National Underinsured Resource Directory Assists Americans Struggling with Health Insurance Costs and Access to Care

Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) with the Patient Action Council Delegates unveiled The National Underinsured Resource Directory, which helps underinsured individuals and families locate important resources and seek alternative coverage options or methods to cover their healthcare needs. The National Underinsured Resource Directory is available through an online interactive tutorial program, and a written...

March 30

Like I said, caregiving is full of ups and downs, as is life in general. Just to set the scene as it were, Sunday was a good day, I got out to church for Palm Sunday. I really liked the service. One of the things our parish priest asked us to do was to take a palm at our bench and take it up to the altar thinking of what we could offer God this year in terms of our personality, time, efforts etc. At the end of the...

Tell Us: Which “Compliment” Do You Hate to Hear?

In a recent post on his blog, The Alzheimer’s Reading Room, Bob DeMarco writes how five words he often hears from others—”You are a good son”—have come to mean a great deal to him. He appreciates the compliment and embraces it when he receives it. With caregiving, though, can come careless comments masked as compliments. I wonder which “compliments” you hate to hear? For...

As Promised, an Update…

Thanks to everyone for all the support. Gram has rallied the last couple of days, and while she’s still sleeping a lot and hasn’t been moved from her bed, she has requested fluids and some nutrition. So, we are happy for that. I don’t know how much longer she has, but I am so glad I’ve gotten some extra time with her. I was beside myself last night because she had been extra emotional when...

Am I an overwhelmed dutiful son, or have I actually become lazy?

Hello Everyone! I’m going to share something about myself that I’m sure you have never experienced – I am lazy. There, I said it. Honestly, this really has been weighing on me lately and has started bothering me – the church would call it ‘convicting me’, a great deal. I look around my trashed house, my garden in disarray (just as the season is starting), the painting that needs to be...

Caregiving Booklet Shares the Basics

Emblem Health and the National Alliance for Caregiving have updated their booklet, “Care for the Family Caregiver: A Place to Start.” This booklet gives family caregivers an overview of the caregiving basics aspects, including: The caregiving journey, told through family caregiver stories The basics of family caregiving Caregiving tips Caregiver training Caring for yourself Legal and financial issues...

Health Reform and Family Caregivers

Yesterday on Table Talk, Howard Bedlin, Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy for the National Council on Aging (NCOA), joined us for a primer on how health reform will affect family caregivers and older adults. (You can listen to our show via the player at the bottom of the post.) A few highlights of the legislation: Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Provision (CLASS) creates a new national...

Quick Update on My Whereabouts

Hi everyone. I just wanted to check in and let you know that I took a few days vacation to fly to a friend’s wedding last week. During that time, Gram took a turn for the worst and is doing very poorly. I will write more on this later, but I desperately wanted to hop on here and talk with you guys about what’s been going on. She started sleeping until 4 in the afternoon and as of a few days ago,...

Diffusing Faulty Family Members

Yesterday on Your Caregiving Journey, Anna Stookey shared coping tips to use with faulty family members, those members who just find fault with everything. (You can listen to our show via the player at the bottom of this post.) In other words, Anna shared strategies to get out of the way when family members turn into tornadoes. Her suggestions: 1. Our tendency is to get invested in their fault-finding by reacting...

Fighting Flu

Today on Your Caregiving Journey, Nancy Hanley and Becky Lowry of My Health Care Manager joined us to offer strategies to help when your caree has the flu or a bad cold. (You can listen to the show via the player at the bottom of the post.) Becky offered prevention tips, including good hand-washing techniques. Nancy shared ideas to manage those tough days when your caree just doesn’t feel well, including...

Book Learning

I am a firm believer in reading about a topic that you are dealing with, if you do not know anything about it or simply need to gain more knowledge and insight. Having said that….pertaining to caregiving….books only take you to a point…you can only learn so much from them, the rest is on the job ‘hands on (or in) learning.’ I know someone entering into this world of caring for a...

