The Spiritual Life of a Caregiver Guest article by Dr. Carol Peters-Tanksley One year ago, my caregiving journey ended as I washed my husband’s closed eyes and kissed his lifeless hands. Al would never have wanted to call me his caregiver, but as his illness progressed that’s what I increasingly became. I felt the full [...]
Despite Dementia, Michael O’Brien Smiles Twenty-one years ago, when I became a full-time family caregiver for my father with dementia, few people talked openly about living with dementia. Most didn’t want to talk about it at all and their families usually spoke about it, quietly. We often used the term, Alzheimer’s, to describe nearly all [...]
What do you mean? Recently, I viewed a video excerpt of a former caregiver claiming that despite being comfortable with both online and offline research, she couldn’t find any information for caregivers. Really? Nothing? The Caregiver’s Voice REVIEW receives books with similar remarks in the introduction: I wrote this book because there is no information [...]
Carole Mulliken provides this month’s review of the book, The Inheritance for The Caregiver’s Voice REVIEW. If you are a caregiver for a person with Alzheimer’s, you know that caregiving can be a 24/7 in-your-face challenge. Sometimes, it lasts for decades. The Inheritance is a sweeping saga of the ill-fated Galen and Gail DeMoe family. [...]
When a parent or spouse is diagnosed with dementia, fun and games are far from most people’s minds. Believe it or not, a popular tabletop game can actually slow cognitive decline. It can give those coping with early-stage or mid-stage dementia an opportunity to thrive. That game? Ping pong . Ping pong (table tennis) has [...]
Stephanie Rudig Cecilia Hayden-Smith —a retired cook, caterer, and addiction-counselor—has met people from all walks of life since moving to the District in 1962, when she arrived from a small town in Maryland. Now 72, she shares a house with other women. Hayden-Smith came out as a lesbian in her thirties. “I was a late-bloomer [...]
One of The Caregiver’s Voice readers writes: A healthcare professional who is obsessively clean may just save your or your loved one’s life! Being meticulously clean can make a big difference between life and death. I read an article about caregiving services for seniors and wanted to know if there are acceptable standards of care. [...]
Guest article by Chris Semen There comes a time when our elder loved ones need to consider a home transition–whether it’s relocating to a smaller home or downsizing to an independent assisted living community. Late-life transitions are often perceived as a negative aspect of aging and can be rather stressful on relocating seniors and their [...]
Guest article by Sarah Schwarcz Memory loss, whether it’s from Alzheimer’s or dementia, is difficult for both those living with it and for those they love. Denial of the condition can make it even worse, but often denial is more than simple head-in-the-sand behavior. Anosognosia is a condition that makes it difficult, if not impossible, [...]
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Guest Article by Kimberly O’Loughlin Today’s health care environment can be confusing and complex for seniors and their families. As seniors age and their health conditions progress, often their adult children who step in as caregivers. Today, more than 43.5 million Americans provide help to an adult family member. More than 30 percent are also [...]
Guest article by Charles Sipe The number of recalled drugs in the United States surged from 166 in 2004 to a staggering 1,225 in 2013. Last year is shaping up to be a big year in drug recalls with 836 recalls through August 11, 2014. The rapid acceleration in the number of recalls should be [...]
Guest article by EarQ Today, 48 million Americans report some degree of hearing loss. Meanwhile, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia, every 67 seconds. Now, new research is beginning to show that the two conditions have more in common than you may think. When it comes to [...]
There are over five million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease today and it is the only disease in the top 10 causes of death that cannot be prevented, slowed, or cured. Alzheimer’s is unique, as it’s considered a family disease, impacting not only those with the disease, but also their caregivers – totaling more than [...]
There’s been more discussion lately about the stigma of dementia and Alzheimer’s. The stigma takes root in the language we use, which shapes what we believe and then affects how we treat people with dementia. Oftentimes, the media (unknowingly) will use “Alzheimer’s victim ” or the “dementia sufferer .” The unintended result of this language [...]
Guest article by Chris Seman Chris Seman CEO Caring Transitions Studies report that clutter causes anxiety. Books such as Marie Kondo’s The Magic of Tidying Up , have become best sellers because possessions represent not just joy, but guilt, bad memories and responsibilities. Clutter presents challenges for people with Alzheimer’s or other causes of dementia. [...]
According to the Alzheimer’s Dementia International, almost 47 million people around the world have dementia caused by Alzheimer’s, Lewy body, vascular, frontotemporal lobe, Parkinson’s, including rarer causes. In the U.S. alone, over 15 million people care for the 5.4 million diagnosed with dementia. Worldwide, this figure rises to above 100 million. Because there is no [...]
Guest article by Megan W. Minogue As our parents enter their elder years, they depend on us more and more for care and support. Here are five great ways for you to be a caregiver to your parents wherever they live — with you, on their own, or in a care facility. While it might [...]
Guest Post by Chris Seman It can be overwhelming to help memory impaired adults and those with dementia, to downsize their home belongings in preparation for a move into a senior care community. Organizations that specialize in support and services for older adults, their families and caregivers during downsizing, rightsizing, and relocation can bring peace [...]
You may not know this but, in 1988, President Ronald Reagan declared August 21st National Senior Citizens Day. This important occasion is, unfortunately, rarely recognized but we can do more to increase its visibility. We would not be here without our elders and they deserve to be celebrated, respected and remembered. A small amount of [...]
