If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
There are women who are trying to figure out the best way to be a caregiver while also being a wife. I am not alone. So why do I feel alone?
Hearing the word "intimacy'' can often make people uncomfortable, and many people do not like talking about it. Yet, it is an issue that surfaces in many ways in the journey of dementia, impacting relationships and adding challenges to the caregiving role.
Chances are if you're in your fifties or older and one or both of your parents are still alive, some of your time is spent in a caregiving situation.
Caregivers are an invaluable volunteer army drafted into service to help loved ones remain at home rather than in facilities and institutions.
Jane started out as a publicist representing authors. Now, 13 very humorous romance books later, she is an acclaimed writer herself. After reading her guide, I am amazed at how she has kept her sense of humor while being her husband's caregiver for many years.
There are nearly 10 million of you out there, adult children older than 50 who are caring for aging parents. We used to refer to a "sandwich" generation, those people who had children late in life, only to be confronted simultaneously with teenaged angst and parents who need more and more help.
Caregivers need to find ways to decrease their stress levels in order to remain physically healthy and maintain their emotional welfare. Getting outdoors and taking a walk every day can be a great way to reduce stress.
The surgery and downtime also made me think about and appreciate everything that I have. I have to be thankful for a lot in life, and sadly sometimes it is the most adverse situations that make you realize that -- but better late than never, I guess.
My mother, Lucy (Lucia) Basile Bradley, celebrated her 94th birthday this week in fine fashion -- with family, friends, food, card games (pinochle is her favorite) and presents. She likes to get presents. This year's bounty included a cake and flowers.
The caregiver is critical to the success of a patient's participation in a clinical trial, because the caregiver is the closest and most constant observer of the patient.
As America tunes in for another season of TV's "Mad Men," I thought about the workplace changes being played out on the series. If Matt Weiner could flash forward to today's work environment, I hope he'd show the biggest issue facing America's workers today: caregiving.
Let's face it. Caring for a person with Alzheimer's is hard work. You may have to deal with personality changes and difficult behaviors. What I want to achieve in this article is to offer some ideas about five things Alzheimer's caregivers should never do.
Dad turned 85 last March. I'd been trying to get back to Colorado to see him, but I didn't make the time until summer, after his heart had landed him briefly in the hospital. He'd gotten out okay, but my sister said he was 15 pounds underweight; she was worried about him.
For years, research has shown that caring for an aging family member may put a caregiver's health at risk. Now, a National Institutes of Health study suggests that your "personality type" can possibly help predict just how risky caregiving might be for you.
I encourage all spouses to seek answers. When we know what we are dealing with, we have the opportunity to create an adventure, rather than succumb to a disaster. Be brave. The life of your loved one depends on it.
To encourage excellence and longevity on the job, we must find ways to support home health aides in this booming field.
