Recently I’ve been thinking that I’d like to begin a mini-series of posts about caregiving for loved ones who have a rare disease. If YOU are a caregiver of someone with a rare disease and would like to be interviewed about your experience, please contact me at donna4walls@gmail.com. Today I
Continue readingAuthor: Donna Thomson
THE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: The Caregiver’s Christmas Carol
On the First Day of Christmas on my list of things to do: I cooked dinner for my fa-mi-ly. On the Second Day of Christmas on my list of things to do: I shopped for my Mom and cooked dinner for my fa-mi-ly. On the Third Day of Christmas on
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: The Caregiver’s Christmas Carol
On the First Day of Christmas on my list of things to do: I cooked dinner for my fa-mi-ly. On the Second Day of Christmas on my list of things to do: I shopped for my Mom and cooked dinner for my fa-mi-ly. On the Third Day of Christmas on
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: A TREASURE TROVE OF LAST MINUTE GIFTS FOR YOUR LOVED ONE!
Gift shopping for a senior or for a loved one with disabilities can be difficult – last minute searching impossible. Until now. SILVERT’S has a truly useful and attractive line of specialized clothing and accessories – there is something here for anyone who needs cosy and easy-to-fasten clothing, adapted slippers,
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: A TREASURE TROVE OF LAST MINUTE GIFTS FOR YOUR LOVED ONE!
Gift shopping for a senior or for a loved one with disabilities can be difficult – last minute searching impossible. Until now. SILVERT’S has a truly useful and attractive line of specialized clothing and accessories – there is something here for anyone who needs cosy and easy-to-fasten clothing, adapted slippers,
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: Christmas Eve 2016 is Mom’s 95th – Here’s Her Present
My mother was born on Christmas Eve, 1921. Mom always said the timing of her birth was poor planning on her parents’ part because she never had a proper birthday party that was separate from Christmas celebrations – to say nothing of the fact that my grandmother had to hastily
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: Christmas Eve 2016 is Mom’s 95th – Here’s Her Present
My mother was born on Christmas Eve, 1921. Mom always said the timing of her birth was poor planning on her parents’ part because she never had a proper birthday party that was separate from Christmas celebrations – to say nothing of the fact that my grandmother had to hastily
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: Helping a Loved One to Give at Christmas or Hannukhah
I first posted this in 2013, but since we made the white chocolate bark in our family a few days ago, I thought I would share again. Enjoy baking and giving with your loved one!The last few days, I have been thinking about the privilege of giving. This is a
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: Helping a Loved One to Give at Christmas or Hannukhah
I first posted this in 2013, but since we made the white chocolate bark in our family a few days ago, I thought I would share again. Enjoy baking and giving with your loved one!The last few days, I have been thinking about the privilege of giving. This is a
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: GO ON, SAY ‘YES’ TO RESEARCH – I DID!
1990 was a desperate year in our family. Our son Nicholas was two years old and in great distress with pain and vomiting. A few months earlier, we’d opted for a surgical procedure to treat severe gastro reflux which unleashed a storm of terrible symptoms. Our doctor recorded Nick’s condition
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: GO ON, SAY ‘YES’ TO RESEARCH – I DID!
1990 was a desperate year in our family. Our son Nicholas was two years old and in great distress with pain and vomiting. A few months earlier, we’d opted for a surgical procedure to treat severe gastro reflux which unleashed a storm of terrible symptoms. Our doctor recorded Nick’s condition
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: 3 Great Career Choices for Caring People and Caregivers
It is my pleasure to host this guest post today about career training for caring professions. I’ve blogged before about how caregivers can re-purpose their home based experience to enter higher education or the job market. If you are a caregiver with a Bachelor’s Degree and would like to explore
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: 3 Great Career Choices for Caring People and Caregivers
It is my pleasure to host this guest post today about career training for caring professions. I’ve blogged before about how caregivers can re-purpose their home based experience to enter higher education or the job market. If you are a caregiver with a Bachelor’s Degree and would like to explore
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: CAREGIFTED: Respite, Poetry and Other Gifts for the Caregiver Soul
Recently, I’ve had the pleasure of corresponding with a great champion of caregivers, the award-winning poet and founder of CareGifted, Heather McHugh. Heather won a McArthur Fellowship and decided to create a charity that would fund respite holidays for caregivers. If you need a break, have a look at CareGifted’s
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: To End Ntl. Caregivers Month: Our Ultimate Lesson
All this month of November, I’ve been reflecting on the life lessons that caregiving teaches us. I’ve talked about gratitude, kindness, patience, wisdom and resilience. I even wrote about how we learn to see in two ways, simultaneously. But now that the end of November is nigh, my last lesson
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: For Caregivers, It’s All About Gratitude
My husband Jim and I are in Milwaukee visiting our daughter. Natalie works here at an arts research foundation and we really wanted to see where she lives (it’s so important for us parents to visualise our kids in their surroundings!). It’s a wonderful city and we’re excited to leave
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: The Emperor of Caregiver Talents: Kindness
The problem with kindness is that we take it for granted. We assume that it will be there when we suffer and need it the most. But human kindness is that rare and natural resource in our world. It’s endangered by the race towards independence and self-reliance, those old enemies
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: Two Eyed Seeing: The Common Wisdom of Aboriginal Peoples and Caregivers
Last week I happened to be in Toronto for a Master Class in patient and family oriented research. I’m passionate about putting the patient and family experience at the heart of research so that we can have programs and services based on the truth of what happens at home when
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: Remembering My Father Today
Today is Remembrance Day in Canada, Veteran’s Day in the United States. Today I remember my father, James Edward Thomson, who fought in Europe with the Royal Montreal Regiment and won an award for bravery from King George and was mentioned in dispatches. Near Antwerp, my Dad was off-duty and
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: National Caregivers Month: The Third Pillar is Patience
Patience. We learn it the hard way in caregiving. In this break-neck-speed society, caregivers are like student drivers, always trying to put our foot on the gas, but with ‘fate’, the driving instructor, firmly putting his foot on the metaphorical brake. Caring for young children, an elderly parent, a loved
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