Tag Archives: The BowTieGuy

February 1, 2017 · 10:00 am

The Essence of Music Therapy

Where words fail, music speaks. Hans Christian Andersen

I have to be honest, I’m a frustrated singer. Oh, I’ve tried to sing in a chorus and of course, just like you, I’ve sung a few tunes in the shower, loudly I might add! Music is the essential human experience and Marlon Sobol has a passion for music. As a music therapist, Marlon’s passion for music transcends, staff, residents and administrators alike.

As Manager of the Music Therapy Department at Schnurmacher Center for Rehab and Nursing in White Plains, NY, Sobol implements programming that include drumming, improvisation, dancing, bell chiming,song writing, singing, and listening with verbal processing to meet the clinical and cultural needs of the facility’s in house and local community.

According to Sobol, “residents spend an average of 5 to 8 hours in front of a TV which is not good for anyone. Music alleviates agitation and encourages moment. And music is the path in the wilderness of dementia.”

Now Marlon has created a program called “Keep On Moving TV for Seniors” so caregivers and facilities will have an “easy to access resource”, that will greatly enhance the quality of life for all of our later years. Listen in and learn how Marlon is creating “Healing Ties” and changing lives through his music. The rhythm is going to get you!

To learn more about “Keep On Moving TV for Seniors” and to support Marlon’s work visit: https://www.generosity.com/fundraising/keep-on-moving-tv-for-seniors–2

Marlon Sobol’s work as both musician and music therapist have been featured in “DRUM!” Magazine; in “Preserving Your Memory” Magazine; in the Journal News, and on Armand Dimele’s, “The Positive Mind,” and NPR’s “Soundcheck” with John Schaefer.

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Filed under Caregiving, The Purple Jacket

Tagged as Dementia, HealingTies, Marlon Sobol, Music therapy, The BowTieGuy, ThePupleJacket, WholeCareNetwork

June 19, 2016 · 11:47 pm

Dec. 3 in Chicago: 1st Annual National Caregiving Conference

The Whole Care Network and The Bow Tie Guy is excited to be part of the 1st Annual National Caregiving Conference Dec. 3 in Chicago:

Denise Brown from Caregiving.com has been my mentor and friend since my partner Richard was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2011. Denise has helped many family caregivers through her website, Caregiving.com and now, I am thrilled to take part in the 1st Annual National Caregiving Conference in Chicago. Below is Denise’s post about the conference. Follow this link http://www.caregiving.com/2016/06/dec-3-in-chicago-1st-annual-national-caregiving-conference/

Jun 15, 2016 by Denise

chicago-890354_640 Organize a caravan for your support group members. Create a car pool with your co-workers. Plan a get-away for you and your caregiving friends.

And, then come to Chicago in early December to connect, share, support and learn at our 1st Annual National Caregiving Conference.

Our conference will take place on Saturday, December 3, at the Chicago Marriott O’Hare, conveniently located minutes from O’Hare and a subway ride from downtown Chicago. Feel free to spend the weekend at the hotel; we’ve got a special conference room rate of $119. Our conference begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning and wraps up at 5 p.m. You can spend Sunday shopping or sight-seeing.

The goal of our conference is to connect you with support and solutions; empower you with insights and information; and entertain you with engaging and enlightening presentations. We also want to spark important conversations about what we need as family caregivers and former family caregivers in our communities, our workplaces and our health care system.

You’ll want to attend our conference if:

You care for a family member or friend;
You cared for a family member or friend;
You work with (or want to work with) family members, either in your own business or in an organization or agency;
You offer products and services for family caregivers.

Our conference will include an exhibit floor and educational sessions featuring three separate tracts:

Family Caregivers: Connect with others who care for a family member; attend sessions which speak to your experiences and gather resources which help you manage the experience.
Former Family Caregivers: Connect with others adjusting to their life after caregiving ends and attend sessions which help you enter the next phase of your life.
Professionals Working With Family Caregivers: Connect with others who work with family caregivers, either through their own business or in an agency or organization. Gain insights into the caregiving experience which will help you work well with family caregivers. In addition, learn marketing techniques to help you reach family caregivers.

The tentative cost for family caregivers and former family caregivers to attend is $10. The cost for those who work with family caregivers is $50; we’ll also offer CEUs. Your cost includes breakfast and lunch as well as access to our sessions and exhibitor floor on Saturday. You’ll pay for your travel expenses, including your hotel.

I’m working to create respite options so your caree receives care while you take a break. I’ll keep you posted.

Look for a call for presentations on July 5. Presentation proposals will be due August 2 and we’ll notify you if we’ve chosen your presentation on August 23.

