Late last night a local radio station posed the question, “if you could relive a past day of your life, any day of your choosing, what day would that be?”
A thought provoking question to be sure; depending on where you are in your life your answers could be endless or perhaps a certain day or two instantly comes to mind.
Due to my parents’ decline I’ve been looking back a lot lately, capturing and...
This morning, on Your Caregiving Journey, Claire Day, Vice President of Constituent Services for the Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter, helped us find the words to explain dementia’s behavior to family members and friends. You can listen to our show via player, below.
How do you prepare visiting family members and friends for dementia’s behavior? Please share your experiences in our...
“Caregiving is not easy. I can’t imagine care-receiving is either.”
Dana, a new blogger on Caregiving.com, (Welcome Dana!) made the above comment and it reminded me of one of the “joys” of sandwich caregiving especially when your kids are teenagers. My kids see my parents and have heard our family history (on both sides of the family we live a long time (90′s-100′s) and die...
This is the follow up to my post “Holidaze”
Dad is back in his facility and resting comfortably. No specific caused found his seizure but we’ll be making the rounds of the Dr’s in the days and weeks to come. I learned that the original seizure occurred in the shower so I’m feel blessed that Dad didn’t get injured in there.
I need to buy flowers for the staff.
When I returned from...
“How was your holiday?” everyone has been asking.
I usually answer vaguely, “It was interesting…”
As you know from my last post the Christmas holiday began with my wedding anniversary which meant a trip to the cemetery and commemorating my wife’s death. Dad’s physical state declined to the point that I wondered whether he was going to live through the end of the month....
Today I went to work. It may be two days before Christmas and relatively quiet but a military base never completely closes.
Today I saw new “Welcome Home” banners posted on the fence line outside the base. A unit must be returning soon. I pray they make it back in time for Christmas, it’ll be close. I remember those days and smile, happy for the returning Marines and their families.
Today I took my Dad to yet...
I read on another Alzheimer support site a critique of the popular concept that roles reverse in Caregiving and we “parent our parents.” The author gave a thoughtful defense of the fact that our parents never cease to be our parents and are deserving of the respect that implies. The author also made the point that even within Caregiving there are lessons our parents can impart to us.
I agree…...
Wednesday was another visit with my parents. Mom continued with her inquisition, focusing again on my deceased wife intermixed with adament statements about how she was not my mother. We vacillated between being siblings and being distant relatives.
I tried a new track and asked them both what they wanted for Christmas. Dad didn’t answer. He barely lifted his head. Mom paused for only a second before...
I’m looking forward to the Progressive Blog Party this year, especially after days like today.
Mom and Dad seemed to push all of my emotional buttons today during my visit with them. Dad is increasingly tired and now having trouble just sitting up. He speaks when spoken to but when he opens his eyes there is no sense of recognition. When asked who I am, he just stares blankly. He hasn’t spoken...
This morning, Claire Day, Vice President of Constituent Services for the Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter, joined me for our monthly discussion about dementia care. We spoke about how to keep your caree’s spirituality alive—in your house worship and at home. You can listen to our show via the player below.
Claire and I shared thoughts about the importance of involving your caree in...
Yesterday, at the Gerontological Society of America annual conference in Boston, The National Alliance for Caregiving released its most recent study of family caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease, Caregiving Costs: Declining Health in the Alzheimer’s Caregiver as Dementia Increases in the Care Recipient.
According to the study, a family caregiver’s health decreases over time as their caree’s...
“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks…”
[1 Thess 5:16-18a]
The past month has given me much to be thankful for…
I am thankful for the legacy my brother has left me.
I am thankful that I got to see him just before his death.
I am thankful for my best friend’s young son walked up and gave me a hug at my brother’s memorial service.
I am thankful for the...
This morning, Claire Day, Vice President of Constituent Services for the Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter, joined me on Your Caregiving Journey to talk about Alzheimer’s disease and Hospice. You can listen to our show via the player below.
We talked about the importance of including Hospice in your caree’s care plan as well as its benefits to you and to your caree. Medicare includes a...
Home safe and sound and I can happily report that my garmet bag was right where I left it, in my bedroom, fully packed. I may have left my luggage at home but I have now have a nice new suit, dress shirt, dress shoes, socks, tie, tie clip and several casual articles of clothing.
An important lesson learned, when you type the words “mall” “men’s clothing” and “chicago”...
Posted by
Denise on Oct 19th, 2011 in
Denise's Blog |
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The number of people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is astounding—but even more so is the number of people caring for a loved one suffering from AD. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 5 million Americans have AD and almost 11 million people are serving as their unpaid caregivers.
America spends $172 billion caring for people with AD and other dementias and costs are expected to...
For my trip to my brother’s Memorial Service and to support my sister-in-law, niece and nephew, I had packed several sets of casual but nice clothes plus a dark blue suit and tie combo for the actual Service. I had made sure everything was clean, pressed, packed in my garment bag and staged in my bedroom the night before departure… where they remain.
Yup, traveled all the way to the airport and was...
I was up late last night, trading emails with my sister-in-law, helping in the planning of my brother’s memorial. One of the things she asked me do to was edit a biography of him. I couldn’t help but reflect on the many things I had learned from my older brother. Arguably one of the most important lessons was the importance of those who serve you.
Every where my brother went, he made a point of making...
First, thank you for the many statements of condolences. They are appreciated and needed. One of the things I’m having to grapple with is that caregiving and parenting doesn’t stop, not even during a time such as this.
In that vein, I wanted to share a recent observation. My dad has been experiencing some fluid retention particularly in his legs. I’m taking him in for a medical checkup;...
My brother died this morning.
I informed my sister. I told my son and daughter. I let friends who had been praying and supporting us know. I didn’t have the heart to tell Mom and Dad.
Interestingly Dad, without prompting, asked me about his oldest son. I stammered an indirect answer.
I’ve been down that road of telling them about the death of a loved one. They can’t process it. It’ll...
This morning, on Your Caregiving Journey, Dr. Benjamin Mast joined me for a terrific discussion on when to end tests for your caree. Dr. Mast is an Associate Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences and Associate Clinical Professor in Geriatric Medicine at the University of Louisville (Kentucky). He’s also the author of Whole Person Dementia Assessment. You can listen...
This morning on Your Caregiving Journey, Claire Day, Vice President of Constituent Services for the Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter, joined me for our monthly show on dementia care. You can listen to our show via the player at the bottom of the post.
During the show, Claire answered a question from our chat room about managing incontinence care and two questions emailed to me from a...
The advisory council of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act will convene for the first time tomorrow (September 27) at 9:30 a.m. ET at the Administration on Aging headquarters in Washington, D.C.
National Alzheimer’s Project Act, signed into law in January, will create a coordinated national plan to overcome the Alzheimer’s crisis and will ensure the coordination and evaluation of all national efforts...
