Clear Guidance, LLC

02/23/2026

SLEEP ISSUES AND SUNDOWNING

Sundowning is increased confusion that people living with Alzheimer's and dementia may experience from dusk through night. Also called "sundowner's syndrome," it is not a disease but a set of symptoms or dementia-related behaviors that may include difficulty sleeping, anxiety, agitation, hallucinations, pacing and disorientation. Although the exact cause is unknown, sundowning may occur due to disease progression and changes in the brain.

Tips that may help manage sleep issues and sundowning:
*Encourage the person living with dementia to get plenty of rest.
*Schedule activities such as doctor appointments, trips and bathing in the morning or early afternoon hours when the person living with dementia is more alert.
*Encourage a regular routine of waking up, eating meals and going to bed.
*When possible, spend time outside in the sunlight during the day.
*Make notes about what happens before sundowning events and try to identify triggers.
*Reduce stimulation during the evening hours. For example, avoid watching TV, doing chores or listening to loud music. These distractions may add to the person’s confusion.
*Offer a larger meal at lunch and keep the evening meal lighter.
*Keep the home well lit in the evening to help reduce the person’s confusion.
*Try to identify activities that are soothing to the person, such as listening to calming music, looking at photographs or watching a favorite movie.
*Take a walk with the person to help reduce their restlessness.
*Talk to the person's doctor about the best times of day for taking medication.
*Try to limit daytime naps if the person has trouble sleeping at night.
*Reduce or avoid alcohol, caffeine and ni****ne, which can all affect the ability to sleep.
*If these suggestions do not help, discuss the situation with the person's doctor.

To read this full article by the Alzheimer's Association, please click here https://buff.ly/Rxhu6he

02/20/2026

Join Us on the Court — Partner With Us for a Powerful Cause

We invite our trusted professional partners and colleagues to join us for Care Managers for a Cause, a friendly pickleball tournament bringing together leaders across the aging-services community to support the Alzheimer’s Association.

This event is designed not only as a fundraiser, but as an opportunity to strengthen relationships across our shared network of care — while raising critical funds and awareness for individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

🎗 Event Details
🎾 Care Managers for a Cause Pickleball Tournament
📅 May 14th, 4-7pm
📍 Bosse Pickleball, Natick Mall, https://bosse.net/
💜 All proceeds go to the Alzheimer’s Association

We would be honored to have your organization represented on the court. Whether you sponsor a team or element of the event, send a few players, or join us to cheer participants on, your presence helps demonstrate the collective commitment of our professional community to compassionate, collaborative care.

No pickleball experience is necessary — this is a fun, welcoming event focused on connection, teamwork, and impact.

Why Participate?

Strengthen relationships with care managers and fellow professionals in the aging-care field

Showcase your organization’s commitment to community engagement

Support families facing Alzheimer’s and dementia

Enjoy a lively, meaningful day of connection and fun

👉 Sponsorship Opportunities, Tickets and Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1982904122609?aff=oddtdtcreator
📩 For questions or partnership opportunities: Debi Miller debimiller@clearguidance.org

Together, we can make a meaningful difference — on the court and in the lives of those we serve.

Join Care Managers for a Cause in person to connect, share, and make a real difference together!

02/20/2026

NATIONAL CAREGIVERS DAY

National Caregivers Day on the third Friday in February honors the healthcare professionals across the country providing long-term and hospice care.

Around the nation, dedicated healthcare professionals serve those who require long-term or hospice care. They provide vital services, reassuring patients and the families who care about them. Often loved ones require care we are unable to provide due to our inability physically or not having the skills or means to provide the care. Expert caregivers are trained to provide round-the-clock services in safe environments. Their care enables the family to focus on their loved one's healing process. In hospice care, a caregiver allows the family to spend time with their loved one without worrying about medical responsibilities.

Caregivers deliver a variety of duties from personal care to medical services with compassion and professionalism. Their days may be long and demanding, but they provide support to those who need it most.

The celebration recognizes caregivers who provide quality, compassionate care every day.

HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL CAREGIVERS DAY
*Take time to thank a caregiver for their dedication and care of our loved ones.
*Give them a card of thanks. This may seem like a simple gesture, but it will mean a lot to the caregiver.
*Let them know with a kind word of encouragement. Your recognition will inspire them to continue their quality work.
*Tell their supervisor how much you appreciate the services. Compliments are rarely voiced. Take the time to make yours heard.

