For Caregivers: Three Tips on Protecting Elders from Neglect
Guest Post As only a part-time caregiver to my grandmother, I feel fortunate that her caregivers are both caring and attentive to her needs and respect her as an individual.…
Donna Thomson
Thanksgiving 2013
This is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. It’s early Saturday morning now and I’m packing groceries from the fridge into shopping bags to bring to our cottage in the mountains. Everyone…
The Benefits of Massage in Dementia and Alzheimer’s
I am a fan of massage therapy. Massage has helped to alleviate my chronic neck and back pain – the result of years of lifting my son Nicholas, who is…
Male Caregiver Community – Because Men Care Too
This morning, I had the pleasure of chatting with Scott McNabb, Executive Director of Homewatch Caregivers Canada. Like many other passionate professionals in the caregiving field, Scott is a former…
An Interview About Caregiving with Me for FIT MINDS
Nicole Scheidl is the founder and CEO of Fit Minds, a company with a mission to produce learning materials that are proven to slow the process of dementia and Alzheimer’s.…
"So, Do You Work?"
A stranger asks, “What do you do?”. They really mean, ‘do you WORK?’. When you reply that you care for a loved one, they look past your shoulder, scanning the…
Slow Walkers Part 2 – Random Act of Kindness
Yesterday I shared a short film about time and aging called “Slow Walkers”. Today, I happened to come across this slow walker who was helped across the road in a…
Slowing Down Without a Fight – Slow Walkers
Lately, I’ve been thinking about time…that it goes too fast for my Mom and sometimes for Nicholas. Sometimes my loved ones who need care require me to slow down, to…
A Ticking Time Bomb – Recalls in Healthcare
When I was in my 20’s, I suffered a bout of serious depression. In the hospital, I was introduced to a petite brunette with soft, clipped speech… her name was…
Getting What You Need From A Doctor Appointment
Consider this: an appointment with a doctor is similar to an important business meeting. The better prepared you are, the more profitable the results of the meeting will be. On…
Guest Post: In Defense of Out-of-Home Care & How Family Can Stay Involved
Guest Post by Sarah Gotheridge In Defense of Out-of-Home Care & How Family Can Stay Involved Many families are faced with the problem of caring for aging relatives that can…
Betting on Birthdays
I don’t know how many times we’ve nearly lost our Nicholas. Doctors told us in 2005 that he might have two months to live – a sleep study that year…
Can Paid Caregivers Also Be Friends?
Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend. Albert Camus Professional caregivers…
The Meaning of Friendship
Some friends are for life. Some friends stick with you through thick and thin. Friendship is a really, really big deal for everyone, but especially for our loved ones with…
Cancer Caregiving Roles: Book Review
If you are a new caregiver and your loved one has recently been diagnosed with cancer, you will want to order a copy of “Cancer Caregiver Roles”, by John Garnand.…
Moms and Caregivers Are Never Sick, Right?
This morning, there is a medical clinic appointment in my diary. It’s not for Nicholas or my Mom – it’s for me. It’s a follow-up to a scope of my…
Guest Post: In Defense of At-Home Care
Guest Post: In Defense of At-Home Care Linda Bright is a staff writer and a public relations coordinator for MyNursingDegree.com.Given her experience as a former hospital administrator, she writes primarily…
Guest Post: 4 Tips on How Caregivers Can Keep Their Family Relationships Intact
4 Tips to Help You Reduce the Impact of Caregiving on your Relationships Becoming a caregiver can be one of the most impactful changes that can occur in a person’s…
A Day To Remember… Always
Yesterday was a day that I will always remember. Nicholas came up north to our family cottage for the afternoon! It has been seven years since was last here and…
The Gift of Friendship or The Caregiver Ties That Bind
I’m up at our family cottage on a lake in the mountains of Quebec. Yesterday it rained, so naturally I gravitated to the bookshelf in the corner by the fireplace.…