The Guilty Caregiver Guest post by Leslie Vandever My caregiving career with my mother started when she developed sciatica and was barely able to care for herself. At the time, I expected that she’d need me for a few weeks. Maybe a month, at the most. I packed a small suitcase and settled into her g[...]
Things you and I take for granted are sometimes hard to grasp for a person with dementia. Take this story, “Making sense of time” shared in Finding the JOY in Alzheimer’s. A month before my father, Martin’s, ninetieth birthday, my husband David and I had the following convers[...]
Five tools help medical professionals diagnose dementia. If you’re wondering if dementia is the cause of your loved one’s changed behaviors, the only way to know for sure is to get a diagnosis at a geriatric assessment center. Professionals from diverse specialties representing neurology[...]
What a good fortune I had to share a message of connecting with others (for support) in order to move from surviving to Finding the JOY in Alzheimer’s on HuffPost Live – Stories of Caregivers Dealing With Alzheimer’s. I also shared the Diamond TIP for Caregivers, which goes beyond[...]
Guest article by caregiver, Lynette Wilson Juul. Working as a caregiver, I’ve been privileged to travel with some of the people I serve. There is one particular journey; however, that is etched forever in my mind as the most joyous vacation. It happened ten years ago. My traveling companions w[...]
To do your best at this perceptual exercise, first take a deep breath, exhale slowly. Repeat. Sit back. Relax. I speak from many years of experience suffering test anxiety. Ready? Look at the image below. How many faces do you see in this tree? Are you able to find all 10 faces? Share this w[...]
Yes, those of us over fifty, sixty, or even seventy, earn perqs of aging. The following were shared by one who knows with one who’s lived long enough to earn these perqs. 😉 Kidnappers are not thatinterested in you. In a hostage situation,you are likely to be released first. No one expects you[...]
The Caregiver’s Voice reviews a love story by Dale L. Baker. Her book, More than I Could Ever Know – How I Survived Caregiving highlights the ups and downs that is the carousel ride of caregiving. She describes it as a caregiving survival manual. Caregiving is intimate. It made me fall i[...]
Remember what our parents taught us? LIFE is about learning lessons as we go along. Often times, our teachers are our elders. But what about those moments when young people–college students–bring us a powerful reminder of what our paretns taught us when we were younger? Remember, to say,[...]
How to find help if you are caring for a loved one during any stage of a serious illness Guest article by Diane E. Meier, MD If you are caring for someone with a serious medical condition, you already know the enormous impact it can have on your daily life—from managing doctors’ appointments and med[...]
On Mother’s Day this Sunday, do more for your mom than just send flowers, says the National Association of Areas on Aging in Washington, DC. Call Mom To really see how Mom is doing, visit her. If that’s not possible call her. Then learn as much as you can about the following: Are there m[...]
