It's more than a New Years resolution. The idea of finding a word that can be my touchstone through the year intrigues me. My goal is to use that word as a lens to filter out activities, commitments and people that don’t have a positive impact in my life. As a caregiver, I rarely get to pick and choose what happens with mom, but I can make thoughtful decisions on what to … [Read more...]
Music is My New Meditation. A List of Ten Tunes to Calm Your Nerves.
It really does help relieve caregiver stress. As I was leaving Brooklyn Friday afternoon at 4:30, Mom’s caregiver called. Her brother had emergency surgery and he was not doing well. One half of my brain was assuring her that I would come up and stay with mom for the weekend. The other half was calculating how long it would take me to get back to NJ in Friday afternoon … [Read more...]
Eight Low Tech Assistive Devices That Can Help You Stay In Your Home
“It is usually the little things that end up being the reason someone cannot live independently. Being able to shower, navigate steps and use kitchen utensils like a can opener” If you are headed home for the holidays, it is the perfect time to observe, assess, and ask your parents what it is they believe they will need to stay in their home. Often small, low tech gadgets and … [Read more...]
“How are you?” “Mom is good, so I’m good.”
Is there anything wrong with my response? On the surface no, because it’s true. If mom is healthy, looking forward to something and feels like she is contributing to our family, she is doing well. Which means my life has less stress, so I’m doing well. The problem is, it doesn’t answer the question. “How am I doing?” This automatic response means I’m measuring my mental, … [Read more...]
Three Terrific Caregiving Resources: Two Books And A YouTube Channel
These resources have been invaluable to me. People often ask “How did you get to the point where you and your mom are a team? It’s so hard to not act like I’m the parent.” One of the first books I read when I became mom’s caregiver was How to Say It to Seniors: Closing the Communication Gap with Our Elders by David Solie, M.S., P.A. This book helped me understand why mom … [Read more...]