I receive lots of requests to post about care-related projects, companies or products. Sometimes a request comes in that I just LOVE and this is one of those. Dining With Dysphagia is a cookbook with a difference. All the recipes are designed to entice the palates of anyone who has
Continue readingAuthor: Donna Thomson
THE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: 3 Joyous Ways to Celebrate Ourselves and Our Moms
Thank goodness for technology! Yesterday I was able to chat from my front porch in Cat Island, Bahamas, with a new friend who lives in rural Wales. Francesca Cassini is the founder of the Silver Tent, ‘An Online Community for Wise, Wild Women Over 50’. We talked about what we
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: SURVIVAL SKILLS FOR STRESSED OUT CAREGIVERS
This is a reprint of a post from a couple of years ago. I think it’s worth publishing again, because the lessons about stress management from First Nations peoples are so helpful. I’ve just come from our family cottage in the north woods of Quebec. It’s peaceful there – a
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: Drawing Personal Boundaries in Caregiving
There’s a ton of messaging out there for caregivers that sounds like this: Make time for yourself! Plan respite! When it’s all too much, just say no! Doesn’t it all sound so easy? And if we feel exhausted and happen to mention that to friends or family, those messages echo
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: Drawing Personal Boundaries in Caregiving
There’s a ton of messaging out there for caregivers that sounds like this: Make time for yourself! Plan respite! When it’s all too much, just say no! Doesn’t it all sound so easy? And if we feel exhausted and happen to mention that to friends or family, those messages echo
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: Happy Intl. Women’s Day All You Caregivers Out There!
Caregiving isn’t only women’s work, but it’s largely women’s work. So today, March 8th 2017, I wish you all a very happy Intl. Women’s Day. My message to you is: I SEE YOU. I FEEL YOUR WORRY AND YOUR FATIGUE. TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER, SO LET’S SPEAK UP ABOUT OUR
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: Happy Intl. Women’s Day All You Caregivers Out There!
Caregiving isn’t only women’s work, but it’s largely women’s work. So today, March 8th 2017, I wish you all a very happy Intl. Women’s Day. My message to you is: I SEE YOU. I FEEL YOUR WORRY AND YOUR FATIGUE. TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER, SO LET’S SPEAK UP ABOUT OUR
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: The Ancient Wizardry of Caregiver ‘Touch’
When Nick was very small and I was cutting my teeth as a disability Mom and advocate, I went to my first family caregiving conference. Two days in another city was respite for me – Jim looked after Nick at home during my short stay away. But some parents brought
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: The Ancient Wizardry of Caregiver ‘Touch’
When Nick was very small and I was cutting my teeth as a disability Mom and advocate, I went to my first family caregiving conference. Two days in another city was respite for me – Jim looked after Nick at home during my short stay away. But some parents brought
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: HOSPITALS NEED KINDNESS POLICE STAT!
This is my cyber friend and fellow disability Mom/activist, Sue Robins. Sue is a wonderful writer and regular blogger. I was so outraged by Sue’s hospital experience being treated for breast cancer that I had to share her entire post. Read below for my thoughts on how to fix the
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: HOSPITALS NEED KINDNESS POLICE STAT!
This is my cyber friend and fellow disability Mom/activist, Sue Robins. Sue is a wonderful writer and regular blogger. I was so outraged by Sue’s hospital experience being treated for breast cancer that I had to share her entire post. Read below for my thoughts on how to fix the
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: What I’ve Learned About Myself Caring For My Mom
For many years I was the primary caregiver in our family for our son who has severe disabilities. Nicholas needed a lot of therapy and was often ill enough to be in the hospital. Those were fraught and exhausting times. Now our son lives in a wonderful care home near
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: What I’ve Learned About Myself Caring For My Mom
For many years I was the primary caregiver in our family for our son who has severe disabilities. Nicholas needed a lot of therapy and was often ill enough to be in the hospital. Those were fraught and exhausting times. Now our son lives in a wonderful care home near
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: WINTER CAREGIVER ACHES AND PAINS
I live where the temperature can sometimes dip down to sub-zero numbers. Snow and slush make pushing our son in his wheelchair difficult and my Mom needs support to navigate icy pavement with her walker. Winter is hard on caregivers, that’s for sure. If your back is aching these days,
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: WINTER CAREGIVER ACHES AND PAINS
I live where the temperature can sometimes dip down to sub-zero numbers. Snow and slush make pushing our son in his wheelchair difficult and my Mom needs support to navigate icy pavement with her walker. Winter is hard on caregivers, that’s for sure. If your back is aching these days,
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: The Hardest Part of Caregiving: Fostering Meaning and Purpose
“I feel useless. Good for nothing…” my Mom says. I recount back to her the ways she gives to our family and for a moment, she feels like a contributor. Before I leave, Mom pushes a ten dollar bill into my hand. “Here, give this to Nick. He can buy
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: The Hardest Part of Caregiving: Fostering Meaning and Purpose
“I feel useless. Good for nothing…” my Mom says. I recount back to her the ways she gives to our family and for a moment, she feels like a contributor. Before I leave, Mom pushes a ten dollar bill into my hand. “Here, give this to Nick. He can buy
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: It Feels Good to Know People are Listening
I was excited to receive two compliments on my blog this week. The first is from Drive DeVilbiss Health Care – they honoured me by listing The Caregivers’ Living Room as a ‘Top Caregiver Blog’. And Stairlifts Reviews listed The Caregivers’ Living Room as one of the 100 Best Caregiving Blogs.
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: It Feels Good to Know People are Listening
I was excited to receive two compliments on my blog this week. The first is from Drive DeVilbiss Health Care – they honoured me by listing The Caregivers’ Living Room as a ‘Top Caregiver Blog’. And Stairlifts Reviews listed The Caregivers’ Living Room as one of the 100 Best Caregiving Blogs.
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: It’s Time to Change The Way We View Exercise For Frail and Critically Ill
I’m posting this guest post from http://evidencenetwork.ca because my Mom has had so much difficult regaining her strength after 3 hospitalisations in the past 4 months. Next time my Mom is in a hospital bed, I’m going to ask for in-bed cycling! It’s time to change the way we view
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