Kiwanis Club of Wilton CT

Guest Speakers

Gigi Weiss & Danielle Taibi

Presentation Title

“Helping You Meet the Dementia Challenge”

Date & Time

Wednesday – April 24th, 2024 – 12:15 PM to 1:30 PM

Location

Wilton Episcopal/Presbyterian Church Complex WEPCO

48 New Canaan Road Wilton, CT, 06897

About Gigi Weiss & Danielle Taibi

Join RVNAhealth’s Gigi Weiss, MSPT, Senior Director of Outpatient Rehabilitation Services and Danielle Taibi, MOTR/L, CDP, CADDCT, Occupational Therapist/Dementia Specialist — both Certified Dementia Practitioners — for a comprehensive explanation and discussion on dementia.

Whether caring for a loved one, or simply interested in learning more about dementia, this presentation will provide valuable insights. Gain a deeper understanding of the different symptoms and stages and discover coping techniques that can be implemented during the early stages of the disease.

Recognize when professional assistance and intervention are necessary and acquire strategies to make the associated challenges more manageable. This presentation will provide a roadmap to navigate the twists and turns of the dementia journey, making it a less intimidating path to tread.

Gigi Weiss, MSPT

Senior Director of Outpatient Rehabilitation Services

As director of rehabilitation services, Georgette “Gigi” Gugliotta Weiss, MSPT, CDP, CKTP, oversees both RVNAhealth’s in-home care and outpatient rehabilitation therapists. In this role, she supports our clinicians in the field, manages the RVNAhealth Rehabilitation & Wellness Center (our in-house rehabilitation center), and works closely with the rest of the management team to ensure that operations are running smoothly.

Gigi has extensive experience working in acute care, acute rehabilitation, and outpatient services at Norwalk Hospital. After seven years at a local outpatient physical therapy center, she joined RVNAhealth as a per diem home care therapist, and in 2010 was promoted to her current position.

“When I first started with RVNA, we served only about 10 towns and had a staff of seven therapists,” she says. “Now, we serve nearly 30 towns, and we have more than 30 therapists providing both in-home care and outpatient rehabilitation. We strive to be forward-thinking and keep up with the ever-changing healthcare market.”

Gigi earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from Muhlenberg College and a master’s degree in physical therapy from New York Medical College. A Ridgefield native and resident, she and her husband and two sons are avid baseball/softball players and skiers and love watching football.

Danielle Taibi, MOTR/L, CDP, CADDCT

Occupational Therapist/Dementia Specialist

Danielle Taibi joined RVNAhealth in 2014 as an occupational therapist evaluating and treating patients in their homes as well as in Assisted Living Facilities. She became a certified dementia practitioner (CDP) as the need for specific skills became evident. She then took a position as a home health aide supervisor at RVNAhealth to deepen her understanding of the caregiving needs of those with chronic conditions including dementia. In this role she performed home assessments, recommended equipment to enhance safety and created care plans for private aides to follow when working with clients requiring various levels of assistance including those on hospice. Danielle became certified as an Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer and along with Gigi Weiss, Director of Community Services, began to train and certify staff including clinicians, nurses, and aides. She has returned to treating with a specialty in dementia care and has now extended her training classes to the community and to Assisted Living staff. Most recently, she was instrumental in developing a dementia series offered to the community currently taking place at RVNAhealth.

Prior to RVNAhealth, Danielle worked at the renowned Burke Rehabilitation Hospital in Westchester as well as the Burke affiliated sub-acute rehab at United Hebrew. She and her husband then moved to Connecticut and Danielle spent several years treating at Bethel Health Center.

Danielle is an energized and compassionate advocate for patients and their caregivers. “The most rewarding part of my job is being part of individuals’ lives as they face profound choices and providing the best support possible during this time.”

She continues to be excited for the future at RVNAhealth. “The company is progressive and deeply committed to our patients and clients. RVNAhealth continues to employ more innovative ways to address the health of our communities. This includes educating staff and community caregivers so that they can meet the challenges we face in dementia care. I’m proud to be a part of that.”

A resident of Ridgefield, CT, Danielle obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts (theater) degree from Syracuse University, and a Master of Science (occupational therapy) from Mercy College. She uses her background in the arts to connect with her clients. She is certified and licensed as an Occupational Therapist, a Dementia Certified Practitioner, and an Alzheimer’s Dementia Certified Trainer through NCCDP.

The Kiwanis Club of Wilton

Election Day

Full Event Pictures Link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/XdLViR2x9MiAPcxx9

Date & Time: Wednesday – April 17th, 2024 – 12:15 PM to 1:30 PM

Location: Wilton Episcopal/Presbyterian Church Complex

48 New Canaan Road Wilton, CT, 06897

WEPCO GOOGLE MAPS

“The Kiwanis Club of Wilton CT proudly sponsors The Wilton Little League as a team sponsor.”

Full Event Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/DL7rsh6KFXWUC2B37

The Kiwanis Club of Wilton welcomes guest speaker

Michael Friedman

Full Event Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/uk24Ra3tLuBWH7vq6

Presentation Title: “The Lost Rock & Roll Negatives of Michael Friedman”

Date & Time: Wednesday – April 10th, 2024 – 12:15 PM to 1:30 PM

Location: Wilton Episcopal/Presbyterian Church Complex

48 New Canaan Road Wilton, CT, 06897

WEPCO GOOGLE MAPS

About: Michael Friedman

Michael Friedman’s illustrious career in the music industry began during his college years at the University of Arizona in the early 1960s, where he co-founded Borchetta/Friedman Productions & Coastline Records. Over the years, he worked with legendary artists such as The Mamas and the Papas, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and Kris Kristofferson, among others. Friedman’s passion for photography emerged during this time, capturing candid moments in the music business with his Pentax camera. Although initially overlooked, his photographs gained recognition decades later through The Lost Negatives Project, resulting in the publication of the book “EXPOSED: The Lost Negatives and Untold Stories of Michael Friedman” in 2023. Today, Friedman and his wife Donna Vita operate a pop-up photography gallery in Westport called “Rock & Roll Legends,” showcasing his iconic collection of photographs.

For more information, contact them at (203) 247-7879 or [email protected]