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. [...]
Your parents cared for you growing up, and you want to return the favor. That makes sense, you feel obligated, you feel a sense of responsibility, you feel that you “owe it to them”. Before you jump in with both feet, you need to consider all of the implications of this decision. This is a [...]
Nearly 20 years ago, I delivered a speech in honor of a former caregiver for her husband with Parkinson’s. I titled it, It’s NOT the Thought That Counts . Rodin The Thinker Photo by Crystal Borde The speech was inspired by regret. In 1994, while on a tight schedule in Milwaukee, I decided not to [...]
If we’re to survive, we caregivers must find something to laugh about. We’ll thrive and find joy each day, when we tap our well of caregiver humor. There’s much to laugh about in simple everyday interactions if we stop being so serious about ourselves. I used to visit, José, my caregiver friend Lisa’s husband. He [...]
At Death’s Door brings to life the end of life. Many of us remain unaware of the important issues families face near the end of life. What does a DNR/DNI entail? What are the leading conditions that lead to irreversible decline? Who has the legal right to make decisions regarding our healthcare? What options does [...]
Lyn Purser was born 46 years ago with intellectual disabilities. Born four months premature, she was placed on antibiotics shortly after birth. Five months later, she and her older brother left Italy for America with their parents. At age 14, she experienced a period of seizures that were inadequately controlled with medication. As a result, [...]
Each person I’ve interviewed for this Voices with Dementia column surprises me. Before Brian LeBlanc , who also lives with dementia, referred me to Nancy Nelson, he wrote, “We’re all snowflakes.” Well Snowflake Nancy made me smile until my face hurt. Nancy’s life changed when she forgot three words. Her doctor asked her to [...]
Despite how much we’ve learned, people with dementia are still stigmatized. Often, it’s due to not knowing enough about the disease. Other times, it’s people losing patience and jumping to conclusions. Here’s a four-minute video from Singapore that will inspire, slow us down and share a profound message of how life magically comes full circle. [...]
The Caregiver’s Voice Reviews Ann Vanino’s Chrysalis – Transformation from the Inside Out There are two periods in a caregiver’s life when a metamorphosis occurs – the moment we commit to caregiving and the period after. Chrysalis is the name given to the dramatic and total re-creation of a new life – the metamorphosis from [...]
FLORENCE -- Many of the older residents attending Thursday's 44th annual Senior Citizens Appreciation Day on Thursday at the Florence-Lauderdale Coliseum said they are worried about money, health care, prescription costs and national security. Nunery is 60, the "youngest" age to participate in the event, sponsored by the Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments. Her [...]
