Prayers and divine guidance lead two sisters on a path to move Mom from her own home in Texas into a California assisted living community and then into a home where they all live together with the help of in-home care. Susan and her sister, Claire face many challenges, one of which is their mom won&[...]
Married almost 40 years after a poorly worded pick-up line, Ira and Sandy Asherman now live with dementia of the Alzheimer’s type. That was Sandy’s evaluation during a workshop lead by Ira in Glens Falls, New York, more than 40 years ago. She replied, “You can do better…̶[...]
The Caregiver’s Voice features five curated-article excerpts this month, including tips for caregivers, declining assisted living numbers, women’s finances in retirement, and loss of privacy balanced against convenient access to information. Click on titles for more information. Women Ha[...]
Guest article by Florrie Munat A 2015 report by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving found that 43.5 million Americans provided unpaid care for a relative or friend during the prior 12-month period. That’s more than 13% of the population — a lot of caregivers. And our numbers are growing. B[...]
Mom (or Dad) is Moving in With Us I would never place Mom in a nursing home! Mom and Dad raised me. The least I can do is help Dad, now that he’s alone. This is a topic no one wants to think about until there’s a crisis – moving Mom or Dad into your own home. Dad can’t live a[...]
This edition of The Caregiver’s Voice VIDEO features the UK-based Singing for the Brain music program for people with dementia, runner and movie producer, Suzy Bishop, whose active life slowed down prematurely due to younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease, and in case you missed it, CBS Medic[...]
Twenty-two years ago, I devoured anything I could learn about the brain. I tried to understand what was happening to my father’s mind / brain as he lived with Alzheimer’s. I remain fascinated by the brain. We’re learning so much about the computer in our head – far more than [...]
Artist, Filmmaker, Wife, Mother, Fulbright Scholar, and Daughter of Holocaust survivors, Minna Packer was getting disoriented and anxious when the doctors (and she) thought she was living with too much stress. Initially diagnosed with diminished blood flow to the temporal parietal lobes, extensive n[...]
The Caregiver’s Voice curated article excerpts looks at the value of relationships among people with dementia, traits of women leaders and caregivers, a new definition of Alzheimer’s, a caregiver storytelling podcast, and a dementia neurologist’s plan for his own cognitive decline.[...]
“It’s not funny… until enough time has passed.” For many of our life experiences, after a time, we can laugh. Of course, there are enough life tragedies that will never be funny. But good hearty laughter strengthens our immune systems, limiting the damage caused by stress. So[...]
I enjoy hiking above the 10,000-foot level where the colors are vivid and the air is crystal clear. To see these beautiful sights in the Sierras means hiking 13, 16, and even 20+ miles roundtrip in a 10 to 14-hour day. I’ve learned there are similarities between caregiving and backpacking. Don[...]
Sue Matthews Petrovski’s Shelved is a practical down-to-earth “Memoir of Aging in America.” For those brave enough to take a peek into the future, Petrovski offers an objective view without being preachy; instead, she comes across as a dear friend. At 85-years old, Petrovski expresses the impact of [...]
