In photography, mindfulness is like observing something for the first time, even though you may have looked at it a thousand times before. For example, when you’ve been away from home for a long period, and then, upon returning, you suddenly notice things to which you had become so accustomed
Continue readingTag: eldercare
THE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: Advice You’ve Never Thought Of! Tips for Travelling with an Older Parent
My Mom grew up summering in Kennebunk Port in Maine – all her best memories are of playing in the sand and surf with her brothers and sister there. Now at 95, she has a powerful wish to return, but I am nervous about travelling with her. This guest post
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: An Adventure With My Mom and a Surprise Ending
Last week I decided to keep a promise I’d made to my Mom – I would take her out for dinner and spend a night away with her in a really nice hotel. My mother is like Thelma or Louise trapped in a frail, 95 year old body. Despite the
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: SHARING ELDERCARE WITH SIBLINGS
It is my pleasure to host this guest post by Hanna Landman. Sharing eldercare with siblings is a subject that’s especially close to my heart because I share care for my Mom with my sister (who shoulders most of the care because she lives in the same city as our
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: The Surprising Things I Learned About My Mom When She Moved
It seems like my Mom has been moving for months. It feels like over the past while, my sister and I have been operating in semi-crisis mode with our mother. She moved out of her apartment a few weeks ago, but we didn’t know if her new residence would be
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: 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: 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
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
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: How to Recognize and Manage Substance Abuse in Seniors
It is my pleasure today to host a guest post by Trevor McDonald, a blogger who is expert in the area of addictions, substance abuse and families. I read the studies cited below and they are surprising and worrying! Did you know that alcoholism is higher among widowers over
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: How to Recognize and Manage Substance Abuse in Seniors
It is my pleasure today to host a guest post by Trevor McDonald, a blogger who is expert in the area of addictions, substance abuse and families. I read the studies cited below and they are surprising and worrying! Did you know that alcoholism is higher among widowers over
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: Caregiving for Cancer in Seniors: Mesothelioma
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 readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: Caregiving for Cancer in Seniors: Mesothelioma
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 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: 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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