Tag: Caregiving

How to Support Caregiving From Afar

Many people live far away from their family or friends who need help. If you don’t live nearby, you can still provide support and assistance as a long-distance caregiver. From a distance, you may be able to: Serve as an information coordinator by researching information about relevant health conditions, navigating changing needs, and overseeing insurance… Continue reading How to Support Caregiving From Afar

How to Help A Parent Who Is A Caregiver

Caregiving can be physically and emotionally draining. A primary caregiver—especially a spouse—may be hesitant to ask for help or a break. Be sure to acknowledge how important the caregiver has been for the care recipient. Also, discuss the physical and emotional effects caregiving can have on people. Although caregiving can be satisfying, it also can… Continue reading How to Help A Parent Who Is A Caregiver

8 Ways to Be A Great Advocate for A Special-Needs Family Member

For most families, the journey of taking care of a family member with special needs is “a marathon, not a sprint.”  The emphasis must be on look after yourself and your family in order to take on the long-term role of advocate. Don’t underestimate the value of getting some exercise, having a routine, eating well,… Continue reading 8 Ways to Be A Great Advocate for A Special-Needs Family Member

9 Self-Care Tips for Caregivers

Are you making time for yourself while caregiving? Check out these 9 ways to put your own health and well-being back on the list: Ask for help when you need it. Eat healthy foods. Join a caregiver support group. Take breaks each day. Spend time with friends.  Keep up with your hobbies and interests. Get… Continue reading 9 Self-Care Tips for Caregivers

Five Unexpected Rewards of Becoming a Caregiver

It’s true, the life of a caregiver can be demanding, difficult and daunting. I spent seven years of my life in that role, keeping an eye on my wife’s every move. Just about every night, Carol and I awoke from our slumber at least five times to make trips to the bathroom. We spent endless… Continue reading Five Unexpected Rewards of Becoming a Caregiver

Holiday Tips for Caregivers

Holidays can be meaningful, enriching times for both the person with Alzheimer’s disease and his or her caregiver and family. Maintaining or adapting family rituals and traditions helps all family members feel a sense of belonging and family identity. For a person with Alzheimer’s, this link with a familiar past is reassuring. However, there may… Continue reading Holiday Tips for Caregivers

Talking with a Family Member about Alzheimer’s

Having a conversation about Alzheimer’s is never easy. A new survey from the Alzheimer’s Association found that 76 percent of Americans are concerned about offending and 69 percent worry about ruining their relationship if they confront a family member about observed signs of Alzheimer’s. With June being Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, the Alzheimer’s Association… Continue reading Talking with a Family Member about Alzheimer’s

New Report Reveals Sharp Increases in Alzheimer’s Prevalence, Deaths and Cost of Care

A new report from the Alzheimer’s Association reveals the staggering cost of that illness and other dementias, while an accompanying study emphasizes the personal benefits and long-term cost savings of an early diagnosis. The report also cited a sharp increase in Alzheimer’s deaths – 123 percent – even as deaths from other major causes decrease.… Continue reading New Report Reveals Sharp Increases in Alzheimer’s Prevalence, Deaths and Cost of Care

Are Couples Who Choose to Live Apart Tested When Partners Require Caregiving?

Previous research has shown that unmarried adults are choosing long-distance or cross-residential relationships as a way to have companionship and independence later in life. Jacquelyn Benson, an expert of older adult relationships from the University of Missouri, has found that such couples safeguard personal autonomy to maintain partnerships and relationship satisfaction. While autonomy is paramount… Continue reading Are Couples Who Choose to Live Apart Tested When Partners Require Caregiving?

Be Prepared: 6 Tips for Caregivers

Here, from the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a caregiving list that can prove lifesaving: 1. 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… Continue reading Be Prepared: 6 Tips for Caregivers

Suddenly Obtained Power of Attorney? Five Things to Do & Five Things Not to Do

The operative word here is “suddenly.” In reality, it is best for everyone, including banking institutions and physicians, friends and neighbors, if the chosen Power of Attorney and the loved one assigning that title prepare well before incapacitation. It is a tough word to accept – incapacitation – but it is the reason for a… Continue reading Suddenly Obtained Power of Attorney? Five Things to Do & Five Things Not to Do

Sharing Caregiving Responsibilities: What the Experts Say

From the National Institute on Aging, strategies for making a difficult task easier: Caring for an older family member often requires teamwork. While one sibling might be local and take on most of the everyday caregiving responsibilities, a long-distance caregiver can also have an important role. As a long-distance caregiver, you can provide important respite… Continue reading Sharing Caregiving Responsibilities: What the Experts Say

Helping Aging Loved Ones Who Resist Care

National Family Caregivers Month, Novemeber, is an ideal time to reflect on both the responsibilities and rewards of being a caregiver. Being a caregiver is deeply challenging. Especially when those we’re caring for cling fiercely to their independence, resisting support and insisting on remaining independent even when this is no longer a safe option. I… Continue reading Helping Aging Loved Ones Who Resist Care

Caregiving and Therapeutic Fibbing

It’s a strange feeling to lie to your mother or father when you are their caregiver; not unlike when you were a child learning right from wrong. It can be a gift, however, when your loved one has dementia. “Individuals with dementia are often living in their own reality,” says Debbie Fins (LICSW, CMC), a… Continue reading Caregiving and Therapeutic Fibbing

Older Cancer Patients Say Their Physical Abilities Are Better Than Their Caregiver Thinks

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

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