Can You Be Successful in Your Caregiving Role?

I believe it’s important to encourage family caregivers to recognize and celebrate their successes as a caregiver. I often hear from family caregivers: How can I be successful if every decision I make seems to make my relative absolutely miserable? I’m reminded of conversation many years ago with Mirca Liberti, co-founder of Children of Aging Parents, Levittown, Pa.. During our discussion, Mirca made,...

This Week, Wonder about the Storms You’ve Weathered

(Editor’s Note: On Wednesdays, we share a journaling tip as part of our series, Journaling 101. This is tip No. 13.) This week, take some time to consider the storms that you’ve weathered–the battles to find a good health care provider, to get help, to find support, to get along with your care recipient. It’s amazing how many storms you’ve weathered. Taking time to document those...

“In Sickness and In Health”

When I spoke my wedding vows nearly eight years ago, I meant every word. Little did I know how much I would mean them in the years that followed. Chad and I met at daycare in our small town. My mom and I had moved there the Summer before I started first grade, and I didn’t know anyone. I thought he was nice – in the way that every little girl thinks boys are nice — until they turn about 13. His...

Ask Denise: How Do I Help My Stressed Mom?

(Editor’s Note: Once in awhile, we’ll reprint a past column of Ask Denise. This column originally appeared on June 8, 2004.) Hi Denise, I am writing to you on behalf of my mother. She is taking care of my step-father’s mother. Since my mother has been doing this I have watched my mother’s health and attitude decline tremendously. In the last week she has broke out with hives all over her...

Building Your Boundaries

(On July 10, Anna Stookey joined us on Your Caregiving Journey to discuss how we can break bad habits with our care recipient. Our conversation led us to talk about boundaries, which led to this blog post. You can listen to the show through the player at the bottom of this post. If you have your speakers on, the show will begin to play automatically.) Life is really what happens between our ears. Our thoughts can...

Book Review: “The Boomer Burden”

Review by Ann Blanchard (Editor’s Note: Ann reviewed “The Boomer Burden: Dealing with Your Parents’ Lifetime Accumulation of Stuff” by Julie Hall. What follows are our questions and her answers.) Caregiving.com: Did the book meet your expectations? Ann: It exceeded my expectations by offering far more information than I anticipated. I thought it was about moving your parents out of the family...

Vibrant

You are a vibrant, colorful, beautiful being. You may feel that caregiving adds a dull sheen to your life. On the contrary, caregiving highlights your priorities, colors your gifts, and magnifies your blessings. Caregiving is tough. It’s awful. It’s heart-breaking. It’s really, really sad. But, as with all things, it has another side. It shows you for the vibrant, colorful, beautiful being you...

Ask Denise: How Do We Find the Right Facility?

Dear Denise, We’re looking for a facility for my mom, who has Alzheimer’s. My dad has been caring for her, but his health is now failing. Are there reporting agencies (like Better Business Bureau) for care facilities that could be reviewed for reporting of any incidents? What would be the primary factors that you would use to select a facility and staff?  I have my own ideas, but would be interested to...

This Week, Write Letters To Those You Love

Image via Wikipedia (Editor’s Note: On Wednesdays, we share a journaling tip as part of our series, Journaling 101. This is tip No. 12.) This week, our exercise actually focuses outside your journal. This week, rather than writing in your journal, write letters to those you love. In your letters, write about what you love, what you admire and what you’ve learned from those loved ones. And, share your...

Vent

Frustrated with your family? Tired of being cooped up with your care recipient? Mad about the lack of medical help? Red-faced about the waiting room wait? When you think about it, you have a lot to be mad about. The problem is, what do you do with all that anger? Let it out! Let it go! Find a good way to vent (sharing your frustrations in your journal, support group, garden, daily walk). If you let it go, it lets...

Tell Us: What’s Your Caregiving Secret Sauce?