We’d love to get a feel for how many will attend our conference. Please let us know via the form, below, your interest. We’ll also send you regular updates, including information about sponsors, presentations, special activities and exhibitors.

Follow this link to the form to submit your information.

http://www.caregiving.com/2016/06/dec-3-in-chicago-1st-annual-national-caregiving-conference/

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Tagged as Caregiving.com, Denise Brown, The BowTieGuy

June 5, 2016 · 12:48 pm

We Might Have Cancer, But Cancer Never Had Us

I learned through social media that Sunday June 5th is National Cancer Survivors Day which reminded me of the motto Richard and I lived by after he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2011 -“We Might Have Cancer, But Cancer Never Had Us.” Even in some of our most difficult days, we always stuck by our motto because it freed us from the burden of cancer. Sure, we were aware of the reality of the diagnosis, but the fact of the matter is, Richard outlived his original prognosis by more than two years. I’m confident that our motto kept us strong throughout the ordeal of dealing with his cancer diagnosis.

I started The Purple Jacket blog not to long after Richard was diagnosed with cancer. I remember the day the diagnoses came in quite well, “Mr. Schiffer has a massive growth where the esophagus and stomach attach” said the gastroenterologist. After beating prostrate cancer, two cardiac by-pass surgeries, Richard looked at me and said, “I guess this will be something that will eventually take me.” Richard was a realist, that was one of the many qualities I admired about him.

As I think about National Cancer Survivors day, I am reminded about the importance of caregivers sharing our stories with each other. Writing the blog helped me and Richard cope with the diagnosis. Our story in the Sun-Sentinel, In Sickness and In Health: A Couples Final Journey had a major impact on the importance of sharing ones story. I encourage everyone, as they feel comfortable, to share as much of their caregiving story as they possibility can. Sharing ones caregiving story, albeit it cancer, Alzheimer’s, or whatever health calamity you and your caree face, is a good antidote for any insidious diagnosis, like cancer.

As we age and face different life challenges, we can look back on pictures to help tell the story of what we don’t see right before our eyes. (2003 thru 2014 – click on the picture to see the year it was taken)

2003

2006

2005

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Christmas 2012

September 2013

Christmas 2013

January 2014

Pictures do tell a thousand stories. What I did not see in January of 2014, was because I was looking at 2003. The reality of a cancer diagnosis has a profound affect on everyone. Sharing ones story has a profound affect too. It reminds us that we are not alone in our caregiving journey.

I encourage you to share your caregiving story as you feel comfortable because cancer can never take away our love. You see…”We Might Have Cancer, But Cancer Never Had Us”

Chris MacLellan is the author of “What’s The Deal With Caregiving?” and the host of Healing Ties radio program.

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Tagged as Caregiving, National Cancer Survivor Day, The BowTieGuy, TheBowTie Guy.com, ThePurpleJacket.com

December 6, 2015 · 9:32 am

Holiday Blog Party With Caregiving.com

A Friend Is What The Heart Needs All The Time ~ Henry Van Dyke

Greetings and welcome to “The Purple Jacket!” It is great to take part in the Holiday Progressive Blog Party with my extended family at Caregiving.com. To all my friends at Caregiving.com and especially those first time visitors to ‘The Purple Jacket”, welcome: It is so good of you to stop by!

To our new visitors, I started blogging on The Purple Jacket in 2011 after my partner, Bernard Richard Schiffer, was

Denise and Richard in Lake Worth, FL 2013

diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Given 3 to 4 months to live, Richard beat the odds and lived another 29 months before making his life transition in March of 2015. Along the way on our Caregiving journey, we met quite a number of wonderful people through Caregiving.com and I will always be grateful for the support of Denise and our extended family on Caregiving.com while on our Caregiving journey.

Now my writing on The Purple Jacket is focused on Life After Caregiving. As I found comfort in writing about our Caregiving experience, I am finding comfort in writing about what life is like for me after caregiving has ended. Below are some of my most popular blog post on life after Caregiving ends: When Caregiving Ends: Caregivers and Servant Leadership: Finding Purpose In Life: Relief, Sadness, Guilt and Joy: A New Bloom

I encourage everyone to look at the left hand column of “The Purple Jacket” where you will see links to our 2015 Pulitzer Prize nominated Caregiving story, as well as links to interviews that Denise conducted with me after Richard made is life transition, along with an interview Denise completed with both of us in 2013. I am sure you will enjoy listening to those terrific interviews.