Five Biggest Medical Bill Mistakes to Avoid

Yesterday, Sheri Samotin joined us on Your Caregiving Journey to share the five errors to avoid in managing your caree’s (and your own) medical bills. You can listen to our show via the player at the bottom of this post. So, here are the five biggest mistakes to avoid: 1. Not understanding your caree’s benefits and coverage. Take the time to learn and understand benefits and coverage; you’ll avoid the pain of...

Extreme Extremes

Fellow Caregivers – I hope this finds you all well; emotions balanced and your mood light. Are you strong in mind, body and spirit? Most days I am able to exist in these places; at least for some part of the day. As in most things, success is realized on some days more so than others. In reality, I doubt this differs much from the average Joe/Jane – BUT, I do feel like my extremes are, well, much...

Finding the Lost Happiness

This morning, Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo, author of “A Happy You: Your Ultimate Prescription for Happiness,” joined us for our monthly discussion on happiness. (You can listen to the entire show via the player at the bottom of the post.)  Today, we tackled the question: When life takes an unexpected turn and becomes what you don’t want, can we be happy?  We can. Here’s how: Grieve for the lost dream or...

Magic

(Editor’s Note: This week’s comfort is dedicated to Donna, who inspired this one.) If only, we can sometimes think, we could wave a wand to make all the difficulties of life disappear. Wouldn’t that be magical? Difficulties uncover blessings. Once uncovered, these blessings manifest into a perspective, a belief and a knowledge that life, because of its imperfections, is perfect. That’s the magic. Embrace...

Tell Us: What’s Fun for You?

I’m reading a book about happiness, specifically, how to make changes in your life to increase happiness. The author, Gretchen Rubin, spends one year, month by month, making deliberate differences in her perspective and actions. I’m on Chapter Five, or “May,” during which Gretchen focuses on increasing her fun factor. Her struggle is distinguishing the difference between what she thinks...

What Do You Think? My Grandmother Complains Constantly

(Editor’s Note: A few weeks ago, we launched a new section on the site, “What Do You Think?” In the section, you can ask for suggestions and advice from other family caregivers. Today, a family caregiver to his grandmother would like your input on his situation. Would you like to post your story in order to get suggestions and advice? Simply send an email to Denise.) I’m my grandmother’s...

What Happens When the Caregiver Can’t Function?

Monday night, I hurt my back. Not sore muscles, or a fatigued back (which has happened plenty during this caregiving experience), but discs out of place. Mom went to sit on the edge of the bed, and sat too early. My choice was to catch her, or let her fall. I caught her, but when I did, I felt a “pop” and instant pain. After two days of doctor visits, I am in bed and recuperating. However, I don’t...

Skye in the Morning, Donna W in the Afternoon

Yesterday morning on Your Caregiving Journey, Skye Lanford, one of our family caregivers who blogs, joined us for a discussion about caring for her husband, taking care of her two young daughters and managing her small business. (You can listen to our interview via the player at the bottom of this post.) Skye shares poignant stories (she recorded her husband’s hair re-growth with photography) and difficult...

When the Escalator Is the Enemy

I’m attending the American Society on Aging annual conference today. I also stopped at the conference, held in Chicago at a large downtown hotel, on Monday morning and on Tuesday evening. On Monday morning, I saw what I was in for: Escalators, escalators and more escalators. I don’t like escalators. When I was eight or so, I leaned over the railing of our house’s back porch. The leaning caused the...

Who is This Man?

It was a beautiful day here again today. Since it has been a long winter, I thought it might be a good idea for my husband, Wayne, to take a little spin on his 4 wheel mobility scooter after lunch today. So I moved the car out of the garage, helped Wayne into his coat, and helped him out of his wheelchair on to the scooter. Well, that did not work out so well. Wayne said he almost fell asleep a couple of times...

March 16

I’ve off the computer for a while because of the carpal tunnel. It seems to be slowly getting better. I am doing acupuncture with a Chinese doctor and it seems to be helping. I also wrap my hands up and put a splint on to sleep at night. That way I don’t bend my wrists and hurt myself more. Because of this I haven’t had the burning pain at night anymore. I’ve also quit cleaning the house....