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
Tag: Caregiving
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”
Two Types of Empathy Elicit Different Health Effects
When a close friend shares bad news, our instinct is to help. But putting yourself in a friend’s shoes, imagining how you would feel if you were the one suffering, may have detrimental effects on your own health. That is the finding of a study led by the University of Pennsylvania’s Anneke E. K. Buffone… Continue reading Two Types of Empathy Elicit Different Health Effects
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
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
Strengthening Eldercare Workforce Must Be a Priority for the Next President
To advise policymakers and health leaders on the key healthcare challenges facing the next presidential administration, the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) launched the Vital Directions for Health and Health Care initiative. Aging experts John Rowe, MD, the Julius B. Richmond Professor of Health Policy and Aging at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health;… Continue reading Strengthening Eldercare Workforce Must Be a Priority for the Next President
Caregiving and Atrial Fibrillation
Many people associate cardiovascular disease solely with blocked arteries and heart attacks. However, over five million people suffer with electrical problems of the heart—a complex condition called atrial fibrillation. Most common in the elderly, AFib, as it’s known, comes in various forms; some come and go while some are persistent and even permanent, but they… Continue reading Caregiving and Atrial Fibrillation
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
Rising Tide of Home Care for Disabled Seniors
More seniors are getting help from family, friends and hired helpers to keep them in their homes, despite disabilities that keep them from total independence, a new study finds. But that increase isn’t happening evenly across all groups. And the rising demand may have implications for the lives and careers of caregivers, and for policies… Continue reading Rising Tide of Home Care for Disabled Seniors
Ten Tips for Caregiving Daughters – and Their Mothers
As Mother’s Day approaches, many older women in a mother/daughter caregiving relationship may find it a bittersweet holiday. No matter how strong their relationship is with their mother, caregiving is an exhausting, often frustrating task. As in many aspects of life there are lessons to be learned and a lot of bumps and bruises that… Continue reading Ten Tips for Caregiving Daughters – and Their Mothers
How to Find the Best Alzheimer’s or Dementia Care For Your Loved One
If your loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia and can’t live alone, finding the best long-term care for him or her may seem overwhelming. To make the most informed decision for your family member, read on for tips on touring facilities and questions to ask. Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia If your loved… Continue reading How to Find the Best Alzheimer’s or Dementia Care For Your Loved One
Elder Abuse More Severe When in Home
Older people living with an abuser are up to four times likelier to suffer more severe levels of mistreatment, according to a new study. The research, conducted by experts from the University of Toronto, Cornell University, and Weill-Cornell Medical College. suggests that the addition of non-perpetrators also living in the home played a protective function… Continue reading Elder Abuse More Severe When in Home
The Caregiving Imperative: New Year’s Resolutions to Preserve Physical Health and Mental Well-Being
As we age, the years pass quickly from one to the next. Unless we truly look back at our accomplishments or the changes in our lives we may feel like we have made no progress nor accomplished any goals. Some see New Year’s resolutions as a negative because the list results in projects that are… Continue reading The Caregiving Imperative: New Year’s Resolutions to Preserve Physical Health and Mental Well-Being
5 Tips for Managing Life as a Family Caregiver
Each year more and more Americans step up to assume the role of primary caregiver for an adult family member or loved one. In fact, in the past year, nearly 40 million Americans have provided unpaid care. For many, taking on the role of caregiver is necessary for the health and wellness of a senior loved one, but it is not without… Continue reading 5 Tips for Managing Life as a Family Caregiver
Caregiving and Cancer
Caregiving is more often than not an unexpected event. Many caregivers have a daily routine caring for a loved one. Some caregivers continue working; some stay at home to caregive. Most important is the caregiver’s ability for self-care including attending to healthcare and medical needs. Care-receiving is also an unexpected and unwelcome event; who wants… Continue reading Caregiving and Cancer