02/18/2026

CLEAR GUIDANCE has an amazing team of experts!
To learn more about our team, please click here https://buff.ly/39z2Rtv

CLORINDA "Clo" COTTRELL,
LICSW, CDCP
NATIONAL TASK GROUP ON INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES REGIONAL TRAINER

Ms. Cottrell is a care manager and social worker with over 15 years of expertise in healthcare. Dedicated to supporting clients at every step, Ms. Cottrell prioritizes their preferences, strengths, and unique life stories. With a blend of compassion, expertise, creativity and strategic guidance, Ms. Cottrell helps individuals and families navigate life’s most challenging transitions with dignity and peace of mind.

Ms. Cottrell specializes in supporting aging adults, dependent adults, and individuals with disabilities to make informed decisions that promote dignity, well-being, and optimal quality of life. She brings particular expertise in care for adults with Down syndrome, autism, intellectual disabilities, and aging-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. During her eight years with Massachusetts General Hospital’s Down Syndrome Program, Ms. Cottrell provided comprehensive life span support to individuals, families and care partners, including co-occurring mental health conditions, dementia, and aging-related challenges. Her collaborative approach simplifies care processes, alleviates concerns, and empowers families to face challenges with confidence and clarity.

As a Certified Dementia Care Partner and National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices Affiliated Regional Trainer, Ms. Cottrell offers specialized guidance on dementia care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She provides in-service training, workshops, and care planning to help families and care teams deliver informed, compassionate support.

02/16/2026

KEVIN'S STORY: MY JOURNEY WITH MY BROTHER, DEMENTIA AND DOWN SYNDROME
Feb 11, 2026 by Colleen Kelly

My brother Kevin was happy, kind and funny. He loved the Toronto Blue Jays with a passion. His favourite treat was a Diet Coke. He was a cherished member of our family who was deeply loved and shared his love of life with everyone he met.

Kevin was born in 1964 with Down Syndrome. In those days, parents were often encouraged to place children with developmental disabilities in institutions. My parents were offered that option. They refused. Kevin was their baby, and he came home with them. He remained part of our family for 57 years.

Like many people with Down syndrome, Kevin experienced accelerated aging. In his final year, the changes were gradual but relentless. He lost weight. His hair thinned. His energy faded. Eventually, he began having seizures. When you love someone deeply, decline doesn’t always look like decline. It looks like a bad week, a phase, something that will pass.

It wasn’t until a neurologist at the hospital finally named it that the pieces came together. Kevin’s physical, cognitive and behavioural changes, I was told, were likely signs of dementia.

I was stunned. Not because the explanation didn’t fit, but because I hadn’t allowed myself to see it. Dementia felt like too much to absorb on top of everything else. Only later did I realize how common this diagnosis is among adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. People with Down Syndrome face a much higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than the general population. Yet, this reality remains poorly understood, even among those working closest to them.

To read the full article by Colleen Kelly featured in Healthy Debate online, please click here https://buff.ly/3qYIW3a

CLEAR GUIDANCE offers specialized services tailored to adults with Down syndrome, autism, and intellectual and developmental disabilities.
*Assessment & Monitoring
*Planning & Problem-Solving
*Education & Advocacy
*Family & Care Partner Support

To learn more about Clear Guidance and how we can support you and your loved one, please visit https://buff.ly/bad6xAP

02/13/2026

GALENTINE'S DAY

On February 13th, Galentine's Day brings women together to celebrate each other every year the day before Valentine's day.

Women all have that one friend who cheers on her female companions. She is their best supporter, listener, and companion. No matter what, she has your back. She's the lady who celebrates ladies. This day is the kind of day a woman like that would throw a party, and she should.

The festivities include women of all walks of life, kicking back, and enjoying being women! The day celebrates successes and overcoming failures and brings women, ladies, and girls together for a good old-fashioned session to drink, eat, talk, and celebrate each other.

02/12/2026

COMING SOON: The Pickleball Match That Will Go Down in History

Care Managers and Professional Colleagues are gearing up for a “friendly yet competitive” pickleball match — and by the looks of it, both teams have wildly overestimated their athletic abilities. Confidence levels are high. Skill levels… remain unverified.

The Care Managers are practicing like they’re training for a championship they invented five minutes ago. They’ve got strategy boards, pep talks, and at least one person insisting they have a “signature move” no one has actually seen.

Meanwhile, their Professional Colleagues are equally unhinged — buying matching paddles, coordinating warm ups, and ordering the kind of swagger usually reserved for people who’ve already designed their victory speech.

Both teams are:
• Ready (emotionally, if not physically)
• Competitive (to a concerning degree)
• Overconfident (spectacularly so)
• Goofy (this is not up for debate)
• Convinced they’re winning (delusion is a team sport)

This match promises dramatic dives, questionable serves, and at least one moment where someone pretends they “totally meant to do that.”

Who will take the crown? Who will take a tumble? Who will take the rules way too seriously?

We’ll find out on May 14th — and trust us, you’ll want front row seats to this beautiful chaos!

