of the needs of the area, which are changing because of the increase

in population and businesses.

it.

evolves and adjustments need to be made," says Maldonado, "but

the adjustments don’t need to be as major as when you plan ahead."

changes that have taken place in the economy or technology," says

Maldonado. "Businesses often have to reinvent themselves in order

to survive."

Top Of Page
For Telephone’s Last Mile, More Choices: Kristin Baumgartner

What your phone bill looks like in a year could be determined

next Thursday, April 6, when the New Jersey Technology Council hosts

"Connecting the Last Mile," a conference and networking event

for companies sparring in the telecommunications arena at the Sarnoff

Corporation.

The "Last Mile" describes the distance between the telephone

in your home or office and the switching system — the service

that controls your basic dial tone. The monopoly on that service was

broken by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which has big telecommunications

companies as well as new Internet start-ups scrambling to offer the

most attractive array of services and features to consumers, says

Kristin Baumgartner, regional manager of Cisco Systems in

Malvern, Pennsylvania, and moderator of the conference.

"The last mile technologies are not so confined to one provider,"

she says. "People are getting very creative about how they price

and package the service. The choices involve different types of technology

and how they can get to your home. It’s taking the existing wire line

and giving it different functionality. The wire line offers voice

services, dial-up, but that same set of wires can be used for DSL,

and that is a broadband service that provides a much higher speed

service. Then there’s also cable modem — a very high speed connection.

Our speakers will be outlining those choices, and educating each other."

One day soon, Internet service, wireless phone, and land line charges

could very well be all on one bill.

Top Of Page
Alzheimer Training: Bristow and McCurdy

E-mail: BarbaraFox@princetoninfo.com

Former president Ronald Reagan’s struggle with Alzheimer’s

Disease has brought this illness to the forefront of public attention.

For both professionals in the health field and for laypersons, Jan

McCurdy and Barbara Bristow, of Senior Care Management on

Route 31 in Pennington, are giving workshops in early April.

At a free session on Thursday, April 6, at 6 p.m. at the Marriott,

sponsored by Windrows at Forrestal, McCurdy and Bristow will answer

laypeople’s questions about alternatives for those who are touched

by this disease. In a panel discussion entitled "Understanding

Your Aging Parent," they will focus on how to engage one’s parents

in a constructive discussion of such issues as driving, complying

with doctor’s orders, finances, and home maintenance. Refreshments

will be served, and the session is free by reservation. Call 609-514-0001.

McCurdy and Bristow also will give a panel, "Issues in the Middle

Stage of Alzheimer’s Disease: where do you go from here?" at the

statewide conference on Alzheimer’s Disease on Wednesday, April 12,

from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Marriott. The theme of this conference

is "Expanding Horizons in the Community of Care," and it costs

$90. Janssen Pharmaceutica Research Foundation is the major sponsor

of the annual event. Call the Central Jersey Alzheimer’s Association,

609-514-1180.

Senior Care Management, a 10-year-old company, does assessments, case

management, and home care for older adults, and dementia is one of

its specialties. With three full-time social workers, a nurse consultant,

and 30 home health aids, it has 80 clients — half with the state

and half private.

In the middle stage, says McCurdy, there is often denial on the part

of the family. "We suggest the family have a multi disciplinary

assessment at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

It is very powerful when a group of people — social worker, a

psychiatrist, a neurologist, all experts in geriatrics and dementia

— do testing and medical evaluation and sit down to talk with

the family and the older person."

Ethical issues can present difficult legal problems of whether to

appoint a guardianship or grant power of attorney: Is the person competent?

Can they make their own decisions? When does the family have to step

in. Are they competent in some areas but not in others — they

can’t manage a check book, for example, but can make decisions about

care.

One zinger: When the elder person has a doctor’s examination, the

doctor is legally bound to contact the Division of Motor Vehicles

if the doctor thinks the person is not capable of driving.

"Alzheimer’s Disease Through the Many Faces of Harold," will

be the keynote topic for Daniel D. Christensen MD of the University

of Utah at the April 12 professional conference. Sam Fazio,

of the national association, will lead a plenary session on the title

of his recent book, "Rethinking Alzheimer’s Care."

Among the Princeton-area presenters are Jeffrey T. Apter and

Patricia Collins Kirchner, medical director and research nurse

of Princeton Biomedical Research, based on Bunn Drive, who will discuss

"When Medication is Needed: What Works and What Doesn’t."

Also Rona Myth Henryd, program officer of the Robert Wood Johnson

Foundation on College Road, will cover "Effective Marketing of

Adult Day Service Programs."

Other workshop topics will include "The Ins and Outs of Environmental

Design," "Using Technology to Help Alzheimer Caregivers,"

and "Creating a Successful Activity-Based Care Team." Paul

R. Solomon, psychology professor at Williams, will tell about his

new identification tool, the 7 Minute Screen.

The luncheon speaker is Reverend Willie J. Smith, associate editorial

page editor of the Times of Trenton, who will describe his family’s

journey with Alzheimer’s disease.

Corrections or additions?

— the web site for U.S. 1 Newspaper in Princeton, New Jersey.