I created this video two and a half years ago. No one could have predicted that a world wide pandemic would isolate our loved ones to a degree where there is a visible decline in many of them. We are not out of the woods yet and I have a challenge for you. How will you continue to reach out or reach out in new ways, to help an elder feel loved and heard? After a year it is … [Read more...]
Are you struggling right now? I am.
Which is why I talked to my doctor about an antidepressant. Normally, I’m a person who looks at life from a glass half full perspective. I look for and find the bright side of situations because I believe we can choose happiness. But choosing happiness takes energy, energy which I don’t have at the moment. I know I’m not the only one struggling. The social isolation brought on … [Read more...]
Letters to our daughter: True stories about life with my mother.
Treasured memories from more than forty years ago. When I was in college, my father sent me about a dozen letters about life at home. The letters showcase his wicked sense of humor and a way of telling a story that pays homage to his Irish roots. Every time I got a letter from dad, I would sit in my dorm hallway and folks would pile out of their rooms to listen to the … [Read more...]
Two Years After Caregiving Has Ended, What Is My Purpose?
"Finding a new purpose in life isn’t easy." Ingrid Ingrid and I have known each other for several years, we attend the same caregiver group. Not long after her beloved husband died, she allowed me to share one of her caregiver stories: A Dementia Caregivers’ Journey is Long. What if YOU need help from 911? This is Ingrid's story today, in her own words, two years after her … [Read more...]
A Dementia Caregivers’ Journey is Long. What if YOU need help from 911?
Ingrid and Pete. I’ve known Ingrid for three years. We met through the United Way of Northern NJ Caregiver Coalition. Initially I knew Ingrid as caregiver to her beloved husband, a person living with dementia. Over the years, I’ve gotten to know Ingrid – a smart, funny, compassionate woman who is a terrific poet and doesn’t suffer fools gladly. Despite caring for her … [Read more...]