Supporting all who care for elders
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 »
Nora wiggled her small frame in her chair, obviously anxious about something. Her straight, white hair framed her face, set in a permanent look of dissatisfaction. Although blind, I got the feeling that her look came from years of feeling that we could all do better, not her blindness. The piano tuner was making his
How A Delightful Sense of Humour Can Be the Caregiver’s Secret Weapon Read More »
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 »
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 »
“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 »
John was a “frequent flyer” in my work area. Able to propel his wheelchair down the hall from where he lived to our neighbourhood, his favourite activity was to create havoc in our dining room. He’d move from table to table, touching dishes and cutlery with hands which had been everywhere. John wasn’t popular–that’s an
How to Triumph Over Toxic Behaviour in Dementia Read More »
I always dread the winter. I’m not exactly a snow hater, and I recognize its beauty as long as I’m not driving or commuting through it. There’s something cozy about a fireplace and a book. But I struggle with two aspects of winter–lack of light and the absence of colour. Each year I stage mini
How To Increase Empathy While Staggering Through Life Read More »