City opens warming center
The city of Pine Bluff opened a warming center Monday. It will operate from 6-8 p.m. until Wednesday morning. In partnership with DePaul USA, the city’s warming center will be stationed at the Opportunity House (old First Ward School), at 1305 E. Sixth Ave.
This initiative underscores the city’s dedication to protecting vulnerable populations during extreme weather conditions, according to a news release.
Services will include a heated, secure indoor space, sleeping accommodations available on a first-come, first-serve basis and essential amenities.
The city encourages residents to share this information with those in need of the warming center’s services.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
To strengthen this initiative, the city of Pine Bluff is seeking support from community organizations and volunteers. To make contributions contact Mar’Tavius Proctor at (870) 209-5827 or mproctor@cityofpinebluff-ar.gov.
The city will continue to monitor the weather conditions and provide updates on any adjustments to this plan.
Christmas Potluck set
The 17th annual Pine Bluff Community Christmas Potluck (feeding the homeless and less fortunate) will be held Dec. 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Opportunity House, 1305 E. Sixth Ave. Donors are asked to prepare their best dish and share their Christmas, according to a flyer.
Town Hall luncheon set
A Pine Bluff Town Hall Luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 14 at the Pine Bluff Library, 600 S. Main St. The event is sponsored by United WE, according to a news release.
“Join us for an impactful gathering of local leaders and residents in Pine Bluff, Ark., to discuss strengthening women’s workforce participation,” according to a flyer.
“United WE is a national, nonprofit, nonpartisan think-and-do tank driving systemic change by focusing on women’s labor force participation to strengthen the overall economy,” according to its website. For details and to register for the event, visit https://www.united-we.org/.
Dementia-friendly holiday tips
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is offering five holiday “dos and don’ts” to help more than seven million American families caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia-related illnesses celebrate the holidays in a dementia-friendly way, according to a news release.
“People living with dementia deserve to continue experiencing the joy and warmth of the holiday season; they just may not be able to do so exactly how they did prior to the onset of their illness,” said Jennifer Reeder, LCSW, AFA’s senior director of educational and social services. “Caregivers can help create a meaningful, happy holiday season by being proactive, adaptable, and honoring the person’s wishes and abilities.”
Consider these five holiday “dos and don’ts” if you are caring for a loved one with dementia:
Don’t: Overdecorate. Holiday decorations are enjoyable, but too many lights, ornaments, or changes in the home can confuse or overwhelm someone with dementia and cause wandering. Focus on a few meaningful, familiar decorations and gradually phase them in to create a festive and stress-free environment.
Do: Remove hazards and dangerous decorations. Remove decorations that could pose a risk, such as sharp ornaments, candles, loose cords, or small objects that could be tripped over or swallowed. Avoid ones that look like food or candy, as they can be mistaken for edible treats and create choking or dental hazards. Dementia can cause changes in vision, depth perception, and gait, so keep walkways clear and ensure that all decorations are secure and out of reach, creating a safe and comfortable holiday environment.
Do: Adapt past favorite traditions or create new ones. Build on old traditions when appropriate, such as enjoying favorite music or movies, or looking at pictures of past holiday celebrations. If your loved one always baked a variety of holiday cookies, just make one favorite recipe together. Give your loved one an easy task, such as stirring, sprinkling sugar, or placing cookies on a tray. Start new traditions that center on activities and events the person enjoys and can do, such as touring neighborhood holiday lights, and do them together. Take a strengths-based and person-centered approach and incorporate what the person can do and what they choose to do now, rather than thinking about what they used to do. Focus on joyful things and forego activities are overly stressful.
Do: Prepare a quiet, calm space before a holiday gathering. Create a space where your loved one can sit comfortably during a holiday gathering if the celebration becomes overwhelming. This way guests can visit the space in small groups or one-on-one. Provide familiar comfort items in the space (i.e., favorite blanket, sweater, stuffed animal) so your loved one feels safe and at ease.
Don’t: Refuse help. Many aspects of the holiday season — shopping for gifts, making preparations, or hosting a holiday gathering — can be stressful by themselves, and caregiving adds another layer of responsibility. Relatives and friends might be eager to help but do not know how. Accept their offers of assistance.
The AFA Helpline is available seven days a week to help provide additional information about creating dementia-friendly holidays or any other caregiving questions. Connect with a licensed social worker by phone (866-232-8484), webchat (www.alzfdn.org) or text message (646-586-5283). The web chat and text message features can serve individuals in more than 90 languages.