Dear Friend,

WELCOME TO LOTSA COMMUNITY WORKS
We have all experienced that moment. That moment when you hear a tragic story about someone you know – maybe it’s a neighbor, a colleague, or a friend of a friend. That moment when you learn that someone is dealing with a medical crisis or some unexpected challenge that has turned life upside down. What do you do? What do you say? Chances are, you quickly respond with a heartfelt question, “What can I do to help?” It’s not uncommon for a family in crisis to be overwhelmed by your kind offer and the offers of so many others. But even in the best situations where help is provided, families often find multiple meals on their doorstep, have dozens of phone calls to return, and have to juggle the needs of the other members of the family. It’s frightening not to have any help, but the logistics of coordinating everyone can be just as overwhelming.

That's where Lotsa Helping Hands comes in. We created our service to answer the question – ‘What can I do to help?’ And, anyone can create a community of support to bring people together during times of need.

Most of you reading this newsletter have participated in a Lotsa Helping Hands community – perhaps you were the coordinator, a volunteer, or the recipient of help. We imagine that whatever your personal experience, you felt the benefits of being part of a community, of giving and receiving. So, the next time you hear a story about someone in need, consider creating a community for them at Lotsa Helping Hands. You don’t have to be a member of the family or even the person’s best friend. You can simply help a family get started by creating a community of support for them – it is among the most heartfelt gestures someone can make for another. Once the community is created, you can easily designate other members as coordinators to participate to be sure that all the needs are being met.

     From our community to yours,




LOTSA TIPS AND FEATURES

We have several tips to share this month.

1. Vital Information Section: Every caregiving and eldercare community at Lotsa Helping Hands has a Vital Information section. This section gives designated community members the ability to securely store and retrieve information including general health data, emergency contacts, medications, legal and financial records, and the family’s ‘Favorites’ (foods, music, books, programs, etc.).

2. New Resources for You: We’ve added several new resources to Lotsa Resources for You, a section in your private community. This month, find articles on hospice and palliative care as well as information about Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

3. Your Community Home Page Photo: Any of the photos from your photo gallery can be used as your home page photo. Simply go to your Administration tab and click on ‘site options’ to designate a photo for your home page.

4. DRIVE4COPD: We are helping spread the word about a multi-year public health initiative to screen the millions of people who may be at risk for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, the nation's 4th leading cause of death. Have you taken the screener? It's just five questions and it can tell you if you may be at risk for COPD. If you're 35 or older, take it today and find out. Take the screener.





CREATE A COMMUNITY — IT’S FREE!
Free, private, web-based communities for organizing friends, family, and colleagues – your 'circles of community' – during times of need. Coordinate activities and manage volunteers with our intuitive group calendar. Easily communicate and share updates using announcements, message boards, and photos. Safely store vital information. Get started.