Supporting all who care for elders
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
It’s time to get specific! As I plan for a mentally healthy winter, I need to do some introspection. What I discover won’t be the same for you, but the process is similar. Look at what matters to you, large and small, and what you can and can’t control. Then fill your life with what
How to Keep From Emotionally Drowning This Pandemic Winter 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 »