Supporting all who care for elders
One day, your task as a care partner will end. Of course, you know this. Perhaps, on a day full of appointments and crises and decisions, you long for that day. In a secret place in your heart, you might think, “My elder has suffered enough and I’m tired. I’m ready for the end.” Then […]
When the End is Near, What Does it Look Like? Read More »
“Everyone on this floor is palliative.” My jaw dropped open as I processed what the nurse said. I scanned the hall, and saw elderly residents living life. A few sat in the dining room enjoying afternoon tea from china tea cups and chatting. One rushed, with her walker, to get to her memoir-writing class. A
Palliative Care: Quality of Life or End of Life? Read More »
I want to be an elder with a cape. You know the ones I mean? The man in his 90s who completed a marathon. The woman in her 80s with the hot, incredible body who moves with grace on the balance beam. She’s more flexible than I was at, well, ever. The nurse who works
Are We Getting Elderhood Wrong? How To Turn It Around Read More »
The two police officers grinned as they patrolled this section of beach. It was seldom busy on a weekday, and given the cloudy weather, only a few families visited, scattered through the area. What caused their grin wasn’t the moms with their toddlers, but the elderly gentleman stretched on a lounge chair with a beach
What Is “A Good Death” And Is It Possible To Achieve? Read More »
Nine and a half years ago, I wrote my first blog. I pondered what I should discuss as I dove into the unknown waters of blogging. What topic would draw readers and create the audience I looked for? Death. I wrote about death. Before you question my sanity, let me clarify that in the blog
Why Death Scared Me and How I Learned to “Do Death” Better Read More »
My favourite times at work were when I could step away from the computer, the meetings and all the other responsibilities and sit and chat with the ladies. We were doing just that one afternoon when the conversation turned to Christmas cake. A long-ago memory bubbled to the surface for me, of a time as
How to Honour Your Elders With Dementia With a Sense of Purpose Read More »
Chances are, you’ve already found at least one area of your life which excites you, makes you forget to eat (I’m sorry, I’m passionate about many things but I seldom forget to eat…) and fills your cup. Life is full, worth the effort, even fun sometimes because of __________. Here are a few facts you
Authentic Ways to Boost Purpose in Your Elder’s Life Read More »
Sheryl couldn’t believe she hadn’t thought of this before. She’d been caring for Dan for over two years and never once had it occurred to her. “What would happen if I got sick?” She ate healthy, slept reasonably well and kept her stress as low as someone could who dealt with dementia every day. She
When a Caregiver is Sick. How to Plan for Read More »
Sheryl slumped against the back of the couch. The world felt like such a scary place. New variants of the virus, thousands of deaths in India and now the U.K.’s numbers were escalating. Her own community faced a lockdown which the government had extended before the last one ended. Were the schools safe for her
Pandemic Mental Health–How to Focus on What You Can Control Read More »
Sheryl had read about caregiver stress. She knew the signs–feeling overwhelmed, tired all the time, sad, no interest in activities she used to like, and more. She’d experienced them all at some point. Dan had good days when life seemed almost normal, but their number had shrunk, and she struggled to transition from her role
Care Partner Stress–How to Crush it During the Pandemic Read More »