💜 Paddles up. Egos inflated. May the best team win. 💜

02/11/2026

⭐️ ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR DEMENTIA CARE TRAINING ⭐️

Become a Certified Dementia Care Partner (CDCP) by attending Essential Skills for Dementia Care Training approved and accredited through the National Institute for Dementia Education.

This full day training offers 7 nursing contact hours and 7 social worker CEs.
Located at the Clear Guidance Office, 47 River Street, Suite 210, Wellesley.
Cost is $325 per person includes lunch and credentialing.
Private organizational trainings may be arranged.

‼️Upcoming training is Monday, February 23rd ‼️

For more information or to register, please contact
Tammy Pozerycki, MA, BC-DEd, CMC, CDCL, CADDCT, CFRDT, CDP, COTP tammypozerycki@clearguidance.org or 508-861-6709

02/09/2026

THIS BRAIN CONDITION QUADRUPLES DEMENTIA RISK AND MOST PEOPLE HAVE NEVER HEARD OF IT

Protein Buildup in Brain Blood Vessels Linked to Dementia Risk:
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a brain disorder in which a protein called amyloid accumulates in blood vessels, gradually weakening them. A large preliminary study found that people diagnosed with CAA were about four times more likely to develop dementia within five years, whether or not they had previously experienced a stroke.

The findings will be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2026, taking place in New Orleans from February 4-6, 2026. The conference is a leading global meeting focused on advances in stroke and brain health research.

How CAA Affects the Brain and Blood Vessels:
CAA is known to increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding stroke) and ischemic stroke (clot-caused stroke). As part of normal aging, small amounts of amyloid can collect in the brain’s blood vessels without causing symptoms. A diagnosis of CAA is made when this buildup becomes extensive enough to damage vessels and interfere with normal brain function.

In more advanced cases, amyloid deposits can weaken vessel walls to the point where they crack. When this happens, blood can leak into surrounding brain tissue, causing a hemorrhagic stroke. Beyond stroke risk, CAA is also linked to cognitive decline and is frequently found in people with Alzheimer’s Disease. The current study examined how often dementia develops after a CAA diagnosis and how stroke and CAA together influence that risk.

To read the full article by the American Heart Association in SciTechDaily online, please click here https://buff.ly/ZllBvkh

02/06/2026

NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY

National Wear Red Day, on the first Friday in February, is an annual campaign to raise awareness about heart disease in women.

The national campaign urges women to learn their risk for heart disease and to take steps to lower their risk. What increases a woman's chances of heart disease?
Smoking
Sedentary lifestyle
Family history
Diabetes
Stress
Inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's
Complications during pregnancy
Menopause

You can prevent or reverse many of these risks by taking action. Speaking with your physician also helps to further lower your risk of heart attack and stroke by making and following a plan.

*Quit smoking. Ask for help if you need it. Your physician has many tools at her side to make quitting a success.
*Change your lifestyle. Become more active and improve your eating habits. This will help with many risk factors including stress, family history, and other health conditions.
*Get routine physical exams.

Heart disease and stroke kill one in three women. These diseases are 80 percent preventable according to Go Red for Women's official website.

Go to www.goredforwomen.org for more information.

02/05/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1SvBtqJh8F/

COMING SOON: The Pickleball Match That Will Go Down in History

Care Managers and Professional Colleagues are gearing up for a “friendly yet competitive” pickleball match — and by the looks of it, both teams have wildly overestimated their athletic abilities. Confidence levels are high. Skill levels… remain unverified.

The Care Managers are practicing like they’re training for a championship they invented five minutes ago. They’ve got strategy boards, pep talks, and at least one person insisting they have a “signature move” no one has actually seen.

Meanwhile, their Professional Colleagues are equally unhinged — buying matching paddles, coordinating warm ups, and ordering the kind of swagger usually reserved for people who’ve already designed their victory speech.

Both teams are:
• Ready (emotionally, if not physically)
• Competitive (to a concerning degree)
• Overconfident (spectacularly so)
• Goofy (this is not up for debate)
• Convinced they’re winning (delusion is a team sport)

This match promises dramatic dives, questionable serves, and at least one moment where someone pretends they “totally meant to do that.”

Who will take the crown? Who will take a tumble? Who will take the rules way too seriously?

We’ll find out on May 14th — and trust us, you’ll want front row seats to this beautiful chaos!

💜 Paddles up. Egos inflated. May the best team win. 💜

02/04/2026

WAY TO GO SHASHONA! 🎉

Thank you for being such a valued member of the Clear Guidance team!

To learn more about Clear Guidance, our team, and our services, please visit https://buff.ly/8UZYZPG
Charting the course for aging, disability , and dementia.