Hello all, welcome to WFHR's Rapids Report for this May 23rd, 2025.
Have your host James J. mail-off here, and we are welcoming into the studio our good
friend Resource Specialist with the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Central
Wisconsin.
Kim end up.
Hey Kim.
Hello.
It's been a while.
It has been.
Well, as we were joking in our pregame, Kim usually joins us at least once a year, so
with this is our time with Kim that we get to hang out and stuff, and always appreciate
you joining us, Kim.
In a big thank you to you and the team at the ADRCCW.
We greatly appreciate all the work that you guys are doing in our community, and I hope
you guys have the hope things are going well over there.
They are going very well.
We're all a stand busy, so that's good.
Very good.
Very good.
Let's dive right in.
We've got some events to talk about.
Yeah, so I just wanted to mention starting now that we're in the middle of Memorial Day,
coming real quick, and some are events.
We have a senior's farmers market voucher program that we help and coordinate with our local
seniors.
You need to be 60 years and older, or 55, and then Native American.
What the vouchers are that is really neat is you can take them to any farmers market within
the state of Wisconsin, and any vendor that accepts the vouchers can get local fruits
and vegetables.
It has to be the raw product, so the local fruits and vegetables.
It goes from now until October, so you can get the good beans and peas and all that
that starts right away, or you can save it for the fall, the apples, and pumpkins, all
of that squashes.
It's really a great program.
It's $25 that you can receive, and again, it helps towards that food bill and differing
the cost of that to get some good nutrition.
Everybody can relate to that, and how everybody can help with it.
And the time that you guys have been doing this, Kim, I've talked to a number of our listeners
and even guests about this, and they rave about this.
They are so thankful for it.
Is that the response you've been seeing to?
Absolutely, and it gets really busy, like we were talking at the beginning in our office
right now, to process those requests as they come in, which we're grateful for, so that
we can get them out to our consumers, so that they can then get the good fruits and vegetables.
This is a bit similar to when I talk about meals on wheels, but there is so much more
than just nutrition and helping with those food costs involved with this, because it gives
something to do.
It gives an activity.
It gives something to look forward to, and some of that.
And I hear about that just as much as I do, how much they appreciate having the help
with the food bill and some of that.
Absolutely, because there's so much more that's going on in the farmer's market than just
getting that apple banana, whatever it's not banana so much around here, but fruits and
vegetables.
Yeah, the socializing fellowship, some of that, maybe making new friendships and some
of those things.
Yes.
There's so many positives to that program.
It's been a real blessing ever since we've had it.
It's a really cool one.
If people want to find out more, we'll wrap up with getting Kim's information and letting
you know where you can find that everyone.
Volunteering at the ADRC, CW, we have been talking about this for almost a decade, volunteering
and how important it is.
Every year, it becomes more and more important and more and more vital.
Everybody has seen where there are cuts.
They're just about every single government run program out there.
Our nonprofits are getting hit really hard by these things.
So I feel pretty confident in saying now more than ever, we could really use all hands
on deck when it comes to just volunteering in our community.
And the ADRC has a lot of unique opportunities to do that that really work with your schedule.
Absolutely.
The one I think that I've talked about the most when I've come on this cast is volunteering
for the meal sites and there's so much variety within that from packaging the meals, delivering
the meals, to helping with the paperwork and the background.
So that's just one spot.
We also do community education throughout our area as well on different things like fall
prevention, balance, that sort of thing that's important that we couldn't do without our
volunteers helping run the classes coordinated and even simple things like having office
help and putting all the paperwork together for us that can make it easier for us to go
out or so that our staff can then do the things that our staff required.
So to speak versus something as simple that volunteers possibly could do.
I talk about this with the Family Center a lot when I first started being really more
involved with the work over there and doing things over there where I was doing things
that were, you know, stuff that I would do around my parents house in many ways.
And I didn't think I was really helping much, I didn't think what I was doing was really
that much, but it is one less thing that the staff has to worry about so they can focus
on the task at hand and what is really important and vital for our community.
Absolutely.
And it's all important from that simple folder that I take out every day when I meet with
families to having that put together and being able to utilize it because we do all
the time to have somebody to do that.
It's a simple task people think, but it's that rewarding and for the person who likes
that organization and filing it works so great.
Yeah, and we know you're out there.
We know those of you out there.
So when it comes to that or many of the other opportunities to be able to volunteer with
the ADRC, once again, we will tell you how you can reach out to them before we wrap up
today.
But start making plans, everybody, because we could use you and we appreciate those
of you that have and will continue to volunteer with the ADRC, CW.
And the nice part about it to James is just it can be an hour, it can be a couple hours,
it can be a half a day, just depending upon how much time you have, it can be one day
a week, it can be every day of the week.
And there's so many benefits to volunteering.
Yeah, you guys really go above and beyond when it comes to working with the community and
like what works with their schedule and it's it couldn't not be easier for people to
be able to be a part of this.
And there is no words or a phrase I can use to really give you an idea of what it's like
when you do volunteer, the feeling you get, it's indescribable, I cannot encourage
enough to do so.
