Almost twenty years ago, I finished writing “Where’s my shoes?” My Father’s Walk through Alzheimer’s . It was released in hardcover in 1999. My father observed: This Alzheimer’s must be an important subject to have such a big book about it! I had already written four books and this was the most difficult. It was [...]
Recently a very articulate, very independent older friend of mine did some rehabilitation time in an assisted living home (probably the best one in town, and we know all of them), and though younger than she, I have always had a Nancy Drew kind of brain, and so I impertinently asked Marge, “What was it [...]
I remember hearing the doctor say to my husband, “You’ve got cancer,” and immediately wondered if I had misheard those words. Cancer diagnoses can result in many emotions for caregivers. You may struggle for another breath, cry and begin to mourn for the life you had before cancer entered your lives. You may not be [...]
Lisa Genova, neuroscientist and author of Still Alice, gave a TED talk early last year in Vancouver. Her remarks began with: Let’s project out into the future, to your future “yous,” and let’s imagine that we’re all 85. Now, everyone look at [the person beside you]. One of you probably has Alzheimer’s disease. [Laughter] Alright… [...]
Starting Oct. 18, the VA will review not just current assets, but records from the previous three years when deciding a veteran’s asset-based eligibility for VA Pension benefits -- commonly called Aid and Attendance (A&A) benefits. However, transfers of assets completed before Oct. 18 will not be counted against veterans or their surviving spouses. A&A [...]
Life after retirement is great. You have so much more time at your disposal than you ever did during all your working years. All that stuff you wanted to do but never had the energy for after a long day of work is finally within reach. The obvious downside is, of course, that you won’t [...]
This collection of curated article excerpts includes insights about depression and its evil twin, acedia; the CHANGE Act; the herpes virus and Alzheimer’s revisited; the good-bad leukotriene; and too many interests. Jack of all trades, Master of None? NOT! Read about polymaths and the seven advantages to being one. How can polymaths accelerate progress in [...]
In the U.S. today there are more than one million people with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Approximately 50,000 new cases are diagnosed annually. PD is a progressive movement disorder that affects the central nervous system. Its causes are unknown, and while physicians can manage some symptoms of the disease, there is no known cure. Primarily individuals [...]
“I know that my mom is still here today because we have been able to help her get the round-the-clock care she needs and live in the comfort of her home.” – Robert L., caregiver As a frequent panelist at Fearless Caregiver Conferences, we have lively and sometimes emotional conversations with our audience who has [...]
If you’re not someone who stretches every day, maybe it’s time to change your ways. “The older we get the more likely we are to be tight and have our muscles pull onto our skeletal structure and throw us out of whack,” says fitness trainer Joel Harper, author of the newly released book Mind Your [...]
