Older cancer patients and their caregivers often differ in their evaluation of the patient’s physical abilities, research shows. Caregivers generally rate the patient’s physical function as poorer than the patient does, according to a new study published in The Oncologist. The study also found that the differences were linked to a greater burden on the… Continue reading Older Cancer Patients Say Their Physical Abilities Are Better Than Their Caregiver Thinks
Category: Caregiving
Tips to Deal with a Controlling Aging Loved One
As people age, it’s not uncommon for their personalities to change and for them to become more controlling. It’s usually the result of medication, pain, the frustrations of having difficulty doing things that were once easy, and changing family dynamics. While it can be frustrating and even unpleasant at times to deal with, there are things you… Continue reading Tips to Deal with a Controlling Aging Loved One
Long-Distance Caregiving: What You Need to Know
Long distance caregiving can be complicated and difficult. These strategies, from the National Institute on Aging, offer a list of things to remember: Know What You Need to Know Experienced caregivers recommend that you learn as much as you can about your family member or friend’s illness, medicines, and resources that might be available. Information… Continue reading Long-Distance Caregiving: What You Need to Know
Caregivers and Exercise: Take Time for Yourself
Editor’s note: Caregiving can be so all-consuming that you forget to care for yourself. But it’s essential that you do. Here, from the experts at the National Institute on Aging, are some suggestions for finding the time for self-care – and why it’s so important. Physical activity can help you: Increase your energy level so… Continue reading Caregivers and Exercise: Take Time for Yourself
Our Search for Self-Fulfillment May Be Based in Biology
Self-actualization – the process of working to realize our full potential – may have a biological as well as a mental drive, according to new research. “Despite all of this interest in becoming self-actualized, we still didn’t know what people believed it would mean to realize their full potential,” says Jaimie Arona Krems, a doctoral… Continue reading Our Search for Self-Fulfillment May Be Based in Biology
10 Tips to Avoid Caregiver Burnout
Being the primary caregiver for a loved one dealing with a serious medical condition is hard and will take a toll on you. The good news is there are things caregivers can do to help them provide the best care possible, make it through the tough times and avoid caregiver burnout. Soothe yourself with prayer,… Continue reading 10 Tips to Avoid Caregiver Burnout
thirdAGE Health Close-Up: Alzheimer’s Caregiving is a “Living Bereavement”
Having your spouse develop Alzheimer’s is a tragedy for anyone, but for Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, Ronald Glaser’s illness is laced with heartbreaking irony. In the early 1990s the couple published a landmark study proving that the caregiving of those suffering with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease experience stress that dramatically impacts their own health. Recalls Janice, 65,… Continue reading thirdAGE Health Close-Up: Alzheimer’s Caregiving is a “Living Bereavement”
Alzheimer’s Association Survey Shows That Many Caregivers Are Going It Alone
Findings from an Alzheimer’s Association survey released in June 2017 in conjunction with Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month show that while people overwhelmingly agree it often takes a village to provide care for someone living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia (91 percent), far too many caregivers are doing it alone. A release from… Continue reading Alzheimer’s Association Survey Shows That Many Caregivers Are Going It Alone
Caring for Elders with Dementia: Tips for Family Members
Someone in the United States develops dementia every 66 seconds, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2016 “Facts and Figures”. The diagnosis is devastating for those who have the disease and also imposes a crushing burden on their families. The decision regarding the best way to care for a loved one with dementia is dependent on… Continue reading Caring for Elders with Dementia: Tips for Family Members
7 Tips for All Caregivers: Be Prepared.
Here, from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, are tips for caregivers: Keep a list of medicines for each person you care for. Include over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, vitamins and herbs. Keep this list with you at all times. Bring this list to doctor visits. Remember to ask any questions you may have. Give the… Continue reading 7 Tips for All Caregivers: Be Prepared.
November Is National Family Caregivers Month
Just in time for November, National Family Caregivers Month, here are tips to improve loved ones’ health and support caregivers: Get Organized: Some public websites offer free resources for caregivers, including calendars, task management tools and educational resources. Others feature online stores with products and local services for purchase, including home-safety products, home-delivered meals and… Continue reading November Is National Family Caregivers Month
Is Legal Insurance for You?
You probably don’t spend much time thinking about the legal system until some sort of problem arises. Then episodes of Law and Order or The Good Wife run through your mind, bringing worries and stress. Legal matters are not always bad news. Maybe you inherit some property or aren’t sure about a contract. Other times… Continue reading Is Legal Insurance for You?
10 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Home Healthcare Agency
Maybe you need to hire a home healthcare worker to assist a loved one struggling with Alzheimer’s Disease. Perhaps you want a home healthcare worker to be there to help mom and dad as they age. Or maybe it’s to help a family member recovering from a serious injury. Whatever the case, in-home care plays… Continue reading 10 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Home Healthcare Agency
Alzheimer’s Disease and Decision Making: Do I Know You?
The heartbreak associated with losing a loved one to Alzheimer’s disease is indescribable. One day, an adult child holds the hand of a parent; the parent asks, “Do I know you?” and the child’s heart (no matter what age) breaks into thousands of tiny pieces never to be repaired. A spouse experiencing the same response… Continue reading Alzheimer’s Disease and Decision Making: Do I Know You?
Understanding and Coping with Behavioral Changes in Seniors
Aging can bring a cascade of physical and emotional changes. The variety of resulting behavioral changes may baffle or worry an older adult’s loved ones. As America’s population increasingly grays – the proportion of those 65 and over will account for 20% of U.S. residents within 25 years, according to the American Psychological Association –… Continue reading Understanding and Coping with Behavioral Changes in Seniors
A Telephone Resource for Alzheimer’s Caregivers
Do you have a family member with dementia, but the nearest support service is two hours away? This is an issue that a lot of caregivers face. Sometimes, it can help to talk with, and gain support from, others who are going through the same situation as you. The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) offers… Continue reading A Telephone Resource for Alzheimer’s Caregivers
7 Things to Know about Long-Distance Caregiving
Caregiving is difficult and stressful, and caregiving from a distance adds another level of stress. You can reduce that stress, though, if you plan ahead and keep your focus on your priorities. Here, the National Institute on Aging shares some steps you can take: Know what you need to know. Experienced caregivers recommend that you… Continue reading 7 Things to Know about Long-Distance Caregiving
Vacation Advice for Caregivers
Summer vacation season is in full swing, and many people are making plans to get away. For some, the most difficult decisions are choosing where to go and when. For caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses, there are a host of other things to consider. “Vacations provide a chance to recharge one’s… Continue reading Vacation Advice for Caregivers