Supporting all who care for elders
The whole song leaves me wondering. Partridges are small for eating, pear trees are dormant in winter and as for the leaping lords and milking maids…forget it. (The five golden rings have possibilities, but I got a golden engagement ring in March and a golden wedding band in September, so I’m good for rings as […]
On the First Day of Christmas, Dementia Gave To Me… Read More »
My shoulder is killing me. Tylenol is starting to dull the ache and make it use-able, but my mind is going in 100 anxious directions. As someone with a hip and knee replacement (and the other hip probably pending) I wonder absently how many parts you can replace. Should I look into physio? What about
Important: After research comes action! Read More »
Sarah wanted to do something special for her husband, who “walked with dementia.” He’d always been a sports fan, and she decided she would take him to see one of his favourite teams play. He’d always loved live games, and maybe there’d be a moment which would bring back happy memories. It was a lot
Should Grandma Stay Home From the Celebration? Read More »
I used to joke with Mary that I wanted her son to adopt me. Beautiful sweaters and blouses spilled out of the stuffed drawers of her dresser. Although she didn’t walk any more, so she didn’t wear them out, she had shoes for every occasion in her cupboard. She had coats, purses and
Astonishingly Easy Solutions to Avoid or Battle Caregiver Guilt Read More »
As a caregiver for my seriously ill husband, I worked a full day in the city and then, if he was in hospital as he was now, grabbed a sandwich or the like at the hospital, spent time with him and returned home in time to fall into bed. The next day I
Why Are Caregivers So Hard on Themselves? Read More »
Jean would come to lunch each day and order the same thing. Two pieces of egg salad sandwich, milk and tea. Vanilla ice cream for dessert. I had no problem with her order, except she would take one or two nibbles from each of her quarter sandwiches, drink half her milk and a few sips
A Unique Idea to Make Lunch a Fun Adventure Read More »
When I think of wise people, Gertrude comes to mind. A simple lady without post-secondary education, she became best friends with Evelyn. I sometimes wonder if she sat in the blue lounge chair in her room one night and thought, “Evelyn needs me.” and set out to help. Quiet and gentle, she was also blind,
How to Defeat the Monster of Depression in Your Elder Read More »
Did you ever participate in an old fashioned tug-of-war game? Participants line up on either side of a sturdy rope, and at the command, everyone pulls for all their worth! Those on the sidelines yell and cheer, and eventually the stronger side pulls the rope, and the people holding it, to their side. As a
How to Navigate an Emotional Tug-of-War for Care Partners Read More »
Some blessings are obvious, but some can take me longer to recognize. My story: The blessing of Jean I worked at a retirement home when I first met Jean. She lived in an independent apartment upstairs and once-a-month she’d call to book a room for her church meeting. Always gracious on the phone, she remained
How to Find Blessing in the Burden of Care Read More »
Caring changes you. Usually, like the decline that brought you to the role, the change is gradual. Not so for Tina. Tina’s Story In 2009, Tina wrote a blog post, remembering a five-year period in her life when she had worked as a caregiver for a family. Their mother struggled with early onset Alzheimer’s and
How to Flourish When Caring Has Turned Your World Upside Down Read More »