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...]
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...]
How Caregivers Can Cope with Their Feelings as Parents Age
What feelings to expect at the first signs your elderly parents need help. Changes in your aging loved ones can be subtle at first. They start to forget appointments or names. They repeat the same story to you over and over again. You notice they are less organized, the house is messy, and their appearance maybe not be as put together. The realization sets in: “My aging … [Read more...]
How Alzheimer Caregivers Can Be Effective Advocates
Being a health advocate for parents with Alzheimers brings unique challenges. If you follow this blog, you know our family story is one of congestive heart failure and not dementia. But the sheer number of caregivers I meet dealing with parents that have dementia is staggering. Over 5 Million Americans are living with Alzheimers and this number climbs if you include all forms … [Read more...]
Caregivers Don’t Go It Alone. Practical Tips On Asking For Help.
Say YES to everyone! My parents generation does not ask for help or share personal information easily. When I heard my mother tell someone on the phone there was nothing they could do to help while dad was in the hospital, I knew something had to change. (Jump to Lessons Learned) Dad's first hospital stay quickly proved that I could not do it alone. I was at the hospital by … [Read more...]