What’s new and what is on the horizon? My new website “The Bow Tie Guy.com” will be live later this week. The new website will host all of my Healing Ties Radio programs as well as my new venture “The Whole Care Network.” When the site goes live this week, I will be sure to let you know. My first book, “What’s The Deal With Caregiving” was published in late October and I am happy to give away 5 copies of my book during the Progressive Blog Party! In January, I embark on a thesis project to complete my Masters degree in Leadership and Communication at Gonzaga University. I’m sure you will be hearing more about this project after the first of the year!

But most of all, I just want you to feel welcomed and comfortable as you visit ‘The Purple Jacket.” There have been so many things I learned

Chris & Richard 2011

along our Caregiving journey, and one of the most important lessons I learned is that Caregivers have the innate ability to understand each other, to be there for each other, even when our Caregiving journeys are different. That is why our extended family at Caregiving.com is so very special to me. Even though my Caregiving journey is over,I still feel part of this family. Feel free to reach out to me if you want to know more about my story.

maxim2_Christmas_balls-150x150 Wishing you a wonderful Progressiveness Holiday blog party and a wonderful Holiday season!

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Filed under Caregiving, The Purple Jacket

Tagged as Caregivers, Caregiving, Caregiving.com, Denise Brown, Progressive Holiday Blog Party, The BowTieGuy

August 11, 2015 · 10:26 am

Creating A Cohesive Care Team

Join us live from St. Louis, MO. At 7:00 pm (EST), 6:00 pm (CST) on August 12th for a special episode of Healing Ties Radio on Health Café Live.com as we visit with Judy Ryan from Life Work Systems.

Creating a cohesive care team is one of the essential components in order to be a health caregiver. Creating the life you love is possible for all of us, especially when we create a cohesive care team. On Wednesday’s show, we’ll discuss seven steps that will help you create the cohesive care team that we all need to help us transform our day.

To listen live on Wednesday August 12th at 7:00 pm (EST), 6:00 pm (CST) simply click here!

Cannot listen live? NO WORRIES! We have plenty of options for you to access all of our episodes of Healing Ties

ON DEMAND on our iHeart Radio Channel by clicking here!

Available on UK Health Radio by clicking here!

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Tagged as advocacy, Caregiving, Healing Ties Radio, Judy Ryan, Life Work Systems, The BowTieGuy

July 28, 2015 · 10:02 am

Elements of Healing Touch Massage

Caregivers, looking for a way to relax, take some time for yourself, to loose some of that pent up stress? Have you ever considered a massage from a licensed massage therapist to help rejuvenate the body, mind and spirit? Well, then join us on Wednesday, July 29th on Health Café Live.com at 7:00 pm (EST) for a conversation with Licensed Massage Therapist Wayne White. Massage therapy dates back thousands of years and is derived from the Greek word,”massein” meaning ‘to knead.’ Through the manipulation of soft tissues of the body by squeezing, rubbing, tapping, vibrating or compressing for therapeutic intent, massage therapy heals and helps rejuvenate our body, mind and spirit. Don’t just take it from me! Listen in and learn how Wayne is creating Healing Ties all around us through the art of massage therapy.

Cannot listen live? No Worries! Healing Ties Radio is available ON DEMAND at:

Our iHeart Radio Channel by clicking here!

Our Healing Ties Website by clicking here.

And in the United Kingdom on UK Health Radio by clicking here!

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Tagged as Caregivers, Healing Ties Radio, Massage Therapy, Stress, The BowTieGuy

July 7, 2015 · 7:47 pm

Turning Caregiving from Burden to Opportunity

I am excited to have Anthony Cirillo as my featured guest for Wednesday’s episode of Healing Ties Radio at 7:00 pm (EDT)

Anthony Cirillo

on Health Cafe Live.com. Anthony is a national known expert on Aging and Caregiving and is the President and CEO of The Aging Experience. Famous for his popular blog ‘Who Moved My Dentures” Anthony presents regularly on topics important to seniors, caregivers and their families.

This weeks Healing Ties Motivational Minute, brought to you by Judy Ryan of Life Work Systems will feature ‘Healthy Venting’…We all need to know about Healthy Venting!

And one of our favorite features, the Healing Ties Jukebox features a favorite song from our special guest. You will just have to listen in to learn what song Anthony selected for this weeks Healing Ties Jukebox.

Healing Ties Radio is live at 7:00 pm (EST) on Health Cafe Live.com by simply clicking here!

Can’t listen live? NO WORRIES! Healing Ties Radio is available on demand on our iHeart Radio channel, by clicking here!

Healing Ties is now available in the United Kingdom on UK Health Radio by clicking here!