Tampa Bay News and Lifestyles. Carrollwood Magazine. Vol. 9, Issue 10, October 2021.

Vol. 9, Issue 10, October 2021

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TouchStone Is So Much More Than Home Care

By Deborah Bostock-Kelley

Since opening in 2017, TouchStone Home Care’s company has been known for compassionate care of seniors who need in-home care assistance. In their recognizable orange polos, the home care team provides all services that do not require medical skill, from bathing, dressing, meals to medication reminders and transportation.

When a loved one suffers a loss of cognitive ability, the physical and emotional toll and medical demands are often more than a family caregiver can absorb alone.

With personal, firsthand experience combined with a background in Dementia/Alzheimer’s in assisted living, memory care, and senior living, Nicole Tegeler, Tammi Mara, and Ms. Hudgins founded an extraordinary senior home care company that can help you every step of the way.

Combining Nicole’s Masters in Exercise Physiology, Tammi’s years of experience in the memory care/assisted living senior communities, with Ms. Hudgins nurse practitioner medical background, the women wanted to help other families in similar circumstances, stressed and looking for support.

“We like to serve our clients more than just scheduling a caregiver. While we have 125 incredible caregivers, the best in Tampa, working for us who are very experienced and have been with us a long time who can help with daily activities, INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Editor: Tampa Bay - City in Pink...................................5 Tech Talk with Bob: Cybersecurity Awareness Month...................8-9

See “TouchStone Home Care” on page 12

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TAMPA BAY - CITY IN PINK One of the most significant tools we have today is the power of human connection.

That’s why awareness months, weeks, and days are so important: They rally us together to spread a message and to show support. They help us create a comforting feeling that no matter what you’re going through, you don’t have to do it alone.

Having the support of your loved ones, as well as the community where you live, can make a huge difference.

Our beautiful city of Tampa Bay does a fantastic job at celebrating “National Month” events.

October observes Breast Cancer Awareness Month, LGBT History Month, ADHD Awareness Month, Emotional Wellness Month, and Italian-American Heritage Month, amongst others numerous events of extreme significance not just nationally but worldwide.

During October, numerous momand-pop shops and other locally owned businesses established multiple promotions and fundraising events to show their support for many of these different causes while getting their name and message out there to the public.

Starting October 1st until the 31st, 2021, Tampa Bay will be shinning pretty in pink!

CREW Tampa Bay efforts included asking owners, managers, and tenants of Tampa Bay properties to display their support to breast cancer awareness month by illuminating pink for CREW Tampa Bay CITY IN PINK. Per CREW’s Tampa Bay website message, “CREW Tampa Bay CITY IN PINK is a reminder to stay vigilant in the fight for a cure and will be a touching tribute to

breast cancer survivors and the lives that have been affected by the disease. With so much uncertainty in our world today, we want CREW Tampa Bay CITY IN PINK to be a source of HOPE for those who have been affected by this disease and a reminder that cancer never stops, and neither should its awareness. CREW Tampa Bay CITY IN PINK has been going strong for six years!

We want to continue the success of this Tampa Bay tradition with more buildings than ever. Together we can inspire our community and share a light of hope, courage, and strength.” Please visit https:// crewtampabay.org/ for more information.

For resourceful information on breast screening exams and mammograms for lowincome households, please check: https:// www.freemammograms.org/city/fl-tampa Other October observances include; National Apple Month, Vegetarian Awareness Month, National Pizza Month, National Dessert Month, and National Pork Month. You would think vegetarians would not want to share their month with bacon lovers, but I am glad there’s no beef between them! This sounds like the perfect month to indulge at a family-owned restaurant and enjoying a big Italian-American meal. Make sure you leave enough room for an apple pie for dessert; it can be your new October tradition!

With Halloween festivities fastly approaching, the City of Tampa wants to keep families participating in trick-or-treating events as safe from COVID as possible. For a detailed list of Halloween safety tips and an incredible list of family-friendly Halloween events, please visit: https://www.tampa.gov/ news/city-tampa-shares-covid-19-safetytips-trick-or-treating-and-other-halloweenfestivities Until next time, stay safe!

Carla M. Dubis Tedeschi

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Tech Talk with Bob: Happy Cybersecurity Month!

Did you know October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month? Previously coined National Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

Regardless of what you call it, it is now in its 18th year. Its purpose? To raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity across our nation and ensure that all Americans have the resources they

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need to be safer and more secure online. A noble mission because unfortunately cybersecurity is not properly addressed by most computer owners.

Please understand this, at some point in time you will have a security issue with your computer. Almost every computer we have surveyed has had some type of threat lurking in the system. It amazes me the number of times people “think” their computer is secure, only to find out that their system is still harboring threats.

The threats we find vary between actual viruses all the way to strangers having complete remote control of

these computers. So, the odds are in your favor that you will, at some point, have security issues. Now the question is, “do you want to be proactive and stay ahead of these threats;” or “do want to do it the hard way, the expensive way, by doing nothing and letting the chips fall where they may?

Not to mention the days of grief you will experience as you hope your data isn’t lost while you pay a security professional to salvage your precious data.”

Unfortunately, I see people go through this every week.

