If you've noticed something just...isn't right...with your aging parents or loved ones, you may be wondering, "What do I do?" It can be a scary time, a confusing time, and a time when you really just aren't sure where to turn. Our goal is to help you, with 5 simple steps, to help you determine [...]
It’s the holidays, “the most wonderful time of the year.” While this season is a time for us to celebrate life and our many blessings, stress can exist. I am a firm believer in living each day to the fullest and making each moment count, but how can we make the most of each day, [...]
That’s my dad with his beautiful snow-white curls framed by the lake. He still knows me, but the last stroke left him in a wheelchair, in an adult family home, and with dementia. His love of 65 years has been gone for almost two years now. Your mother was just here and I wish she [...]
A: Accept that some of the hardest decisions you will ever have to make lie ahead. For example, when does nursing home care become the best or, perhaps, the only option? B: Be a creative problem solver. When I needed Mom to go to daycare, I persuaded her that she would be there to help [...]
Too often caregivers feel that their loved one’s incontinence is a natural result of aging, dementia, medication or disability. They may not seek help because they assume that nothing can be done. But that might not be entirely true. Let’s learn about this too-little-talked-about condition. First of all, we need a basic anatomy lesson. The [...]
Holidays and special occasions can bring out the best and the worst in us. The prospect of wonderful, happy times abound, filling us with somewhat unrealistic hopes for our relationships. We are often disappointed by how these special occasions turn out. Add to the normal tensions of holidays, the image of someone you love being [...]
The holidays are here...a time for sharing time with family, friends, loved ones, and creating fond memories. It's not just passing the turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes, but sharing laughter, good conversation, and catching up with those you may have been somewhat out of touch with over the year... What happens, though, when you notice [...]
Your whole family is gathered for dinner during the holidays. Your sister-in-law is playing a video to entertain her two boys. Your spouse is having an animated discussion with your brother about holiday-light displays. A timer is buzzing in the kitchen. Your teenage daughter tells you that your mother, who lives with Alzheimer’s, is upset. [...]
What is the origin of these three English-language pet peeves? Could it be as a caregiver, I felt my time was not respected at the doctor’s office? Or are these due to English being my second language? As a first-generation American, we, like many immigrant families, spoke my parents’ native language. In my case, it [...]
Tremor is an involuntary, rhythmic muscle contraction leading to shaking movements in one or more parts of the body. It is a common movement disorder that most often affects the hands but can also occur in the arms, head, vocal cords, torso, and legs. Tremor may be intermittent (occurring at separate times, with breaks) or [...]
Caregiver, ask for HELP before it’s too late. Oftentimes, caregiving families (including mine) dive into crisis mode before they know what they’re getting into. As they dive deeper and deeper, they lose sight of the shoreline. Soon, they come up and gasp for air. Looking around, there’s nothing but shark-filled waters. This is a risky [...]
For National Family Caregivers Month, we review Merrill Lynch’s just-released 42-page Caregiving Study Report, entitled, The Journey of Caregiving: Honor, Responsibility and Financial Complexity. While we often think of caregiving as hands-on care, surprisingly, 98% of family caregivers surveyed provide emotional and social support. Only 64% report providing hands on physical care. Over 2,000 family [...]
Linda Sivertsen presents the concept of Time Debt – something we caregivers experience, but likely didn’t have a name for, until now. When we were younger, time went by slowly; especially, when we’re in school. As we grew older, we likely had the same lament as our parents: The seasons pass too quickly. Sometimes, our [...]
It used to be that speaking was a fear greater than death. Today, the fear of getting Alzheimer’s is frequently cited among the aging population. While VOICES with Dementia aims to raise awareness of people with dementia who live productive and meaningful lives, the stigma remains. But not for long among those willing to take [...]
Caitlin Keating reports for People Magazine that these two newlyweds in the UK must now find a way to live dementia. Former globe trotter, Becky Barletta, who lived an active life now needs ’round the clock care. While her husband works, Becky needs caregivers to help look after her at her parents’ home. Despite symptoms [...]
While caring for a loved one with dementia, there are painful moments, which make us wonder if we can go on. For some, within that pain, lies an opportunity for laughter. This is how we survive. Caregiver humor is like that – bittersweet . She Is Much Nicer Than You Are Retired nurse-turned caregiver, Jeanne [...]
Learning to Appreciate the Humorous Side of Caregiving Caregiving can be a challenging and stressful profession…but it also has it’s unexpectedly funny moments…when you can learn to appreciate them. Even in the most stressful situations, professionals in senior care say that laughing can even be helpful for the caregiver, as well as the patient. [...]
Canadian-born Mary Beth Wighton, has been living with frontotemporal lobe dementia since 2012 when she was diagnosed at age 45. Two years later, she co-founded the Ontario Dementia Advisory Group (ODAG) with the mission of influencing governmental policies affecting the rights of people with dementia. “Since the formation of ODAG,” Mary Beth says, “members have [...]
Survey to Meet the Needs of Aging Population Los Angeles County (home of The Caregiver’s Voice) is conducting a survey to address the needs our diverse aging population. It includes questions about caregiving for people with dementia/Alzheimer’s. DEADLINE October 1, 2017 The survey is offered in 10 languages to meet the needs of Los Angeles’s [...]
Clinical Trials at Your Fingertips Clinical trials offer patients and caregivers the opportunity to be involved in their family’s medical care. Their participation in dementia research will help shape the future of medicine. Unfortunately, most people don’t know about clinical trials. For those that do, it’s difficult to find ones for which they qualify. Studies [...]
