Not all the emotions are pretty. When I started on this caregiving journey, panic was the overwhelming emotion. Panic was soon joined by feeling overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by all the decisions that had to be made and all the choices in front of us. Which one was best? Was it the right one physically, emotionally, financially for mom? At that point what I needed didn’t even … [Read more...]
Caregivers: Stress = Cortisol = Fat
I have always struggled with my weight. A recent class has helped me to fully understand the relationship between stress, cortisol and fat. In a nut shell, stress contributes to 80% of diseases including diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis. And over the long term makes us fat. This Stress Level Barometer defines 5 levels of stress, and for me illustrated how often I … [Read more...]
Senior Isolation and Loneliness, What Can We Do?
“I feel so isolated.” This was mom’s response after hearing of yet another family invitation I’d received by text. Mom’s eyesight does not allow her to participate in emailing, texting or Facebook, which in this age of communication through social media is a problem. After dad died, invitations came through me and for mom, it was one more loss. Instead of serving as “social … [Read more...]
Headed home for the holidays? Three tips to determine when elders need help.
“How are you and dad doing mom?” “We’re fine.” Sound familiar? People tell me they “are in the dark” when it comes to their parents’ health and how they are managing at home. Phone calls typically start and end with a series of questions and the response is “We’re fine.” If you are headed home for the holidays, here are three tips to determine if your parents need help to … [Read more...]
Caregivers Need to Set Boundaries
And not give into guilt. Like most people, I struggle with setting boundaries. It is especially hard with an aging parent who may feel vulnerable or frightened if you are not around. But setting boundaries with your parent, co-worker, or anyone in your life, is critical to the self-care that must be a high priority for caregivers. Request and expectations of others tug at … [Read more...]