Trust me my Friend, this is a place you do not want to find yourself.

You must decide,

because at some moment in time you will find yourself talking to me or some other security professional to help dig you out of this mess. Some of my long-time clients who have banking and investment accounts with balances from thousands to millions of dollars were sure their computers were safe. Every one of these folks was shocked when my cybersecurity team discovered their systems still had security exploits.

I equate this to driving a car; wouldn’t you prefer to be wearing your seatbelt before the crash?

My cybersecurity team performs a through security

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scan of your computer, so you know for certain whether your system is clean or not. Since these security scans have taken from hours to days to complete, to be fair, I only charge one hour of bench time to perform these scans. Whether your scan takes a few hours or 30 hours, your only obligation is our one-hour bench fee.

Once my cybersecurity team completes your scan, I will personally review the results with you. If you require any additional work, I will discuss your options. I want you to have all the facts regarding your computer’s security health so you can make a wellinformed decision based on what solution best serves

you.

In observance of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, I implore you to know if your computer is in order security-wise.

Right now, and through the end of October, I am accepting a limited number of computers where I will perform a security scan of your computer on my bench for only $99. Yes, for less than the cost of a onehour service appointment, my cybersecurity team will assess the security of your computer! Even if you think your computer is secure, I still challenge you to have my team check it.

If I find that your system is squeaky-clean, YOUR SCAN IS FREE! That’s right, if we don’t find any potential

threats on your computer, I won’t charge you for the scan. To guarantee your appointment for our Cybersecurity Awareness Month Security Scan call 727-534-4000. Please remember, appointment slots for this offer are limited so call soon.

Never forget, cyber criminals will exploit the easy victims and unprotected systems.

Whether you are a business or non-profit who keeps records about clients, customers, prospects, employees, vendors, sales, budgets, inventories… you get the idea. It is your responsibility to protect your personal network, your computer’s operation, and your data. Even a home

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user who may keep records about club members, kids’ sports leagues, volunteer work, or just filing your income taxes on your home computer is a target.

Are you certain your computer is safe? You don’t have to do this alone my Friend. My staff and I are here to keep your computer safer and keep it running. We have the best solutions already in place and we’re only a phone call away. Call us anytime at 727-5344000. We’ve been helping folks restore their peace of mind, and sanity, with their technology for decades.

We Keep You Safer In Your Digital World!

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“TouchStone Home Care”

- continued from page 1

we can also help advise families with other needs that seniors have,” said Nicole. “We have recommendations and services that they can use to simplify the seniors’ life to make it safer. The big goal is keeping them in their homes independently, whether alone or with

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their spouse, living longer and better, getting the best quality of life day-to-day.”

After years of experience, the team can provide a wealth of resources to family caregivers.

“We know who’s good, like what pharmacy or rehab would I send my parents to? If you’re looking to move your mom or

dad, there are certain companies that we can recommend that don’t just move you like a moving company, but they help you downsize and resize. They make it a safe move with the right type of care.

Whether it’s PT, OT, we have companies we recommend on that journey. Some people don’t even realize that you may qualify for

home health or that PT can come in and help you and keep you strong. Our caregivers can help you with exercise assistance and reminders. We’ve all lived it. We’ve been in their shoes. We’ve cultivated working relationships with many companies that we feel as comfortable in recommending them to our clients as we would

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to our own family.”

The team creates a plan of care for every client. A safe, socially distanced one-on-one assessment is arranged with the family and directly with the client to put together the best care plan for that particular client.

“Every assessment and every client is going to be a little different,” she said. “Each care plan is tailored to what their needs are.”

Services range from a 15-minute check-up to round-the-clock care.

Though live-in services are available, most clients opt for 4-12 hr

shifts.

Touchstone focuses on a holistic approach for the client and their family.

“We offer preventative education on various topics such as nutrition and exercise programs to help our clients age gracefully.

Wellness is definitely a specialty niche for our company. Nicole’s background is in exercise physiology, along with Mara’s and Hudgins’s background in wellness, we have a wealth of expertise to offer our clients. We all live it, breathe it, and preach it because it’s important

to help our seniors, but also along the way, help the family members,” said Nicole. “If mom or dad are suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia, we can recommend what institute or specialist you can go to.”

The majority of TouchStone Home Care employees are vaccinated. Clients can choose to work with only those that are vaccinated. Those not yet vaccinated are required to send in negative test results every week, and all wear masks for the safety of the client, the family, and their own safety and well-being.

Nicole said, “Our goal is to provide holistic care and assist in fulfilling a multi-service plan of care to our clients because we know they need the help.

We want to be more than just their home care team, but seen as their “Senior Care

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Service Experts” that can advise them based on individual needs. If we cannot service them under our license, we know someone who can and who we highly recommend in the Tampa Bay Hillsborough county area.”

On a daily basis, TouchStone receives calls from families needing direction in the care of a loved one and they are happy to provide the needed care and outlining any other senior service referrals.

“Families are so often overwhelmed and do not know where to turn…”

Turn to the caring team at TouchStone!

To learn more about TouchStone Home Care, find out about employment opportunities, or schedule a free consultation, visit www. touchstonehomecarefl. com or call (813) 4267848.

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