The Hidden Epidemic? A senior fall, a broken hip, and a downward spiral from which there is no recovery. This scenario is well documented and universally understood as a risk for our elderly. But what about those small, unreported falls that become cumulative? Can they lead to Traumatic Brain Injury(TBI)? The answer is yes. The question is, why are small falls such a risk … [Read more...]
Touch Can Open The Door To Communication With Your Aging Parent
The intimacy of touch. One of my earliest childhood memories is lying on the couch with my head in my mother’s lap while a violent thunderstorm rolled through. I was scared. Mom began stroking my hair and her gentle touch calmed me. It made me feel safe and loved. This weekend, cutting my mother’s hair, I remembered that time. We caregivers often perform intimate tasks. … [Read more...]
Three Things I’ve Learned as My Parents’ Caregiver.
None of them have anything to do with medicine. When I tell my caregiver story, I always start when dad was first hospitalized. That was when I was hit with being fully responsible for mom. I would lie in bed at night thinking, “Where do I start?” “What do I do next?”. What I’ve realized: 1. My caregiver role started way before I recognized it. It started when I made the … [Read more...]
A Different Type Of Grief – Why Do I Feel Like I’m losing Dad All Over Again?
It is five years since dad died and I'm finding it hard to remember our life together. I wrote this article two years ago when grief took an unexpected twist. On the 5th anniversary of dad's passing, grief has changed again. I can't believe he is gone five years already. It seems longer and at the same time it seems like yesterday. In the busyness of everyday I'm having a hard … [Read more...]
When Talking to Aging Parents – Choose Your Words Carefully
"Mom, don't you remember?" I have years of conditioning to my mother’s communication style. Mom thinks about things deeply, questions everything, and like all of us, makes assumptions. Her thought process often ends up with her having a fight with you in her head. Suddenly she is mad, and you have no idea why. Or she is thinking about something and will ask you a question that … [Read more...]