Kim, it looks like the Marshfield office has moved, I want to touch on that.
We have.
That was a big undertaking this spring that we took on and we are moving or have moved
I should say to the community center in Marshfield, the address is to 11 East Second
Street in Marshfield.
And so our hours have reduced a little bit in Marshfield as a result of that.
So just again, I encourage you and we'll give my information at the end to call prior
to just walking in our office in Marshfield in particular because sometimes our staff
isn't as available to see people, yet we want to see the people.
So it's a matter of just setting up a time or doing a little bit more pre-planning
then before, but it's a great space we're located with other senior departments over there
so it's going to be great.
And everything we are talking about volunteering and some of those things, the more volunteers
we get, the more that we, you know, maybe be able to open up those hours or be able to
offer more to the community and stuff, that they're doing everything they can on their
end.
I think on us as a community to help out where we can as volunteering and stuff and thank
you for updating our friends in Marshfield about that, Kim, appreciate it.
You know, we're speaking with Kim and from the Aging and Disability Resource Center of
Central Wisconsin.
We touched on some events and everything, Kim, you brought up some great notes and you
have this caregiver journey.
I appreciate bringing this to the fold.
Let's dive into this before we wrap up.
Sure.
Sounds good.
Here's giving journey that's just a phrase that I use when you become a caregiver because
no matter what age you are, you're either receiving caregiving, you're either a caregiver
for somebody else or we'll need caregiving in the future.
And so I think it's just an important thing to get awareness out on how do we handle that
caregiving journey and the education that we can help set people up for success because
when you have to go into that role or switch roles and become a caregiver, it is a lot.
And so many people that get into this and are doing caregiving well, we have so many
great professionals that have gone to school for it and we appreciate them so very much
the people that have done those.
A lot of us are, and I say us as somebody doing this, that are kind of, it's almost overnight
and just kind of almost seamlessly that this happens.
It isn't almost as if, for just as an example, my parents and I sat down and I'm like,
well, Jimmy, you're going to be a caregiver now or something like that.
Just kind of happened over and as time went on and everything.
When that happens, you don't necessarily get a playbook for something like this.
So to new caregivers out there, there's some notes or some things you wanted to mention
with that, Kim?
Yeah, absolutely.
So I think it's important to just educate yourself.
Is it a new disease?
Is it a new thing that is going on with that person that's requiring the caregiver that
is new for you so that you can learn about it?
You may not be going to doctor's appointments yet with that loved one to learn about the disease
or learn about the condition.
So it's important to educate yourself on what that is going to look like because that
will affect your role as a caregiver.
It's also internally looking at what you can do on your own.
You know, a lot of our caregivers are in that generation gap where they're still raising
kids or still doing stuff with their kids as well as their parents.
And so it's identifying how much time can I invest in this.
It's obviously important to me, but what does it take for that commitment so that you can
be a reliable caregiver for your loved one and be able to do what they need?
And you know, one of the things that can help, especially with the chaos of everyday life
and everything is a little bit of organization, some of that.
Yeah, absolutely.
Just organizing both, again, a schedule, if it needs to be that formalized at this point,
so that the care receiver can identify when they're coming and know when you're going
to be able to do this because a lot of people get nervous if they're not sure or if you
say, well, come next week and we'll take care of that.
Well, what does that mean?
And are you really going to come?
And so it's building that relationship and that trust because it is a different role.
You're not just the son, the daughter, the neighbor anymore.
They're relying on you and depending on you to provide that care.
So it's organizing it, getting a schedule, and then also looking at the more important
things related to finances and medical, again, if it's a family member being that caregiver
to get involved in a lot of that, because again, as a society, don't have a lot of those
conversations ahead of time.
We internalize a lot of it.
We take it on ourselves.
We may have one spouse, one child that we talk to about it, but we don't share it among
everybody.
And not that you want to go tell everybody your whole story, but at least have those
key players that can understand it, know it, so that when you do need the help, it's not
a stressful thing that you're starting from scratch.
Yeah.
Well said.
And Kim, I think one of the harder things for any caregiver, whatever the situation
to talk about is, to me, is the future in getting into that, but that is something that
is really key to get into, especially while we have our people with us.
Yeah, simple things like, again, I say simple things, they're not simple.
It's conversations, those conversations are hard, but setting up and pre-planning talking
about a funeral, depending upon what that life expectancy looks like, so that those wishes
can be honored.
What is important to me?
Is it something where I was joked at used to work at a nursing home?
He would say, I want the corner room, and I want champagne and strawberries every day.
That was what we wanted, you know, we knew we were going to a nursing home, that's what
we wanted.
You know, obviously we were joking about that, but there is some truth to really understanding
what's important to my loved one, to my family member, and do I know that so that it can
be a good relationship and a good journey.
I know for my family, one of the things that has helped us through hard times is comedy
and finding the humor and the heaviness and stuff, and just the little moments to laugh.
I appreciate you doing that and bringing that up and using that as a great icebreaker,
segue, whatever you want to say, that I don't think my family or maybe yours are alone
in that.
I think that that's a great one, it's human beings.
This is just a great note of oftentimes these heavier topics to bring up sometimes.
