Lost in thought, caregiver for his mother with dementia, Matt Perrin loses his cool and writes a letter to the person who tried to park next to him in a crowded Starbucks parking lot. Guest post by Matt Perrin Dear Person in the Starbucks Parking Lot, It wasn’t you, it was me. And I’m sorry. You pro[...]
This month, the Caregiver’s Voice focuses on excerpts of articles about reducing symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Like the wisdom contained in the cells of this 1,500-year-old tree, the path to progress includes learning as much as we can and participating in clinical trials. Memories of music c[...]
Caregiver for Sweet Ann Sometimes, if we listen carefully, we’ll hear the voices with dementia. We hear Ann Williams coping in a world with Alzheimer’s. She vocalizes and hums throughout this interview and in her day-to-day life with her caregiver-husband, Bruce. Topic Highlights “[...]
Supplemental Long-Term Care Benefits Are Now Permitted in Medicare Advantage Plans Guest article by Danielle Kunkle Roberts Throughout our working lives, we know that someday when we retire, we’ll have Medicare to help us with our healthcare needs during our golden years. However, many people aging [...]
Kenneth H. Cooper, MD, MPH models the benefits of preventive care. His research has shown to decrease the incidence of Alzheimer’s by 36%. At about the time when our New Year’s resolutions lose their urgency, this almost 88-year old doctor models what it means to remain actively engaged. He st[...]
The Caregiver’s Voice article excerpts this month include a blood test that can determine when you will die, Lyft’s health-care impact, leaving a lasting gift, and why many of us resist using online patient portals. When will you die? Steve Horvath, a biostatistician at the University of[...]
Caregiving is financially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually debilitating, says Maria Shriver on NBC’s Today Show regarding the stress of caregiving. Three Tips for Caregivers Check in with your local Area Agency on Aging. Connect with others via support groups. Share with colleagues an[...]
Senior citizen? No. Over the hill? What hill? Elder? Nuh-uhhh. Sage? Yes! Perennial? Niiiiice. The words we use to describe people who live a half-century or more are key to how we perceive those (us!) with longterm life experiences. Wait! “Those” people include me and likely you! Aft[...]
Word was at Bell Tower Residence [3/3/2023: URL Updated] (BTR) in Merrill, Wisconsin, that the annual caregiver conference keynote speaker would be a resident for several days. Beyond the attention and care I received, staff members made sure residents were comfortable and had what they needed. A sk[...]
This month, The Caregiver’s Voice features curated article excerpts on the eight keys of truly confident people, learning with dementia, navigating life as an elder orphan, the FINGER study, and using caregiving language to uplift and embrace. Eight Things That Set Truly Confident People Apart[...]
Last November, I spent several nights in memory care at a residential care home. I went to the Northwoods of Wisconsin to present two keynotes and six workshops at three conferences in as many cities. The first conference was hosted by Bell Tower Residence (BTR) in Merrill. Hosts usually make hotel [...]
Wherever You Are – A Memoir of Love, Marriage, and Brain Injury by Cynthia Lim They met at age 18 while standing in line at college. Six years later, with their graduate degrees, they married and became VISTA volunteers. Afterward, they began their careers. As one of their careers took off, th[...]
