Here’s a question: Who sets out to change the world by designing a mobility aid? Unexpected answer: Someone who spent years in Afghanistan building schools for girls.A few years ago I began reading about the Alinker Walking Bike and was intrigued. So last week, with the help of a mutual friend’s
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THE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: ALZHEIMER’S AND AGGRESSION: STRATEGIES TO COPE
It is my pleasure to host this guest post about managing aggression in loved ones who have Alzheimer’s or dementia. This is a difficult and painful subject, but one that many caregivers have to manage regularly and often with little support. Here is some excellent advice to begin (Read more…)
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: NATIONAL CARERS DAY: A TIME TO THANK YOURSELF AND TELL OTHERS!
April 3rd is National Carers Day in Canada. You won’t receive any cards or cakes for National Carers Day. You won’t be handed a box of chocolates or a new diamond ring either. If you did, you would have made it or bought it and wrapped it yourself. That’s the
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: A Couple of Things on My Mind
Happy Easter and Chag Sameach (Happy Passover) everyone! I’ve been writing quite a bit recently – here’s what’s been on my mind. 1) Can we still be caregivers if our loved ones move into assisted living or long-term care facilities? Can we still ‘be a family’ if our loved one lives
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: Helping A Loved One With Alzheimer’s Understand A Death In The Family
It is my pleasure to host this guest post today on the important topic of how to help our loved ones with Alzheimer’s cope with and understand a death in the family. Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of Americans, and even with all the studies that have been done surrounding its
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: POST-ACUTE CARE FOR CAREGIVERS: MANAGING THE CHALLENGES
–> I am very excited to host this guest post about managing post-acute care in our loved ones. In my family, we’ve had to learn about options the hard way. This is a great roundup of information to make decision-making about post-hospital supports a whole lot easier – DonnaPost-Acute Care
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: I ASKED, “WHAT DO OTHERS LIKE ABOUT YOU?”
I’m working on a writing project and looking through old notes. Today, I found this fascinating gem from 2011:Yesterday, I had the most interesting conversation with our son Nicholas. On our to-do list before leaving London are two three hour skype interviews with the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: WHEN OUR LOVED ONE GETS BETTER AND WE GET WORSE
This week, an online article caught my eye. It was a report on research into patients with heart disease who had undergone surgery to implant called a Ventricular Assist Device, or LVAD. Turns out that a few weeks after surgery, the patients felt much better, but their caregivers felt worse.
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY – A DAY TO CELEBRATE CARING!
March 8 is International Women’s Day and this year, I would like to celebrate the women in our families who nurture us, love us, feed us, drive us, shop for us, and rescue us from mishaps every day of our lives. What if 3 Wise Men were Women? What would
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: CAREGIVERS NEVER GET SICK, RIGHT?
Once, I came down with viral meningitis. Natalie was a toddler and Nicholas was four or five. At that time, an older teenager called Cali lived with us to help me with nursing and childcare at home. She and I worked hard to keep my two children safe and healthy
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: WHAT HAPPENED WHEN A DISTINGUISHED DOCTOR GOT SICK
Dr. Bernard Lown is 96 and knows a thing or two about health care. He’s a retired professor of cardiology at Harvard and a Nobel prize winner for his ground breaking work in his chosen field. But just like the rest of us, he’s aging and sometimes ill. Recently Dr.
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: I NEED A BREAK! IS A HOLIDAY EVEN POSSIBLE?
Once in a while in the life of a caregiver, the chance of a few days away from home reveals itself. A respite break might come from a community care home or it might be arranged with the help of family and friends who have offered to stay with a
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: IT’S NATIONAL CAREGIVER DAY – I’M SAYING THANK YOU!
Last year, the US Providers Association for Home Health & Hospice Agencies (PAHHHA) designated the third Friday in February as National Caregiver Day. This year, that’s today – February 16! The intention was to create a national occasion similar to Mother’s Day – one day in the year when Caregivers
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: TOOLS FOR EVERYDAY SENIOR SAFETY
I always keep my eyes and ears open for news about devices that ease our burden of care while ensuring our loved ones are safe from harm. Today it’s my pleasure to host this guest post by Sarah Jackson on just that topic! As more people live longer and remain
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: ALL THE TIMES THAT PROFESSIONALS HAVE BEEN KIND – TISSUE ALERT!
A couple of years ago I met an amazing doctor. I was speaking at the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine conference in Fort Lauderdale and after my remarks, a gentle but insistent man approached me saying, “Hello, my name is Jim Plews-Ogan. I’m a pediatrician specializing in
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: I’VE FELT SO MUCH AND NOW I’M NUMB
Today I was speaking with another caregiver. We were talking about trauma.My friend’s Mom has been progressively losing skills due to a degenerative disease. It wasn’t just the disappearing abilities that hurt my friend, it was the numbness she felt herself. Here’s how she described what happened yesterday. “Mom’s been
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: ASKING FOR OR OFFERING HELP – WHY IS IT SO SO HARD?!
Recently, a friend and I railed at how homeless people on the street are ignored. “What kind of a society do we live in where we step over another human being lying on the sidewalk?” she demanded. I visualised myself on the street, seeing a human shape huddled under
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: DO FAMILIES BELONG IN HEALTH CARE?
If you have ever been in the same room with your loved one and a health care professional, you’ll know that it’s disorienting. I say that because it’s like going to the principal’s office, or having a business meeting when what you really want to do is have tea and
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: WELLBEING IN CAREGIVING – Here’s How to Get It
There are two questions about caring families that interest me. The first is, “How can we plan our days and weeks to give us a better chance of being happy?” The second is, “How can we tell how we’re doing with our wellbeing plan?”If you feel like your life is
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: How Caregivers Can Prepare Their Home For Alzheimer’s Patients
When your parent was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, you had an important decision to make: Where would your parent live? After discussing it with your family and a medical team, you’ve decided to move them into your house. That means you will need to make a few changes to the
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