Arc of Monroe Awarded $207,000 in Grants from NYSARC Trust Services

Programs and Services

The Arc of Monroe has been awarded $207,000 in grants from the Trustee Management Board of NYSARC Trust Services to support the Arc of Monroe’s guardianship and recreation programs. NYSARC Trust Services administers supplemental needs trusts (SNT) that can make dramatic improvements to the lives of people with disabilities while enabling people to maintain eligibility for public benefits programs, such as Medicaid and SSI. This year, The Arc of Monroe received $195,000 to provide guardianship services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who would not otherwise have a legal guardian or advocate.  Supported by Chapter staff and community volunteers, …

Guardianship Coordinator

From Direct Support to Guardianship

Staff Perspectives

Terri Lazeski has a long history of helping people. Some of her first experiences include taking care of a boy who had a feeding tube and working at a summer camp for children with disabilities while she was in high school. She graduated with a degree in education and learning disabilities and started her career at the Arc of Monroe at our Clover Hills house in a direct support role. This was her first full time job in the field.  She worked at this location for a year and then moved to Lambert (formerly Crittenden) as a Team Leader, working …

woman smiling

Dementia and the caregiver

Staff Perspectives

If you find the below article useful please consider making a donation so we can create more.   There are many articles these days about mindfulness and “being present in the moment,” telling us to enjoy the little things life has to offer.  What does this mean for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia?  What about the people who care for them?  Caregivers often feel that there is not enough time in the day to do what needs to be done, let alone taking time to stop and smell the roses.  For someone with dementia, however, smelling the roses may be …

Shelley VanLare

Arthritis symptoms and treatments

Health and Wellness

If you find the below article useful please consider making a donation so we can create more.   MAY IS ARTHRITIS AWARENESS MONTH Did you know that arthritis is the number one cause of disability in the United States?  More than 50 million Americans are impacted.  In that number about 300,000 babies, children and teens have some type of a rheumatoid arthritis disease.  There are indeed over 100 types of inflammatory arthritis.  Rheumatoid and osteoarthritis are to two most common.  Over 1.5 million people are affected with Rheumatoid arthritis compared to over 27 million suffering from osteoarthritis.  Below is some …

Dementia and the benefits of music enrichment

Staff Perspectives

If you find the below article useful please consider making a donation so we can create more.   A quick google search can bring you any number of articles, stories, or videos about how music can and does benefit people across all populations, not excluding those who are aging or who have disabilities like those we support here at the Arc. The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America says that, “When used appropriately, music can shift mood, manage stress-induced agitation, stimulate positive interactions, facilitate cognitive function and coordinate motor movements.”  Madeformovement.com states “It can be relaxing, spark certain feelings and increase quality of life. …

Autism and aging

Staff Perspectives

If you find the below article useful please consider making a donation so we can create more.   The number of people with autism who are entering elderhood is rising dramatically.  Much of the research to date on autism has been focused on children, not on older adults.  As the number of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are on the autism spectrum increase, we as professionals supporting them need to be aware of what is happening to them so we can assist them in leading their best life. REMEMBER:  as all of us age, we become more of …

Ken

Ken’s Choice

Programs and Services

Ken Marshall is a very friendly and personable 70 year old man living with a disability in Fairport, NY.  Prior to living in his current home, Ken lived with his wife of 20 years in various supportive apartments in Rochester and working a variety of jobs in the community through sheltered employment services.  Ken has always taken pride in his ability to be on his own with support.  He has had no contact with family for a long while, but over the years has developed relationships with close friends he considers family. Ken’s choice Several years after Ken’s wife passed, …