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May 2016
Dear Friends,
Peace be with you
In an effort to customize content for readers based internationally, nationally (USA), and locally (MA/Boston/Topsfield), I've decided to structure this newsletter differently by featuring content of universal interest at the top, and of very local interest towards the bottom. Please let me know how this change is working for you, when you have a minute. Thanks.
Map Through the Maze 2016
On May 18, I attended the MA/NH ALZ Assoc. Map Through the Maze Conference for dementia-care providers. I'll be writing within the next two weeks a take-away Robin-Hood Report for Family/informal/unpaid and professional/paid dementia care partners Please watch my marymacmissions.com blog for updates.
Moms and Memory Loss
 In the U.S., we celebrated Mother's Day on May 8. 2/3rds of people living with dementia are women, we learned recently at the ALZ Advocacy Day at the MA State House (May 11). Also, the majority of Alz/Dementia caregivers are women. Our Mother's Day Memory Café served 10 people (3 grand-moms, 2 moms, 2 grand-dads, 1 dad, 2 sons), and we had two volunteers, both women.
ALZ Advocacy Day (MA State)
 Edith and I attended the Alz Advocacy Day at the MA State House on May 11. We participated in the morning program organized by MA/NH Alzheimer's Association, to learn about the legislative priorities. Afterwards, we introduced ourselves, our Topsfield social programs, and our legislative advocacy and action items to our state legislators. Read more: ALZ Advocacy Day @ MA State House
Accessible Gardens ~ Respite, Recreation, Healing, Hope
Shown above: Lilac Festival is this weekend, 12pm - 4pm, Saturday and Sunday. Call Mary 978-887-4202 if interested in visiting. Click the photo to learn more.
 Shown above: Wheelchair-accessible Port-a-Potty installed, 5/4, for monthly Sunday Stroll & Memory Café guests, at our home, Rest.Stop.Ranch, in Topsfield, MA, USA.
 Shown above: Karl assembles sitting benches, 5/15, for monthly Sunday Stroll & Memory Café guests, at our home, Rest.Stop.Ranch, in Topsfield, MA, USA.
Chaplain Training Lifted Me
CPE Graduation, 1200 hours
On April 29, I completed 1200 hours of Clinical Pastoral Education, at Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, MA, USA. The training was a positive blessing in my life, personally and professionally. I now consider myself a community-based chaplain, serving primarily weary caregivers and people living with memory loss.
Upcoming Memory Café
NEXT SUNDAY STROLL & MEMORY CAFE:
Father's Day, June 19, 2016, 11am - 2pm
A reservation is required. No charge. Contributions welcome.
Learn about our Memory Café in Topsfield, MA >
Find a Memory Café around Greater Boston >
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS AGE 14+ (hospitality hosts, activity leaders, horticulture helpers...)
If interested, please e-mail or call me to discuss, and/or:
Learn more about volunteer opportunities >
Our Sunday Strolls and Memory Café serves independent wheelchair users, family care-givers and care-receivers living with:
- Neurodegenerative Disease (Alzheimer's/Dementia, Parkinson's, ALS, MS...)
- Developmental Disability (i.e. Traumatic Brain Injury, Down Syndrome)
- Terminal Illness
Saving Lives ~ Family Caregivers
2-HOUR GUIDED RESPITE RETREATS
Are you a weary family caregiver living North of Boston? If yes, you may enjoy a one-on-one mini-retreat at our home, Rest.Stop.Ranch. Taking 2 hours away from your to-dos might help restore your body-mind-spirit in ways unexpected and wonderful.
Learn more about Respite Retreats >
Moving forward with a listening heart,
vision, inquiry, and action,
~ Mary
email: mary@marymacmissions.com
mobile: 978-887-4202
local: 202 Haverhill Road, Topsfield, MA 01983
global: marymacmissions.com
I am available for speaking, training, and retreat engagements. Please e-mail me to discuss your future planning (caregiver support groups and conferences, professional meetings and continuing education, and day/weekend retreats).
Consider how you might support- This Week - a nearby family-with-dementia you know.
- Might you invite someone with dementia to your home for a cup of tea?
- Might you provide an hour of respite for a weary caregiver?
- Might you lend a hand with a maintenance job around their home?
Our Practice
Please click on one of the images below to learn more about how we rest, dance, and pray with the long-term-care topic:
  
You are receiving this email because you are a friend, a subscriber, a programs participant, a professional who serves families affected by Alzheimer's or other long-term illnesses, a spiritual leader who counsels families affected by long-term illness, a team member, supplier, partner, mentor, or advisor who is helping to grow the social enterprise Marymac Missions, and/or a social change leader. Please feel free to unsubscribe at any time or change your subscription preferences using the links at the bottom of this email. Please share with family and friends now journeying with long-term illness who may benefit.
our vision:
Care givers and receivers feel and know the presence of caring communitee companions throughout and beyond the long-term-care journey; they are empowered to love themselves and each other in balanced ways; they experience universal comfort, respite and recreation in local natural places of hospitality.
our values:
Creative, Accessible, Sustainable
our mission statement:
Champions for caregivers and adults living with extended illness, we: meet people where they are (locally, financially, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, spiritually); provide positive experiences, strategies, practices, coping methods and skills through the cycle of health, illness, loss, recovery and renewal; raise public awareness and facilitate communitee alliances between individuals, families, businesses and communitee organizations to reach, include and care for care givers and receivers who become marginalized because of the systemic effects of illness; lead and participate in research that aims to understand the effectiveness of care giver and receiver health programs; support research that aims to illuminate and eliminate the root causes of disease; and adapt to best serve current care giver and receiver needs.
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