Patricia Stone
Bio
Native of Gary, Indiana, graduated from Indiana University with a MPA, completed classes at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center; retired from the United States Federal Government, NASA after an extensive career in law enforcement.
Stories (11/0)
Caregiver Heroes
Periodically, I’ve been fortunate enough to receive respite grants from Hilarity For Charity. Because my husband has Alzheimer’s Disease, it’s very important that consistency is constant in his life. Fortunately, HomeInstead has beeen bake to get the same caregiver, Maria Jose Dribben. To my husband this is Jos. Maria, has been our neighbor since this development was built. Prior to getting hired by HomeInstead, she consistently volunteered to help me with my husband as his cognitive brain disorder progressed. Maria, A widow and mother of two, works as a caregiver in a group home, HomeInstead, Uber Driver, etc., worked diligently to care for her family. She raised two amazing daughters, both college graduates.
By Patricia Stone4 years ago in Journal
HomeInstead Caregiving
Caregivers are First Responders oftentimes unrecognized except by those of us who desperately need them in our lives. Maria Jose Dribben has never wavered in her care of my husband during this pandemic. Gratefully, since this pandemic, she has not missed one hour or day giving care to Cleveland in our home. She is on top of her job, prepared with gloves, masks and even making homemade sanitizer in my home out of an actual Aloe Vera plant gel and alcohol. She actually squeezed the gel from plants and prepared the sanitizer.
By Patricia Stone4 years ago in Longevity
Wasted Years....
Retiring and relocating to North Las Vegas, Nevada in 2004 was something we looked forward to and planned accordingly. We moved into a new, but rapidly growing community. Our lives in Whittier, California were quite different; I worked full time in LaCanada, California and my husband owned his business in Santa Fe Springs, California. Our hours were quite different, we always ate dinner together, but our work hours varied. Our together time was a few hours in the evening and great weekends. When not working, we were always together...but also separate.
By Patricia Stone4 years ago in Families
Identically Different
Ninety Four plus years ago, the above twins were born into the world to a loving interracial couple. They were born in Arkansas, a very southern state. Strangely, they recall their childhood as one filled with joy, happiness and lots of love. Them, nor any of their siblings ever spoke of encountering any incidents of discrimination or racism. They often laugh about how they were afraid of insects and would run from something the call, “flying manners.”
By Patricia Stone4 years ago in Families
Costa Rica Rural Life
A native of Gary, Indiana, a working class community. Working long hours, attending various community meetings and a single father, it’s not uncommon that on my way hone, I contemplate what I want to stop and pickup at one of the fast food drive throughs. This is the basic way of life here.
By Patricia Stone4 years ago in Wander
This Happened In Vegas
Living in Las Vegas, Nevada since 2004, the above is a first. I’ve seen every size, nationality and color of Elvis Presley walking the strip, entertaining on Fremont Street posing for pictures and officiating marriages. There are beautiful show girls everywhere. Freemont Street is filled with vendors and tourists who don’t want the hustle and bustle of the strip. Also, the casinos are very close in proximity of each building and this is easier for lots of seniors to navigate visiting each casino. As most are aware, almost all casinos on the strip each individually cover a couple of blocks; and almost always very crowded. Downtown Vegas is a much more chilled atmosphere and seemingly caters to seniors and the disabled.
By Patricia Stone4 years ago in Wander
Making A Difference
When a business operates with understanding that the importance of its community is by giving back, their success is inevitable. Making a difference in the lives of others by lifting them up is a quality seldom seen in businesses. However, I’m a witness that there is a business in Las Vegas, Nevada that goes to great lengths in giving back to its communities.
By Patricia Stone4 years ago in Journal
ALZvoiceforothers
Relocating to North Las Vegas, Nevada from Whittier, California 15 years ago was a true eye opener. My husband and I visited the Las Vegas strip often, never realizing there was another part of this city. Not even giving a second thought to a residential population in the city. A complete life separate and completely different from the 24/7 bright lights, tourists, gambling and entertainment.
By Patricia Stone4 years ago in Humans
Voiceforothers
Unless you’ve walked in the shoes of a caregivers of patients with brain disorders, you can never truly relate to this journey. This journey is really about the reality world of these patients. It’s about speaking Alzheimer’s. It’s about discerning the language of the patient with dementia. It’s about understanding, that this disease is so much harder on the patients than you can even imagine. Sure, caregivers have struggles but we are blessed to have sound and healthy minds. Imagine for a moment, listening to gibberish in your mind telling you a million things at one time. Imagine being disoriented, unbalanced trying to figure out what’s going on in your head and trying to figure out why you cannot explain what’s happening to you, when you know something isn’t right. Imagine being frightened, wanting someone to understand you, help you, protect you but you can’t bring yourself to trust anyone because you don’t recognize trust and don’t know how to ask for help.
By Patricia Stone4 years ago in Families
VoiceForVoiceless
ALZ caregiving is not about the caregiver. Inside of each patient with cognitive brain disorder is a beautiful individual with a good heart wondering what’s going on in their heads. My husband was diagnosed in 2009 with Alzheimer’s Disease. I’ve been his 24/7 voice and caregiver since that date. From the onset of my husband’s ALZ attack, I had to learn by trial and error. It soon became very clear, in our situation, that this was our journey. I had to figure out so much about something I knew so little about. However, I knew without a doubt that I needed to learn, “How do I become what he needs when his reality is not real and is not mine.
By Patricia Stone4 years ago in Longevity