The physical and mental toll on caregivers. Back in 2003, my husband experienced cardiac arrest, and that turned my world upside down. Fortunately, he recovered fully, but the arc of rehabilitation took a toll on me, his caregiver. During the initial acute phase of hospitalization, I wasn’t directly responsible for taking care of Sean, but I still visited the hospital every … [Read more...]
Today I Am Her Daughter and Not Her Caregiver
There is healing in returning to our mother/daughter roles. Mom recently turned 85. I hesitated before suggesting that we have a little gathering for her birthday. After all, this is the woman who was mad when dad threw her a surprise party with invitations that read: “Help Doris celebrate the 6th anniversary of her 39th birthday”. When I mentioned I was glad she wanted to … [Read more...]
Thinking About an Assisted Living Community?
What you need to know about financial, health and legal requirements. Nursing Homes and Assisted Living facilities are not the same, but many people don’t understand the difference. Nursing homes are a “skilled nursing” facility (SNF), designed for residents that need constant nursing supervision. Assisted living communities on the other hand, do just that, assist … [Read more...]
Durable Power of Attorney – What Authority Are You Giving Your POA?
Yes, You Can Limit Financial Decisions As we age, we are faced with issues that need our attention. We know that our wills and health care directives need to be in place. We need to have all our important documents available to our loved ones to avoid problems that we can no longer address ourselves. One of the easiest documents to provide is the Durable Power of Attorney … [Read more...]
Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support for Family Caregivers
What is available? Did you know that in the United States today 3.7 million people with dementia live at home and are cared for by family members? (source: Johns Hopkins Medicine) (Jump to Lessons Learned) Caring for a person with dementia often involves a myriad of responsibilities, including daily ongoing personal care, medication management, filling the day with … [Read more...]