Right about now laughter and connection are at the top of my daily self-care list. Is there anything better than sharing a belly laugh with someone? Not much in my opinion. I recently had the chance to visit with friends. We were outside, appropriately social distanced and started reminiscing about a shared vacation to Montana. In the retelling of those stories, we could hardly … [Read more...]
What Medication and Health Supplies Should I Have on Hand for a Second Wave of the Coronavirus?
Lessons learned this spring. I am writing this over the 4th of July weekend and, for the second day in a row, the United States has had over 50,000 new cases of the coronavirus. I had planned to prepare for a second wave in the fall, but I’m concerned we won’t get a break, that wave one will continue to spike until our next flu season. Last week I wrote about household … [Read more...]
Trouble Finding PPE, Paper Products and Cleaning Supplies During COVID-19 Wave 1 = Lessons Learned For A Recurrence.
Despite Coronavirus fatigue, I’m making a plan now. This is the first of two articles. (Jump to Lessons Learned) Mom and I live in New Jersey. Here in the Northeast we were hit hard by the coronavirus. Months of sheltering in place, social distancing and wearing masks has allowed us to open the state up for business in a controlled way, which is why Mom and I are willing … [Read more...]
Being a Caregiver During COVID-19 Feels Like One Big Calculated Risk.
It is not a comfortable feeling. From the very beginning of the pandemic, family caregivers were forced to make decisions with little information based on fact. Should we keep mom in assisted living or bring her home? Should we keep the home health aide or let them go while we are working from home? Should we postpone the trip to the doctor, the chemo treatment or the visit … [Read more...]
Inside Memory Care Facilities: Staff and residents adjust to a new normal.
Like everyone, I am concerned about our elders living in facilities during the Coronavirus outbreak. Last week, we learned how COVID-19 has changed life in a Skilled Nursing facility. This week, the focus is on how Memory Care facilities are adapting. Changes to daily routine Staff and administration work every day to keep up and comply with CDC, state and local health … [Read more...]