I CAN’T EXPLAIN WHAT’S WRONG DOC, BUT HERE, LOOK AT MY PHONE
Trying to describe our son Nick’s seizures to his neurologist was really difficult until we realized we could film them and use our appointment time to watch the real thing.…
Donna Thomson
IS THERE A DENTIST IN THE HOUSE? YES, THERE IS!
Last week I walked into my Mom’s seniors’ residence and did a double-take. In the foyer, a woman wearing a white lab coat and paper face mask was peering into…
INNOVATION: USING TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT WORKING CAREGIVERS
A couple of weeks ago, an article about a new caregiving technology for families caught my eye. BookJane is a Toronto based app available across Canada. It’s a platform that…
HELP! I NEED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN MEMORY CARE AND LONG-TERM CARE!
Choosing between supportive living options for our elder loved ones can be confusing and overwhelming. Here, guest writer Becky Susko of SeniorAdvisor.com explains all. Thanks, Becky! When exploring long-term care…
Service With a Smile: The Emotional Work of Caregiving
Emotional labor is the process of managing feelings and expressions to fulfill the emotional requirements of a job. More specifically, workers are expected to regulate their emotions during interactions with…
Here is Caregiver Wisdom We All Need Now – From the Treasure Chest
I recognized her instantly – a fellow caregiver with the heart of a dreamer. Someone who strives to decipher a meaning and purpose within the serious challenges that life throws…
DESIGNING WHAT WE NEED THEN AND NOW
“Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.” ― Mark Twain Caregivers of children or adults with mobility challenges know what I’m talking about when…
Mama Peaches’ Wisdom – Book Review for Alzheimer’s Caregivers
Fans of caregiver advocate and author Christopher-Charles Chaney’s ‘MamaPeaches and Me: Wit and Wisdom for Worn-Out Caregivers’ will be thrilled that Chaney has penned a new volume for caregivers of…
5 Facts Most Caregivers Don’t Know About Pressure Sores
Pressure sores are a serious threat to the life and health of our loved ones. That’s why I thought it was so important to publish a guest post on this…
An Unimaginable Choice: Trading Parental Rights for Care
A CBC freedom of information request to the Nova Scotia government has revealed a terrible reality for children with mental illness and their families. Children too ill for the province’s…
THE REAL COST OF CAREGIVER EXHAUSTION
A new University of Michigan study suggests that tired family caregivers are associated with more frequent ER visits and higher overall health care costs for the person they care for.…
LOSING YOUR IDENTITY AND BEING A CAREGIVER
Guest Post by Caregiver Melanie Anderson – thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience, Melanie!Being my husband’s primary caregiver, for much of the time, his only caregiver, has taken…
The Eclipse, The Future and the EQ of Caring
Something about this week’s solar eclipse has me thinking about the future of humanity. The sun strangely disappearing on Monday reminds us all that anything can happen. We are, after…
FRIENDSHIP is in the Heart of Every Caregiver
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.…
POWER DRESSING FOR CAREGIVERS: GOOD OR BAD?
Yesterday I read a fascinating blog post by the wonderful Denise Brown, founder of Caregiving.com. Her piece is titled Dressing the Part: Family Caregiver, MD. It argues for caregivers to…
“Just Let Go” Doesn’t Work When a Loved One is Medically Complex
Jessica McLean is a writer who cares for her Mom. I asked Jess to write about the challenges of letting go and trusting others with her Mom’s care. “Just letting…
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT: WHEN A CAREGIVER GOT CANCER
Paid or unpaid, caregivers are never supposed to get sick, right? But sometimes we do. Sue Robins owns a health care communications company and she also happens to be the…
HOW TO TALK ABOUT CAREGIVING AT WORK
Talking about caregiving at work can be difficult and stressful. And that’s important because 35% of ALL employed Canadians have caring responsibilities at home. Dr.Zachary White is an expert in…
Caring for Non-Speaking Loved Ones in Pain
What does pain look like in a person who cannot speak? Most often with our son Nicholas, it looks like this: When his smile suddenly turns to a ‘stricken’ look,…