It can really ease it in, it can really help you get going on that topic, and I will
say I think a lot of people, before a lot of people, once you get over that initial kind
of uncomfortableness, things start to roll, things start to kind of go, because more times
and not whether it's you or the person you are caring for, they've had these thoughts.
It's not brand new to like, oh, I never thought of that, it's just they maybe haven't talked
about it out loud or even talked about it with you.
Right.
So it's again, looking at what is going to be important in starting to create that
village or that community network of support, whether it be informal or formal caregivers
and what's most important to me.
Time and time again, I hear I don't want to go into an assisted living, I don't want
to go into a nursing home, and those are big things to put on a caregiver shoulder,
because it's very hard to establish that network to be able to avoid that sometimes, sometimes
you can do it, sometimes you can't.
So it's important to establish what that village or what that community of support is going
to look like, so that you can at least attempt to do the best that you can with honoring those
wishes.
And a saying that I've been using a lot, it really started, I've used it with a lot
of different segments, but it really started talking when we were talking together with
the ADRC about caregiving.
For me, it's such a first instinct to do for the other and to help the other no matter
what the scenario.
But it took me being a caregiver to really learn and talking with you guys at the ADRC
to talk about this, talking about it out loud and realizing, this is when you're on an
airplane.
And they tell you you got to put your mask on first, because you may want to put it on
the person next to you really more than anything, all your human instincts say that, but you're
going to pass out before you even get it on.
So you got to take care of your own backyard, you got to take care of yourself.
And that is kind of where we're wrapping up as far as caregivers go, Kim.
Yeah.
And it's just establishing and looking at, okay, as you get those initial needs set up,
how do you take care of yourself in order to take care of that loved one?
Because if you're sick yourself, if you're not in a good mental place, you're not going
to be providing that best care that you can to your loved one.
And so it's again, asking for help.
It is okay to ask for help.
I don't know how many times I hear spouses, elderly spouses say, I can't ask my kids for help.
And the kids then turn around and say, but why not, I'm here.
And so again, it's just having those conversations and knowing it's okay to ask for help.
And on the flip side, it is also okay to say, no, if you can't, because then you can
look at what are the other resources in the community that can fill that need.
And it's expressing your feelings.
Having conversations, again, I can't do this right now because of whatever, but let's
figure out another way to make it happen.
Or again, if you need to talk to your own professional person, a counselor, a neighbor,
a friend that you trust about the situation to just have somebody that's a good listener
that can just be there and say, you're doing a great job, keep going, rock it so that you
can continue on.
You know, that is so important because it's hard and it's long.
It can be long journey.
And we all could use a cheering section here and there.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
Absolutely.
You know, the other thing is like we talked about earlier with volunteering, avoiding socialization
for yourself and isolating yourself, getting out and talking with others, again, this
is not something that's just James or I going through, everyone is going through it.
So there's always somebody else that's going to have a story or have a listening ear to
be able to talk with you about and get your mind off of what the issue is that's going
on for your caregiving situation.
And just like we were talking about, we're talking about some of those harder subjects
with the person you're caring for or anything, I think you'll find with most everyday people
when you bring these things up, you're going to see a lot of similar nods and a lot of
like you're similar, okay, I get what you're seeing and a lot of relatability there,
which can help with this with what we're talking about.
Yeah.
And the other thing is, yeah, to have that communication and support groups can be a wonderful spot
for that because there is no cookie cutter with any of this.
And so what might work for your mom or your neighbor is not going to work for the next
person because they're more stubborn or they're more this or more that.
And so it's so important to just again talk to others.
I thought you were talking about my dad specifically for a second, or any of our dads out there
here.
Yeah.
And taking breaks, taking care of yourself, these are also key to that.
Yeah, it is okay to take a weekend off and say, hey, let's find somebody else or can
a sibling from out of town come in to do a weekend and have it scheduled so you know
that it's coming so it doesn't feel so daunting.
I know we, you know, it's hard with schedules, but if you can say, okay, I have another two
weeks and then I'm going to get a break that I and that prize, so to speak, is so important
to be able to get that rest rejuvenation and then start all over.
Kim, I cannot thank you enough for the time and the conversation as always, great always
hanging out with you.
If people have follow up questions, would like to know more, how can they reach you?
Yeah.
If you can give us a call, we have staff available eight to four o'clock Monday through Friday.
And by calling just our 1-800 number, you will get a resource specialist or staff in our
offices and they will be able to answer just a day-to-day questions.
Or if you need to meet with somebody, we can set up an appointment.
But that phone number is 888-486-9545.
Give them a call anytime with any of your questions or if any availability have a volunteering,
you can also email them at adrc-dw.org and of course, their website adrc-dw.org.
Be sure to follow them on social media as well, everybody.
Any chance you get to be a part of things over at the adrc, let's help them doing the
great work that they're doing.
It's always good to see you, Kim.
You guys say hi to the staff over there for us and have a great weekend and we'll talk
again real soon.
Thank you, James.
And thank you for joining us, everyone.
Thanks for joining the conversation here at WFHR's Rapids Report.
