Welcome Summer! It’s been an extra wet Spring and I’ve been grateful I haven’t needed to do any watering yet this year. Everything is green and lush all by mother nature’s doing. The plants look happy and beautiful. When the sun comes out from behind the clouds, I appreciate the warmth and brightness of sunshine even more than I do in the heat of the summer. I must admit, I’m a little sad to see Spring end. I’ll have to work harder to keep the yard looking good and I’ll probably take the sunshine for granted.
Yardwork is a good outlet for me. I enjoy being outside, hearing the birds sing, and creating a garden. When I plant from seeds, it’s exciting and rewarding when they start to sprout. Those delicate new plants take extra care and thinning out is sometimes necessary. Even when I put in the ground a plant that has been nurtured in a commercial greenhouse, I need to continue with care so it can adjust and thrive in my garden.
Caregiving is similar. Doctors, nurses and therapists give our loved ones the necessary care to survive or sprout in a new situation. Once a survivor is home, it’s up to family and friends to nurture and help them adjust in unfamiliar ground or circumstances. Often the success of growth comes from the encouragement and support of others.
Being responsible for the care and well-being of another can be overwhelming, but it’s rewarding too. Caregivers need encouragement and help from others too. I’m grateful for many support groups in our valley, and we benefit from our association with them. We gained valuable information through collaborating with others in like situations.
Living with the effects of a traumatic brain injury and epilepsy is hard. The purpose of this newsletter is to share information about organizations which I’ve found helpful. If you are a caregiver for a survivor of another physical or mental illness, I encourage you to find assistance through organizations that catered to your circumstances.
In case it’s impossible for you to get out, or you don’t live in this area, I’ve also included links to useful and inspiring websites.
If you have an activity, announcements or other information you’d like shared in this newsletter, please add in the comments or email Barbara@UnitingCaregivers.com.
FREE SUPPORT GROUPS
FOR STROKE AND BRAIN INJURY SURVIVORS AND CAREGIVERS
June 6, 2019 – Utah Valley Aphasia Choir. All brain injury, stroke survivors, caregivers, family, and friends are invited to join. They meet on the 1st Thursday of the month from 6-6:45pm, prior to the support group at the BYU Speech and Language Clinic, Room #177. Address: 1190 North 900 East, Provo, UT 84060. Come and enjoy the power of music and friendship together. Everyone interested is welcome to join.
June 6, 2019 – Utah Valley Brain Injury Support Group 7-8:30 p.m. meets every 1st Thursday monthly at the BYU Speech and Language Clinic after the Aphasia Choir. Address: 1190 North 900 East, Provo, UT 84060. For questions call Lori Johnson at (801)422-9132.
June 11, 2019 – Brain Injury Alliance Support Group for Adults, 6-8 p.m. meets every 2nd Tuesday monthly at Sanderson Community Deaf Center, 5709 South 1500 West, SLC, UT 84123. This social group is for caregivers and survivors. Come join us for dinner and crafts this month. Bring a side dish or dessert to share if you’d like. For more information, please call Jennifer (801)386-2195, or Beth (801)585-5511.
June 20, 2019 – Caregivers and Survivors Education and Support Groups, 7 p.m. meets every 3rd Thursday monthly at Intermountain Medical Center, 5171 S. Cottonwood St., Murray, UT 84107, building 1.
Caregivers meet on the 9th floor, in the Neuroscience Conference Room. This year an extensive and informative Caregiver Program will be taught by various members of the medical community and other experts in their field.
Survivors meet on the 9th floor Gym. This month Jon Pertab, PhD specializing in Neuropsychology will be speaking. For more information, please call (801)314-2086 or email Emily Redd emily.redd@imail.org
June 25, 2019 – University of Utah Brain Injury Support Group 6-8 p.m. meets every 4th Tuesday monthly, usually at Sugarhouse Health Center. However, this month, we’ll meet at the TRAILS House to explore and try out different adaptive equipment and enjoy a BBQ. Please RSVP with Annie Wallace so she can get an accurate head count for food.
PLEASE remember the change in location for this month only. Trails Adaptive Sports, Imaging and Neurosciences Center in Research Park. Address: 729 Arapeen Drive, SLC, UT 84108. For more information please call Annie Wallace at (801)581-2221.
FREE WEEKLY GROUPS INTERMOUNTAIN HEALTH CARE NEURO THERAPY in Murray, UT
Aphasia Talking Practice Group – Meets every Tuesday, Noon-1 p.m. at 5770 South 250 East #G50
Meditation Group – Meets every Wednesday, 3 p.m. at 5770 South 250 East Cafeteria Conference Room
Cognitive Skills Group – Meets every Thursday Noon-1 p.m. at 5770 South 250 East #G50
Contact: Emily Redd at Emily.redd@imail.org
FREE EPILEPSY SUPPORT GROUPS FOR THOSE EFFECTED BY SEIZURES
Together we share coping strategies, provide encouragement, comfort and advice from people with common experiences. For more information contact Margo at (801)455-6089 or Utah@efa.org.
June 6, 2019 – Epilepsy Support Group for All, 7 to 8 pm. Meets every 1st Thursday at the Logan Regional Hospital500 E. 1400 N., Logan, UT 84341
June 12, 2019 – Epilepsy Group for All, 7:00 to 8:15 pm. Meets every 2nd Wednesday at the Provo City Library, 555 N. University Ave., Provo, UT. A NeuroPace representative will speak on the new RNS system and answer questions.
June 13, 2019 – Epilepsy Group for All, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Meets every 2nd Thursday at the Intermountain Medical Center, 5171 S. Cottonwood St., Murry, UT Bldg. 6, 1st floor – CR2 in the Doty Education Center. Dan Brown, NeuroPace representative will speak on the new RNS system and answer questions.
