WHEN OUR LOVED ONE GETS BETTER AND WE GET WORSE
This week, an online article caught my eye. It was a report on research into patients with heart disease who had undergone surgery to implant called a Ventricular Assist Device,…
caregiving
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY – A DAY TO CELEBRATE CARING!
March 8 is International Women’s Day and this year, I would like to celebrate the women in our families who nurture us, love us, feed us, drive us, shop for…
CAREGIVERS NEVER GET SICK, RIGHT?
Once, I came down with viral meningitis. Natalie was a toddler and Nicholas was four or five. At that time, an older teenager called Cali lived with us to help…
TOOLS FOR EVERYDAY SENIOR SAFETY
I always keep my eyes and ears open for news about devices that ease our burden of care while ensuring our loved ones are safe from harm. Today it’s my…
ALL THE TIMES THAT PROFESSIONALS HAVE BEEN KIND – TISSUE ALERT!
A couple of years ago I met an amazing doctor. I was speaking at the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine conference in Fort Lauderdale and after my…
THE MAKING OF A CAREGIVER
In this recipe, the essence of the caregiver is kept aside, similar to the starter in sour dough bread. This ‘starter’ will be needed to make and re-make the caregiver…
Our Role in The Circle of Life: What’s Your Title?
Over the holidays this year, I’ve been thinking a lot about birth, mortality and all that’s in between. I guess you’d say, I’ve been pondering the circle of life and…
THE 12 DAYS OF A CAREGIVER CHRISTMAS
My words to the carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas” are fun, but they reveal a truth about caregiving, too. We all begin with a task or two. “Oh, it’s…
TREVOR’S STORY: FROM ADDICTION TO CAREGIVER
If you told me a decade ago that I’d be responsible for someone else’s life, I’d probably have laughed. Back then, I was barely able to take care of myself.…
DIANE’S STORY
I am so pleased to share a personal caregiver story from Diane today. Diane’s husband Bob had a devastating stroke and sadly passed away in 2015. Diane shares her wisdom…
HELP FOR ALZHEIMER’S CAREGIVERS
I am pleased to host this guest post by Lydia Chan, whose Mom suffers from Alzheimer’s. Lydia writes for Alzheimerscaregiver.net. The data is in, and there’s no doubt that Alzheimer’s…
TV Stars are Caregivers Too – Meet Leeza Gibbons
November is National Caregivers Month and to kick off, I’ve interviewed TV personality and caregiver activist, Leeza Gibbons. Leeza Gibbons is an Emmy Award winner TV personality who has become…
A NEW SHORT FILM ABOUT DEMENTIA – SNEAK PEAK!
I always get excited when I hear about a new film about caregiving concerns. Today, I’d like to suggest that we all mark our calendars on November 6 with a…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
“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…