_ Caregiving Depression Mental & Emotional Health The Aftermath of Caregiving By article About a decade ago, Melvin, a long-time family friend, died of cancer.┬á Catherine, his wife of more than 50 years, … Read More→
_ Alzheimer's Disease and other Dementias Alzheimer's Disease and other Dementias Brain Health Caregiving Memory Loss Senior Health Caregiving Strategies for Traveling with Alzheimer's Patients By article Taking a person with AlzheimerΓÇÖs disease on an overnight trip is a challenge. Traveling can make the person more worried … Read More→
_ Caregiving Long-Distance Caregiving: What You Need to Know By article Anyone, anywhere, can be a long-distance caregiver, no matter your gender, income, age, social status, or employment. If you are … Read More→
Caregiving Money Matters Cost of Informal Caregiving Is $522 Billion Annually By Jane Farrell article The price tag for informal caregiving of elderly people by friends and relatives in the United States comes to $522 … Read More→
Cultural Traditions Influence Caregiving with Cancer Patients By blog Culture has a major influence on us as individuals and as groups. Think about the traditions you cherish, everything from […]
_ Caregiving 5 Questions About Long-Distance Caregiving By Sondra Forsyth article What is long-distance caregiving? It can be helping Aunt Lilly sort through her medical bills or thinking about how to make the most of a weekend visit with Mom. It can include checking the references of an aide whoΓÇÖs been hired to help your grandfather or trying to take the pressure off your sister who lives in the same town as both your aging parents and her aging in-laws. Here, from the National Institute on Aging, are the answers to five key questions about long-distance caregiving:
_ The Hardest Part of Alzheimer's Caregiving By Jane Farrell article Everyone whoΓÇÖs cared for an AlzheimerΓÇÖs patient knows how sad and frustrating the changes can be. But perhaps among all the effects of the illness ΓÇô difficult communication; hallucinations; wandering; disturbed sleep patterns ΓÇô aggression, often accompanied by agitation, can be the most unsettling. Patients may get so angry that they literally lash out at others, occasionally even putting caregivers in harmΓÇÖs way.
Caregiving Without An Attitude By blog A few months ago, I attended a memory loss conference and encountered what I refer to as an “Alpha Alzheimer’s Caregiver.” I’ll call her Deborah.
40 Steps to Making a Bed... And Other Lessons in Caregiving By blog One recent morning, a clinical manager who helps train aides at the home care agency where I work, shared with me a lighthearted comment that she'd overheard from one of her newest trainees. "Who knew making a bed was so complex?" the aide had said. That got me thinking -- and counting.
Caregiving Caregiving Challenges: Bathing and Personal Hygiene By article By Diane Blum As Alzheimer’s progresses, poor hygiene can often become more than just an unpleasant issue. It can have medical consequences, such as bacterial infections including UTIs. Gastroenteritis and other health issues can also occur, some quite serious to an immune system weakened as Alzheimer’s progresses.
_ In-home Caregiving Extends Patient's Life By Jane Farrell article An in-home program that provided elderly people with counseling and resources increased the time they lived successfully at home, even with dementia and other memory disorders. Most of the participants in the study said they preferred to stay at home. The pilot program, conducted by researchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, focused on elderly Baltimore residents over a period of 18 months.
_ Caregiving Doesn't Cause Depression By Jane Farrell article A caregiver’s depression appears to be related to family and genetic factors more than the difficulty of the caregiving itself, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Washington analyzed 1,228 female twins. Some were caregivers and some were not. When it comes to life's stressors, most people would put caregiving at the top of the list. But according to Peter Vitaliano, a professor of psychiatry and psychology at UW, there never have been data actually showing caregiving causes psychological distress.
_ Caregiving is Tough Even for Geriatrics Professionals By Jane Farrell article The difficulties of caregiving seem to be universal: even specialists in geriatrics can find it hard to deal with in their own lives. That discovery, by researchers from Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), appears in the journal Gerontologist.
_ Apologizing After a Caregiving Blowup By Jane Farrell article Caregiving, even during the best of times, can be stressful. Family members and friends who are clueless about the realities of caregiving, often add to the stress by offering "advice," which sounds to you like criticism rather than help. You're a good person and likely they are, too, so you stuff your irritation, bite back a sarcastic response and let the comments or actions pass – this time.
_ Grandparenting The Best Gift for Your Grandkids By Jane Farrell article Grandchildren are some of lifeΓÇÖs greatest treasures. Martha and I have 14 grandchildren. Like many of you, we try to … Read More→
_ Depression and Older Adults By Jane Farrell article Feeling down every once in a while is a normal part of life, but if these feelings last a few … Read More→
_ End-of-Life Care for People With Dementia By Jane Farrell article People often live for years with┬ádementia. While it can be difficult to think of these diseases as terminal, they do … Read More→
_ Children's Health Investing in Your GrandkidsΓÇÖ Future Starts in the Kitchen By Jane Farrell article Grandchildren are some of lifeΓÇÖs greatest treasures. Martha and I have 14 grandchildren. Like many of you, we try to … Read More→