June 19, 2019 – Epilepsy Group for All, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Meets every 3rd Wednesday at the SLC Main Library 200 E. 400 S., SLC, UT (3rd floor conference room).
June 27, 2019 – Epilepsy Group for Teens, 7 – 8:30 p.m. Meets every 4th Thursday at the West Jordan Library, 8030 S. 1825 W., West Jordan, UT. Come and enjoy an activity and meet other teens with epilepsy. There are two teachers overseeing this group.
HELPFUL WEBSITES:
- http://www.caregiver.org (online webinars for caregivers)
- http://www.tbicommunity.org (online educational programs)
- http://www.braininjury.com (medical, legal, information resource)
- http://www.abta.org (brain tumor education and information)
- http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/tbi (brain injury facts, programs, education)
- http://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/all-disorders (education for brain injury, stroke and other neurological disorders)
- http://www.msktc.org/tbi (TBI Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center) national leaders in TBI research and patient care.
- http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Resources-Support (resource for those with MS)
- http://www.epilepsy.com/utah and/or
- http://www.epilepsy.com (seizure education and support by state or national)
- https://biau.org (resource for those with brain injury)
- http://www.brainline.org (preventing, treating and living with TBI)
- http://www.uilc.org (Utah Independent Living Center is a resource center which enhances independence of persons with disabilities)
ACTIVITIES TO DO WEBSITES:
- https://store.usgs.gov/access-pass (free pass to National Parks & Federal Land Agency areas)
- https://wildlife.utah.gov/watchable-wildlife-for-disabled.html (watchable wildlife for disabled persons)
- http://slco.org/adaptive/plus-one-pass (Salt Lake County Disability Plus One Pass)
- https://twilightinsight.wordpress.com/hobbies/hobbies-
- for-healing-the-brain/tbi-and-selecting-a-hobby (select a hobby – ideas especially for TBI survivors)
- http://www.discovernac.org (National Ability Center)
- http://wanderookie.com/blog/2015/07/27/12-beautiful-wheelchair-accessible-trails-in-utah
(wheelchair accessible trails in Utah) - https://www.visitutah.com/Media/Default/One%20Sheeters/Accessible_Utah_web.pdf (list of accessible resources)
- wasatchadaptivesports.org (Wasatch Adaptive Sports)
- http://www.discovernac.org (National Ability Center)
- https://www.meetup.com (meet up groups)
SHARING WEBSITES:
- http://www.brainline.org/abbymaslin (blog about loving and learning after TBI)
- http://www.facebook.com/UTteensupportgroup (social interaction and the exchange useful resources)
- http://www.unitingcaregivers.wordpress.com (caregivers sharing stories, tips and thoughts)
Thank you for reading. I hope you found the information helpful and will follow this website via email to receive notifications of every new post. The “Follow” button is located at the beginning of the newsletter. However, if you want to subscribe only to a monthly newsletter, please email Barbara@UnitingCaregivers.com. I will add you to the newsletter email list and send it to you.
ACTIVITIES TO DO WEBSITES:
Thank you for reading. I hope you found the information helpful and will follow this website via email to receive notifications of every new post. The “Follow” button is located at the beginning of the newsletter. However, if you want to subscribe only to a monthly newsletter, please email Barbara@UnitingCaregivers.com. I will add you to the newsletter email list and send it to you.
A New Year feels like a fresh start and it’s energizing! I’m a visual person so I like to schedule my activities and plan steps for attaining goals. I’ve been marking up my 2019 calendar because without a plan I wander aimlessly. Written down on paper makes it look clear and obtainable. The unknown obstacles and interruptions that life inevitably bring aren’t there to mess up the blue print. Judging by experience, I won’t get it all accomplished, but my motto is to never give up. This year marks a big one for us. Forty years of marriage, and the sixth decade marker of my existence. I haven’t come close to accomplishing what I’ve wanted to thus far in life, nor in these many years of marriage. We’re not where we thought we’d be financially, or physically. My antidote for discouragement is to focus on my life’s mission: To care for and love my family and friends. To put their needs above my wants. This takes flexibility with my daily plans. It means not being so focused on the goals I want to accomplish that I can’t see the needs of others or take time to help them. In 2019, I want to make sure this is a true statement and not an excuse for defeat. It’s tricky and not always easy to identify or decipher between a “want” and “need”.
FREE SUPPORT GROUPS
January 17, 2019 – Caregivers and Survivors Education and Support Groups, 7 p.m. meets every 3rd Thursday monthly. This year we move to a new location at Intermountain Medical Center, 5171 S. Cottonwood St., Murray, UT 84107, building 1.
FREE EPILEPSY SUPPORT GROUPS FOR THOSE EFFECTED BY SEIZURES
Epilepsy Support Group in Logan, UT.
For the first time since last winter, our valley put on it’s gorgeous white coat. Although I don’t enjoy driving in, or shoveling snow, I do love the fresh fallen appearance of it. Each season brings its own kind of beauty and fun activities. We used to take great pleasure in playing in the cold, fluffy, white stuff with snowmobiles or sleds. Building forts and snowmen were challenging in an amusing and entertaining way. With physical limitations, we adore the snow from the warmth of indoors as we watch from our windows as it quietly, gracefully falls. Now, sitting by the fireplace, sipping hot cocoa, reading or watching a movie has become our favorite winter activity. 
FREE EPILEPSY SUPPORT GROUPS FOR THOSE EFFECTED BY SEIZURES
Epilepsy Support Group in Logan, UT. 
ACTIVITIES TO DO WEBSITES:
Uniting Caregivers 