Professional Spotlight: Behavior Intervention Specialist

Health and Wellness

What is mental health? It’s heard in the news here and there, but it’s often hard to find a definition of what “mental health” is. Are they talking about how many people need anti-depressants? Or do people talk about it more now because medical treatments are more widely available? What factors are at play, and is it more than chemicals bouncing around in the brain? Politicians and media will push around simple answers when it’s all entirely nuanced and solving the problem systemically would nearly be an upheaval of major parts of society. Mental health encompasses living conditions, health, security, …

Dementia and People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD)

Health and Wellness

What is Dementia? Dementia is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia. Although it is well known that older people are at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, it is less well known that individuals with intellectual disabilities, especially Down syndrome, are also at high risk of the disease, and research shows that people with IDD have a prevalence of dementia. What are some signs of Dementia? Early signs may include changes in health, and in …

Identifying Aspiration Pneumonia

Health and Wellness

Have you ever experienced a meal where something “went down the wrong pipe”? If so, you’ve experienced what’s known as aspiration. This is a fairly common occurrence that can occasionally lead to aspiration pneumonia when someone can’t cough up whatever has entered his or her airways. Pneumonia is a breathing condition in which there is inflammation (swelling) or an infection of the lungs or large airways. Aspiration pneumonia occurs when food, saliva, liquids, or vomit is breathed into the lungs or airways leading to the lungs, instead of being swallowed into the esophagus and stomach. As you can imagine, aspirating …

Nutrition, Diet Technician

Nutrition: making small changes for a big impact

Health and Wellness, Programs and Services

Antonietta Alfano is a Diet Technician working with individuals who live in our residential homes. She coaches both Arc of Monroe staff and residents on healthy eating while working closely with each person she supports on nutritional needs. To assist staff at each house, Antonietta will check receipts as needed to ensure healthy eating and recommends foods to purchase as needed for the individual’s diets as well as the rest of the home. To help people she supports, she provides pictures of the foods that are recommended on their plates and work with them one-on-one to make healthier choices. Antonietta …

Staying healthy this holiday season

Uncategorized

Arc Alive, our wellness committee, offers ways to stay healthy and well during the holiday season. Find time for fitness FITON is free app that I downloaded on my phone and it has access to so many workouts, stretches and simple exercises- and did I mention it’s free?! The best part is you can chose the amount of time you have to exercise (the first one I did was only 10 minutes), the type of workout and your level of intensity.  You can pull the workout video on your phone and instantly have a great trainer encouraging you along. It’s …

Nature’s Pharmacy

Health and Wellness

Health Tips Nature’s Pharmacy Nature provides us with so many wonderful things, but how often do we think about the foods that Nature gives us and what they do for us?  There are actually so many clues that tell us how these foods (especially when eaten in raw form) help different parts of our body! Look at this carrot slice!  It literally looks just like the human eye!  We all know that carrots are great for our eye sight by increasing blood flow to the eye!!!         Your heart has four chambers – the left and right …

woman smiling

Taking Steps Can Lead to Great Strides When it Comes to Total Health and Well-Being

Health and Wellness

If you find the below article useful please consider making a donation so we can create more.   I am sure many of us have all heard or been told about how important physical activity is when it comes to our physical health, however, many people may not know just the important factors it can play when it comes to our overall well-being . In April of 2016, the Arc embarked on our first walking program. It was a campaign aimed to kick off the American Heart Association’s National Start Walking Day. The goal was to not just to make …

Alzheimer’s, IDD and Caregivers

Health and Wellness

If you find the below article useful please consider making a donation so we can create more.   November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.  Caregivers who understand the disease process of dementia or Alzheimer’s are better able to provide an environment that helps the person live as full a life as possible, while keeping the stress level at a minimum. Practical Tips Remember that everyday activities become more challenging and confusing to a person with dementia. Daily Living Maintain old routines and make bathing relaxing – not a rush! Simplify the task by assisting as much as necessary. Don’t expect participation – …

Cholesterol: The Good and The Bad

Health and Wellness

We hope this blog about cholesterol is helpful to you! Our Health Services team at The Arc of Monroe is a wealth of information. Our staff is made up of experienced professionals who primarily support people with disabilities. To learn more about who they are, visit our Health Services page. If you’re interested in working with us at The Arc of Monroe, visit our careers page. If you’d like to give and help make valuable resources like this possible, you can give online.   Your body makes all the cholesterol you need to stay healthy – yes, healthy!  We need …