One Alzheimer's Caregiver Story. Shelly’s mother has Alzheimer’s and she has been her primary caregiver for years. Her mom is a wonderful woman that often thanks Shelly and her other caregivers, despite the fact that she doesn’t know who they are. But this loving behavior wasn’t always the case. There was a time when the violence was so bad (pinching, pushing, punching and … [Read more...]
Caregivers Put Aside Your “To Do” List and Re-connect with Your Senior
Caregivers share ways they create special moments. Making time to step away from all the caregiving tasks and spend quality time with our aging loved ones is a universal problem. I first wrote about this in March with the post: Today I am her daughter and not her caregiver. Since then I have been gathering suggestions from readers on how to make time to be with loved … [Read more...]
Caregiving From a Distance? It’s All About Resources.
How to find local help you can trust. There is no “one size fits all” blueprint to caregiving for an aging loved one. Every family must look at time, money, and proximity to determine their plan. If you are caregiving from a distance there is a unique set of obstacles to overcome. Long distance care plans require local trusted resources and your parents’ willingness to accept … [Read more...]
How Do You Communicate With A Loved One Living With Alzheimer’s?
Even with Alzheimer's your loved one responds to what you are doing. Alzheimer’s is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases that cause the symptoms of dementia. The term “neurodegenerative” clearly explains what is occurring in the brain: Neuro – “messenger” Degenerative – “destroy” To understand this destruction of messages, it helps to understand that within the … [Read more...]
Caregivers: How to Invest in Self-Care
Welcome back! Have you given any thought to what your caregiver shield is made of? First, let's define self-care. Self-care is foremost an awareness of what sustains you and actively tapping into those resources. Sometimes, these resource may feel like indulgences, especially when your schedule is full of care-taking. Maybe you think the ultimate indulgence is massage, … [Read more...]