Supporting all who care for elders
Sometimes the best laid plans fail. This is true in life in general, but reaches a whole new dimension when working with elders. Even when dementia isn’t a factor, sometimes it falls flatter than a busted balloon. Speaking of balloons…even though Muriel was the grumpiest person I knew with no family and only one friend, […]
An Epic Care Partner Fail–How to Survive and Learn Read More »
Raise your hand if you’ve ever experienced “mommy guilt.” Every hand of every mother reading this should be raised. It’s that common. Some of us experienced it every day. Consider this scenerio: It’s your 5-year-old’s birthday, and although you were up several times in the night with a teething baby, you got up early to
How To Be An Amazing Care Partner–Even When You Fail Read More »
Someday, the pandemic will be over. Someday, we will enjoy family dinners and hug our grandchildren and tuck our masks away at the back of our underwear drawer. Someday, future generations will study this horrific time and wonder how we lived through it. What did we learn? Each of us will have our own take
Loneliness and Isolation Among Our Elders: How do We Battle the Assault? Read More »
When the pandemic started, we panicked. Each day, the numbers of those getting sick–horribly, devastatingly sick, and dying, were climbing. Messages bombarded us from all sides about how to stay safe and we listened to them all. Wash your hands unceasingly, don’t touch your face, wash your groceries or leave them in the garage for
Newsflash! Loneliness More Deadly Than Pneumonia in the Elderly Read More »
Do you find life kind of creeps up on you at times? As we approach the one-year anniversary of the global pandemic, I thought about how I felt last year at this time. Newly retired, I was already dealing with the isolation of being at home alone after the stimulation of my workplace. Then came
Could social distancing be hazardous to your elder’s health? Read More »
They are everywhere but you may not know them. It might be the person in the next office at work, ahead of you in the grocery line-up or living on your street. They might be your friends or your parents. They are living with chronic pain, and you may not be aware. If you are,
How I Learned Authentic Lessons From Being in Chronic Pain Read More »
“Others have it worse than you.” I’m aware of this. People who struggle with diseases that may kill them, and which debilitate them along the way, carry a heavier load. Who am I to whine about pain and disability, especially when it may be temporary? We need to be careful with statements like this. Although
A Behind the Scenes Look at Walking with Chronic Pain Read More »
In September, my life changed. In September, I became disabled. Arthritis has been my constant companion for about ten years. I always tried to give it as little attention as possible, only acknowledging it when its twinges and aches caused me to limp or grimace. A pill, a rub, perhaps some heat or cold and I
“But I Don’t Like This New Normal!” Read More »
“Someone stole my purse!” Barbara pushed her walker into the dining room to make her announcement with as much volume as she could muster. Her eyebrows jumped and her eyes bugged to emphasize the seriousness of the accusation. Several residents peered down the hall, perhaps expecting to see the culprit racing away with the purse
What Happens When Your Purse is Stolen Read More »
If there was one thing Dorothy knew for sure, it was that walking was good. Several years ago, her husband had a heart attack, and when he recovered, the doctor had said walking would change his life. So they walked. Every day, hand in hand, for hours. But now, in the throes of advanced dementia,
How to Help with Wandering, Aggression and Anxiety Read More »