Interagency Council Meeting December 13th, 2012:

Agency Announcements:
House of Grace had an open house for the public on Thursday December 13 11am-7pm.
Attendees were able to visit and learn about the House of Grace and meet with the Director of Operations and well as members of their.

Home Instead Senior Care- Agency Spotlight

Maria Geizer,mgeizer@homeinstead.com (Community Relations) and Linda Powers (Client Care Coordinator)

 

Non-medical senior service (Saratoga, Warren and Washington) this can include home services including help with light housekeeping, companion care, and access to quality caregivers who are extensively trained (especially in dementia care).

 

Home Instead has free online training available to the community to help keep their community close to excellent resources. (caregiverstress.com/professionaleducation)

 

Caregiverstress.com is a great free resource available in to anyone seeking more information, support or training is free public education classes, support groups for family members, working with family members to agree on care for their loved one.  Questions? Reach out 24/7 on the phone or in their office 9am-5pm

 

There are benefits to hiring an agency (about $20 an hour depending on what the need and number of people being served is) you get criminal background checks, someone to fill the shift if the care giver is ill, and all the support services of the agency.

 

Mediation Matters: Educational Spotlight Arielle Bernard <arielle@mediationmatters.org

Mediation is not counseling but coming together to move the conversation when there is a problem that people need to reach an agreement on. It is a confidential neutral process where the mediator doesn't take sides but allows there to be an open discussion. This service is voluntary, both parties have to be willing to do a session. The session can be up to two hours and more than one session may be needed. The volunteers that do the mediation is there to just listen and make sure the conversation moves forward. We welcome everyone to the table if it is okay with everyone involved, landlord tenant, family court, parents and teens, elder care, school situations with parents, re-entry mediation post incarceration. An outcomes document is created by the end of the meeting that puts in writing the basics of what the agreement between parties will be.

 

Mediation Matters Covers Saratoga Warren Washington Albany Rensselaer Counties

Mediation training begins with a 30 hour training and follows up with an apprenticeship followed by co-mediation with a senior mediator. Once a month there are ongoing trainings and in-services for mediators. If you are interested in becoming a mediator feel free to contact Mediation Matters and is around $500 for the training.

Right now for mediation services it is free from a referral from the court services. There is a small fee that may be charged ($25) if no grant funding is available to cover that administrative cost.