Caring for a dependent loved one is a chaotic business. There isn’t much time for reflection, let alone laundry and grocery shopping. I’m always thinking, “If we can figure out a framework for planning our days, then maybe life would be a little easier.” Some of those frameworks I’ve talked
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THE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: A Policy Framework to Support Caregivers
Yesterday I presented at a Carleton University conference titled ‘More Than Getting By: Putting Daily Life at the Heart of Our Struggles’. I was one of the few non-academics – most were scholars in the areas of political economy, women’s studies, sociology or social work. My session was
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: An Interview With Me About Caregiving and Writing About Family Life & Ideas
Recently, I gave an interview to Kris Bone, a writer with the Puritan Magazine (a Canadian literary journal). Here’s his article about my book, “The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I’ve Learned From a Life of Caregiving” (House of Anansi Press, 2014). My book is available everywhere in Canada
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: What’s a Fair Deal for Family Caregivers and Their Loved Ones?
How should family caregivers be supported in society? What is the role of government? What is the role of the private sector? What claim does a person needing care have on his family or on the taxpayer? What is the human worth of people whose needs are high, yet are
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM - A Blog by Donna Thomson: An Idea for Justice for you and you and you….
Recently, I have been thinking a lot about the barriers to people with disability or infirmity to pursue their aspirations and achieve their potential with the support they need and the dignity they deserve. Is my son more than the embodiment of his physical disabilities? Does my mother represent something
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM - A Blog by Donna Thomson: I am Fine if Nick is Fine
My last blog post was about saying ‘I’m fine’ when I am not fine. That got me thinking about the state of being ‘not fine’. For me and for most other caregivers I know personally, that state is most acutely felt when our charge is ill, injured or somehow away
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