Do you find the need to repeat yourself more often than not to the person you are caring for? Does your talking level closely resemble your yelling level just so your loved one can hear you? Are you speaking so slowly that you end up losing your train of thought? It is possible that the [...]
Guest article by Cheryl Levin-Folio My husband, Michael, was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 56. It was surreal and hard to swallow, but we didn’t run away. Nor did we try to escape the stigma that accompanied the devastating news. We let it sink in and created a plan to live our [...]
Strokes, or “brain attacks,” disable Americans more than any other disease. With an interruption of blood to the brain, a stroke may have similar symptoms; but as everyone’s brain is different, so are the effects of each person’s stroke. There is no rhyme or reason to the severity of strokes and or to the recovery [...]
What is it like to be a caregiver? Your clients and their loved ones probably never expected to be caring for a person who is sick or has a disability. As professional caregivers, we need to ensure a meaningful quality of life for our clients, the care recipient, and ourselves. Just as the care recipient [...]
Keep your loved one comfortable and follow the recommendations of his or her health care provider. Keep others in the home healthy by washing hands and household surfaces frequently. Ensure that all medications are taken as directed. Keep your loved one in a separate space from other members of the household. Everyone in the home, [...]
When caring for people who have the flu: Avoid being face to face with the sick person. If possible, it is best to spend the least amount of time in close contact with a sick person. When holding sick children, place their chin on your shoulder so they will not cough in your face. Wash [...]
Winter is a special time for celebration. It should also be a time for added caution if you or someone in your family is an older adult. It is the season for falls, slips on icy streets and other dangers that can be especially harmful for older adults. "Something as simple as a fall can [...]
Before the ball drops in Times Square, promise yourself this year will be the year you become your own best caregiver. Resolve to do what thousands of others need to do – make time for yourself, because in so doing, you make your time with others better and more valuable. Here are some ideas to [...]
