CCC Wednesday Communique — August 10, 2022

Yesterday CCC staff and consultants were excited to be meeting together, most of us in person and one consultant by Zoom, at Julie’s house in Calais.  We accomplished so much: planning our training schedule, working on TCI’s full roll-out, playing with  dogs (strictly for self-care purposes), and of course, eating amazing food!  We take our work and our food very seriously, and it’s all much more fun when we do it together.

Happy Wednesday!

New this week:

International Overdose Awareness Day
August 31st is International Overdose Awareness Day, an opportunity to educate. The Downeast Recovery Support Centers will be hosting a community event to hand out Naloxone and Narcan with materials and training, coordinated by Healthy Acadia and Maine Access Points.  Check their Event Calendars and Facebook Page for details.


ECE Webinars for Elder-Serving Providers
The National Center for Equitable Care for Elders has a live webinar series and a live one-time webinar event coming up for health center providers and staff who care for older adults:
  • “Caring for an Aging Population” on August 24th and August 31st from 1-2 pm: This webinar series will focus on increasing the capacity of health centers to meet the health and social needs of older community-dwelling adults followed in primary care.  Learn more here.
  • “Care Mapping: A Valuable Tool for Working with Older Adults and Family Caregivers” on September 14th from 1-2 pm: This webinar will focus on practical approaches health care providers can take to support family caregivers of older adults, particularly identifying and organizing available medical and social contacts and services in their area. Care maps can help providers sustain successful collaborations with care partners as a means of identifying and addressing unmet care needs.  Learn more here.

Parenting Classes offered at FFCC

Families First in Ellsworth is now offering parenting classes on the third Tuesday of every month from 6-7 pm, taught by All Connected, Kathy Dunn,OTR/L, health and life coach (207) 991-4484. Classes will begin August 23d and each month will be a different topic. These classes are open to the public and you can come to as many or as few as you’d like. The best part? There is going to be FREE child care offered on these evenings where children will be together doing fun activities and learning. Come on out and join us!


Get Moving & Engaged
Join the Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging on Wednesday, August 24th, from 12:00-1:30pm to learn how programs around northern New England are creating opportunities for healthy living for both our brains and our bodies no matter our physical or cognitive abilities. From walking paths, horticultural therapy, recreational therapy and adaptive biking to sports programs – the goal of these programs is to get moving and have fun! During this webinar, we’ll be hearing from a few communities and programs across the region that are offering exciting and innovative experiences and learning opportunities for older adults to promote overall health and wellness. We hope you’ll join us!  Learn more here.


Homelessness Hub Needs & Offers
Jace Farris, the Homelessness Hub Coordinator for Washington & Hancock Counties, has these 2 announcements:
  • We are collecting tents and sleeping bags in decent/useable shape for the homeless populations in Washington/Hancock Counties. Please contact Jace Farris for drop off/pick up information.
  • I also hold a weekly provider resource meeting for Washington/Hancock Counties. If you are a provider and interested in attending this meeting, it is held on Tuesdays 11-12 with the exception of the second Tuesday of the month. Please contact Jace Farris for more information.

 A Helping Voice

The Elder Abuse Institute of Maine’s newest service, A Helping Voice, is a confidential support line which offers guidance to people who are concerned about the safety of an older person. When we promote this service, we are often asked “When should I call A Helping Voice?” Here is our response: “If at any point you are concerned that an older adult is being mistreated, please reach out by calling 207-805-5555. Our Advisors are trained to help support and guide callers as they navigate their concerns and connect callers to helpful resources in the community.”  All calls are confidential and callers can remain anonymous.  Learn more here.


What if This is My Destiny?

“What if This is My Destiny?” Children of Alzheimer’s patients sometimes fear future diagnosis: At school pickup, Janet Perez always looks for the neon orange backpack that makes her 6-year-old son, Jayden, so easy to spot. But on a recent spring afternoon in Perris, Calif., she couldn’t find him. Her first response was primal: Someone had kidnapped him. Then she tried to remember what he had been wearing and realized she wasn’t sure if she had dropped him off that morning. A familiar dread washed over her: Was it happening? Was ‌her forgetfulness an early sign that she had her mother’s illness, Alzheimer’s disease?  Read more here.  (From: New York Times | Published: August 2, 2022)


New Weekly Playgroup in Ellsworth
If you’re a parent in the Ellsworth area, Sunrise Opportunities’ Prevention Council is excited to announce a new weekly playgroup at Knowlton Park, beginning Thursday, August 18th, at 10am.  This playgroup is for kids 0-5.  “Come play on the playground and create connections for you and your little one!”  Download a flyer to share.


WIC Nutrition Counselor Needed

Maine Family Planning is seeking a part-time (15 hours a week) position at our WIC office in Calais. The Calais office is open on Tuesdays and Fridays. WIC Nutrition Counselors work closely with a diverse participant base in fast-paced clinic settings to establish client eligibility, determine nutritional risk factors, perform nutrition assessment, and provide behavior-change theory rooted in nutrition education as related to maternal, infant, and early childhood health. WIC Nutrition Counselors give and document health and social service referrals, tailor food and formula packages, enter data into the WIC software program, explain WIC benefits and their use and participate in community outreach and participant retention promotions and activities as directed.  Learn more here.


Project Coordinator Needed for Maine CDC

Maine CDC is hiring a project coordinator who will act as the district council coordinator for the Downeast and Aroostook Public Health Councils. The Project Coordinator provides support to the District Liaison on facilitating operations of the Maine’s District Coordinating Councils (DCCs) and continuing development of key elements of DCC organization and operations. This position will serve the Aroostook and Downeast (Washington and Hancock Counties) Public Health Districts and has the option of being housed in either Caribou or Machias with staff at the Maine DHHS office with the opportunity for remote work. The Project Coordinator position is a full-time, 40 hour per week position that is eligible for MCD’s benefit package. This position is being hired through MCD Global Health and the position description and application information can be found here.

Read full newsletter….