We share stories, support and solutions to help you care for your family members and friends. Feel free to join our discussions on our blogs and in our community.
Your Caregiving Journey airs today (May 23) at 11 a.m. ET (10 a.m. CT, 8 a.m. PT). Anna Stookey joins Denise to discuss why it’s so hard to let go. You can listen to the show and join the chat room here.
(Image Credit: DarKobra at Deviantart)
It’s Survey Time!What’s caregiving like for you? We’d love to know! Please complete our 2012 Family Caregiver Survey. Start the survey by visiting here. (Please Note: Because we want to make sure we capture your experience, the survey may take as long as 30 minutes.)
Call for VideosWhat makes caregiving a meaningful experience for you? We’d love for you to show us. Our call for your videos asks you to share the difficulties of an experience that can be incredibly meaningful. Learn more here.
Read Our Latest Posts
Look Up
How many times during the day do you catch yourself looking down? Perhaps you look down because the weight of caregiving seems too heavy. Or, maybe you look down because it feels like your life is down there—going down the drain, flushing down the toilet. Or, you might be looking down because that seems to be the best way to...
Oh Man
Hey everyone, everything is the same here. I am having to do everything for Mom and Dad. If I am not at home, they will not eat or even go to restroom. So it is getting increasingly harder to go to lunch with friends. I feel more isolated. I don’t like feeling this way but it comes with the territory....
So Many Questions – Not So Many Answers
How do you feel? Where do you hurt? Does that taste good to you? My mother has not felt well over the past couple of days. Although the pain in her arm has subsided, she has had diarrhea and has been vomiting. Things began to calm down around five o’clock yesterday afternoon. Hospice gave us compazine for the nausea, for which...
Tell Us: How Do Keep Your Caree Occupied?
Yesterday, during Table Talk on Your Caregiving Journey, Kristin spoke about her inability to do what she enjoys. She has books to read, words to write, websites to visit… And, yet she can’t. The stress of worrying about Mary and whether Mary is safe becomes her day’s only action. It’s all she can do—think about making sure Mary is okay....
2011…
Trish inspired me by her post about 2011. I can brag and say that I’m later than she is! I meant to get this done earlier but it has been a busy start to 2012. I don’t think I achieved as much as Trish but we had some good times/accomplishments. The year started out in January with finding out that...
Update on Nicole
Thursday we went for our quarterly appointment for Nicole at Shand’s Hospital. One of Rick’s customers at work had told us about a different route to take that was quicker and would take two hours and five minutes as opposed to two hours and thirty minutes the way we had been going. We left about 7:35 a.m. as we had...
Oh My Gosh (OMG)….
The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) is the leading organization for research and education. Every other year they have a weekend conference. In 2010 it was in California (I believe Anaheim). This year the conference is held in Orlando, Florida at Sea World. This is my backyard. They offer scholarships to help people be able to come who aren’t financially able...
Encouraging Kristin
This morning on Your Caregiving Journey, Kristin joined me for Table Talk. You can listen to our show via the player below. Kristin shared how she feels as a burnt-out family caregiver. And, it feels awful! I asked her how we can help her and she said, “Just this. Encourage me.” After you’ve had a chance to listen to the...
Connect with Other Family Caregivers Through Our Blogs and Groups
Dementia CareCaring for a family member with dementia, like Alzheimer’s, Lewy Body dementia or vascular dementia? Connect with others in our dementia care groups. We’ve got a group for the early stages (sometimes called mild), for the middle stages (sometimes called moderate) and for the end stages (often called severe).
Caring for ParentsRead the blogs of those who care for parents. And, join the group to connect with others here. The group’s community manager is Karen, who cared for her mother and brother.
Working and CaringDo you work and provide care? Connect with other working family caregivers here. The group’s community manager is Trish, who cares for her brother.
Caring for PartnersRead the blogs of those caring for their partners. And, join the group to connect with others here. The community manager for the group is ejourneys, who cares for her partner.
Christian CaregivingConnect with others who want to discuss their faith and their caregiving journey. Join our group, here, to connect with others. Jane, who cares for her daughter, is the group’s community manager.
Caring for ChildrenRead the blogs of those who care for their children. And, join the group to connect with others here. The group’s community manager is Jane, who cares for her daughter.
Caring for Adult ChildrenThis group helps those who care for adult children. Join the group here.
Long-Distance CaregivingThis group helps those who care from afar. Join the group here.
Denise’s BlogsRead Denise’s blogs, her Weekly Words of Comfort and her recaps of Your Caregiving Journey talk show.
Your National ResourcesWhat do you know about the national resources that can help family caregiver? Share what you know in our national group. Need to know about resources? Search for help in our national group to see what others have shared.
Caring for Kids and ParentsRead the blogs of those who care for parents while raising their children. And, join the group to connect with others here. The group’s community manager is Bette, who cares for her mom as she raises her three children.
Caring for Spouse and KidsRead the blogs of those who care for their spouse while raising their children. And, join the group to connect with them here.
Read the blogs of those who care for a spouse. You can connect with others in the group here.
Caring for SiblingsRead the blogs of those who care for a sibling. And, connect with others in the group here. The group’s community manager is Trish, who cares for her brother.
Caring for GrandparentsRead the blogs of those who care for grandparents. And, join the group to connect with others here.
Book ClubWe read great books with a slant toward caregiving. When possible, the book’s author joins our discussion on Your Caregiving Journey. Join the group here and view our current and previous book picks here.
Nursing Home SupportThis group helps those who care for a family or friend in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Join the group here.
Caregiving MenThis group is for men in a caregiving role who would like to connect with other men. Join the group here.
Your Community ResourcesWhat do you know about the resources in your community? Share which providers and services work in your community. Search for your state in our groups, then create a topic in the forum to share what you know about your city or town’s resources. Need to know about resources? Search for your state in our groups to see what others have shared.
Looking to help a family member with an inpatient drug rehab, we can be of assistance!
In Take Comfort and Take Comfort, Too, Denise takes a word, applies it to your caregiving situation, and then offers a reflection of hope. Buy here.
Now on CD: Take Comfort, Reflections of Hope for Caregivers. Bring Denise with you in your car, in the waiting room, during your difficult days. Buy here.
The Caregiving Years, Six Stages to a Meaningful Journey, helps you answer the questions: Why me? Why now? What now? Buy here.
Help, A Collection of Stories by Those Who Care, the first in our CareGifters Book Series, is now available! Proceeds of our book sales go toward our CareGifters program. Buy here.
Your Comments