The Blinds

When I was young and shared apartments, we always had a division of responsibilities. Every Saturday, each roommate’s chores rotated. Everything got done (usually) and the work was divided evenly (mostly). Every so often, over the years, I look at some chore and think, “I sure wish I had a chore wheel and I could point to someone else whose turn it was to clean the bathroom or the kitchen or . . ....

Caregiving Tips from the Trenches: Family Caregivers Tell What Works for Them

According to recent research from the National Alliance for Caregiving, 29% of the U.S. adult population, or 65.7 million people, are family caregivers. While the numbers would seem to indicate family caregivers are in good company, the rub of caregiving is that it can often feel that you are the only one. The caregiving experience can feel lonely, exhausting and exasperating. To help lessen the frustration and...

Respite Space

We have had quite a number of guest speakers in our caregiving class. One such was an architect who specializes in universal design. One of her concepts is that our homes should have designated spaces. There are “dangerous spaces”; there should be at least one “safe space” and at least one “respite space”. What are dangerous and safe spaces? A “dangerous space” is any area or room which the caree...

Get Out of Your Cave

(This blog post is a very personal application to myself of Elijah’s experiences in I Kings 19 in the Old Testament of the Bible.) Sharon was feeling very discouraged and afraid because of the overwhelming circumstances of her life. She was especially discouraged about the circumstances of her husband’s disease and her ability to care for him in the future. She was tired of problem solving and the...

Wise Words from a Geriatric Psychiatrist

This morning, on Your Caregiving Journey, Dr. Mindy Rosenbloom joined us to share insights on how medications can help with your caree’s difficult behavior and depression. You can listen to our show via the player below. Dr. Rosenbloom told us why medications and their effects change as we age, how a psychiatrist determines the effectiveness of a medication, how depression can worsen the symptoms of dementia,...

We Think We Hide It, But Our Energy Shows

A few weeks ago, I was speaking with a fellow professional coach. Jim Kelly graduated from the same coaching program as I. We talked “shop,” so to speak, and then shared about our work. When I told Jim about working with family caregivers, he offered an interesting perspective: We all have an energy, he said, which impacts how others see us. When a (caree) sees frustration and guilt and hesitancy, then...

Happiness Project: November

We begin the fifth month of our Happiness Project! In November, our action is Let Go. Participants in our project will share what they’re doing with “Let Go” in our comments section, below. For me, I’m going to let go: of bad memories; of unrealistic expectations; of fear. I look forward to hearing what you’re letting go! Would you like to be a part of our Happiness Project? We’d love...

Do You Use Your Retirement Savings to Pay for Caregiving Costs?

In this week’s poll, sponsored by Caregiving.com and eCareDiary.com, we ask if you’ve used your retirement savings to pay for caregiving costs. Please vote in our poll, below. And, share additional thoughts in our comments section. To Pay for Caregiving Costs, Have You Tapped Into Your Retirement Savings?survey software Related Articles 64% of Working Sandwich Generation Say They Live Paycheck to...

President Obama Declares November National Family Caregivers Month

NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH, 2010 - – - – - – - BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION Every day, family members, friends, neighbors, and concerned individuals across America provide essential attention and assistance to their loved ones. Many individuals in need of care — including children, elders, and persons with disabilities — would have difficulty...

You’ll Be Okay: Godspeed Caregivers Comfort Today’s Family Caregivers

In September, a very smart man named Dan Savage started a campaign called “It Gets Better.” Savage wanted to show young gay and lesbian individuals that life will get better for them. Through the project, gays and lesbians create videos to tell the young generation that it does better, that they will be okay. What a great idea, I thought, I think I’ll borrow it. So, in honor of National Family...

Tempting

In caregiving, it’s tempting to close your eyes. When you close your eyes, you don’t have to see the problems, the decline, the shambles that caregiving can create. It’s tempting to assume that, in closing your eyes, it all disappears. If you can’t see it, then it must not exist. It’s also tempting to believe it’s too much for you to handle. So, you close your eyes because you...