I am struggling right now to reconcile deep grief with great joy. In this struggle, I don’t know how to feel. Often, I just feel numb. In the last six weeks, I’ve been to four wakes and two funerals. It started with the death of my uncle, Dad’s brother, who lived in Florida. He was ill so it wasn’t a complete surprise. Nevertheless, no one in the family was able to make it … [Read more...]
Pre-Planning is the Key to Family Vacations With Your Senior.
How one family made it happen successfully. Elizabeth Miller of the Happy Healthy Caregiver is a colleague. On her website, you will find her podcasts and blog. Her work like mine, came about because we are caregivers. Elizabeth is part of her mother’s caregiving team. Growing up, Elizabeth and her family vacationed at Hubbard Lake in Michigan. The tradition has continued … [Read more...]
Five Tips On Caregiving From a Distance. And an hour away IS distance caregiving.
Keep track of your loved one's health for peace of mind. According to a study conducted by the AARP, 15% of the nearly 34 million Americans who provide care to a loved one are caregiving from a distance of at least one hour or more. Caring for a loved one can be complicated as it is, but when you add distance into the mix, it can have an even greater effect on career, savings, … [Read more...]
Caregiver Guilt. How Can I change It to Gratitude?
"As caregivers, we feel guilty for a million reasons." This was a tough weekend with mom. We are very different in the way we think, the way we approach life and the way we perceive people. When she gets an idea into her head that to me has little basis in reality and she obsesses about it, it's a problem. It's a problem because I get frustrated and angry and it colors our … [Read more...]
Caregiver Self-Care. Taking My Own Advice.
Some self-care resources that don't cost money. I’m going radio silent for a couple of days. No social media, no business emails or phone calls. I have not unplugged like this in years, I’ll let you know how it goes. For the first time in six years, since Dad got sick, I’m taking real time off from my life, all of it, even caregiving. It’s taken a lot of work to set up my … [Read more...]