Image via Wikipedia I have a friend who regularly talks about Google’s “secret sauce,” i.e., the secret to the company’s initial success (the company used people, rather than technology, to populate its search directory). I think we all have a secret sauce. I think, in particular, family caregivers have a secret sauce. It may be so secret that you may be unaware of it. Your secret...

The Right Device Is Like a Third Hand

Hurray for adaptive devices and equipment. The right devices can seem like a third hand for you; they can make transfers easier, dining simpler and caregiving safer. To help you find the right equipment (and we include clothing in this category), we’ve compiled a list of online stores: ActiveForever.com: The company offers an extensive catalog, including diabetes supplies, scooters and skin care products. The...

Assistive Technology Fact Sheet

Image by cobalt123 via Flickr Assistive technology is any service or tool that helps the elderly or disabled do the activities they have always done but must now do differently. These tools are also sometimes called “adaptive devices.” Such technology may be something as simple as a walker to make moving around easier or an amplification device to make sounds easier to hear (for talking on the telephone...

Make Sure the Medical Device You Choose Is Designed for You

This checklist is designed for health care professionals and patients to use when choosing a medical device that is best for the patient. It is intended to be modified by health professionals to focus on particular devices for certain target populations (e.g., arthritics, diabetics, heart patients). 1. Do you have limitations that can affect your use of the device? ___     Could your health (stress, tired,...

Direction

It has been a little while since I posted a message at caregiving.com. Recently we were presented with an opportunity to receive some physical therapy for my husband, Wayne. A physical therapy place just “happened” to move into the back part of the building of my chiropractor’s office. My chiropractor said that they had a machine in there that he thought might be very helpful for my husband, Wayne. I...

Ask Denise: Can We Convert the Garage for Him?

Dear Denise, My brother-in-law suffered a stroke. The doctor said he was bleeding into the brain. After extensive Intensive Care at a Stroke Center, he is now in Rehab. We have been told that he will be there for about 6 weeks…..he seems to be showing improvement already, but the doctor indicates he will need “Assisted Living” for the rest of his life. He is presently 77 years young. He is my...

Going Green in Adult Diapers: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

By Gary Hirsch, adviser to online incontinence care products provider SecurePersonalCare.com. The following article, Going Green in Adult Diapers: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint, originally appeared on Gilbert Guide and is re-printed courtesy of Gilbert Guide, Inc. Copyright © 2009, Gilbert Guide, Inc. It is technically feasible to compost adult diapers, although our current economic, legislative and disposal...

Simple

Image via Wikipedia Life has thrown you complex and complicated experiences; it’s natural to consider that complex and complicated answers are needed. Keep it mind that simple often works best: –Simple statements that explain your feelings and reflect your goals. –Simple solutions that meet your care recipient’s needs and respect your boundaries. –Simple steps that keep you on your path...

New Caregiving Book

Hi, Everybody. I wanted to post about a great new caregiving support book that I picked up at Barnes & Noble. I don’t think I’ve posted about it before…but I can’t remember my name some days! It’s a large softcover thing entitled “The Everything Guide to Caring for Aging Parents: Reassuring Advice to Help You Support Your Loved Ones”; Kathy Quan, RN, BSN, PHN;...

Call for Submissions: End of Life Stories

Creative Nonfiction is seeking new essays that explore death, dying, and end-of-life care, for a collection to be published by Southern Methodist University Press. The organization is looking for stories that transcend the “I” and find universal meaning in personal experiences. The hope is to include stories representing a wide variety of perspectives—from physicians, nurses, hospice workers, social workers,...

On Primetime: Looking for the Love in the Love Triangle

Last night, ABC’s Primetime aired an intriguing story (“Ultimate Love Triangle: Mother-in-Law’s Alzheimer’s Disease Strains Marriage”). A newly-married couple move his mother, recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, into their home. And, by newly-married, I mean married just five weeks. Even more interesting, they allowed ABC to place cameras in their home to film their experience caring for his...