a sense of ownership over their ideas and creations.
• Confidence: Sparking creative moments with kids allows them to build their confidence through self-expression, idea exploration and problem solving. This, in turn, empowers them to tackle challenges, think independently and develop resilience.
• Problem Solving: In the study, children reported often turning to their own creative ideas to face challenges. Fostering creative problem-solving empowers children to navigate obstacles independently.
• Self-Esteem: When children feel free to create without fear of judgment, they develop a sense of accomplishment and pride in their work, which can strengthen their self-esteem. Creative activities also help them recognize their unique talents and develop a deeper belief in their abilities.
• Creative Capacity: The act of creating something can empower children. When they conceptualize and execute their ideas, they realize they have the skills to turn their thoughts into reality.
• Resilience: The creative process involves experimentation and failure. Children learn that setbacks are part of learning, which enhances their resilience. This experience fosters a belief in their ability to bounce back and tackle future challenges independently.

You can discover inspiration for nurturing your children's creativity, including free creativity resources at Crayola.com/CreativeMoments.

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Warriors down the Rockets at Country Financial Shootout

Watseka's Megan Martin goes up for a shot over Unity Emily Decker during fourth-quarter action at the Country Financial Shootout last Saturday. Martin led all scorers with 13 points in the Warriors 52-46 victory. See more pictures from the game here: Watseka vs Unity.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

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Viewpoint |Nearly half of older Americans can’t even afford basic needs

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"The next administration wants to slash the social safety net. That would be devastating for seniors like me."

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by Sherlea Dony

      OtherWords

I worked hard my whole career and retired feeling secure. Then I lost every last dime in a scam. I was left with $1,300 a month in Social Security benefits to live on in an area where monthly expenses run about $3,700.

I’m a smart woman, but scams against older Americans are increasing in number and sophistication. Whether through scams, strained savings, or costs of living going up, half of older Americans — that’s 27 million households — can’t afford their basic needs.

And suddenly I became one of them. The experience has taught me a lot about the value of a strong social safety net — and why we’ll need to protect it from the coming administration.

I was ashamed and frightened after what happened, but I scraped myself up off the floor and tried to make the best of it.

I’d worked with aging people earlier in my career, so I was familiar with at least some of the groups who could help. I reached out to a local nonprofit and they came through with flying colors, connecting me to life-saving federal assistance programs.

I was assigned a caseworker, who guided me through applying for public programs like the Medical Savings Plan (MSP), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), subsidized housing, Medicare Part D, and Medicaid.

It’s hard to describe my relief at getting this help.

Before receiving the MSP, I’d been paying for medications and health insurance — which cost about $200 — out of my monthly Social Security check. With MSP, that cost is covered. I also found an apartment I liked through subsidized housing, and I have more money for groceries through SNAP. Now it’s easier to afford other necessities, like hearing aid batteries and my asthma inhaler.

But I’m worried about the incoming administration’s plans to cut programs like these, which have helped me so much. They’re proposing slashing funding and imposing overly burdensome work and reporting requirements. Studies show that requirements like these can cause millions of otherwise eligible people to lose critical assistance.

President-elect Trump has also indicated that he favors increased privatization of Medicare, which would result in higher costs and less care. And his tax promises are projected to move up the insolvency date of Social Security.

All told, the federal budget cuts the incoming Republican majority in Congress has put forward would slash health care, food, and housing by trillions over the next 10 years, resulting in at least a 50 percent reduction in these services. And they plan to divert those investments in us into more tax cuts for the nation’s very wealthiest.

I want lawmakers of each party to know how important these social investments are for seniors and families. Older Americans — who’ve worked hard all our lives — shouldn’t be pushed out onto the streets, forced to go without sufficient food or health care due to unfortunate circumstances.

We have the tax dollars — the question is whether we have the political will to invest in seniors, workers, and families, or only for tax cuts for the very rich. If we do the latter, that’s the real scam.

About the author:
Sherlea Dony is a retired American Sign Language interpreter, consultant on access services for students who are deaf and hard of hearing, and copy editor currently living in Rochester, New York. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.

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