Today I ran across a useful tool on the American Medical Association (AMA) website. As caregivers, much of our focus is on the health of our loved one. Sometimes we get tunnel vision and lose sight of our own health and well-being. This self-assessment questionnaire can identify caregivers who are at risk for, or who are [...]
Archive for April, 2008
Assessing Caregiver Well-Being
Posted in Self-care, tagged caregiver distress, caregiver stress, caregivers, well-being on April 30, 2008 | 4 Comments »
It’s True–There’s No Place Like Home
Posted in General, tagged caregivers, comforts of home, home, safe haven on April 26, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Traveling is great. But after awhile, living out of a suitcase becomes a nuisance. Much of what I want or need is not available or convenient. And, of course, there’s always something important that was forgotten and never packed. In relatively short order, I find myself longing for my own bed and various other comforts of home. Still, these are just [...]
Self-care Is A Necessity To Reduce Caregiver Stress
Posted in Self-care, tagged burnout, caregiver stress, Self-care on April 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Being away for even one day was an enlightening and freeing experience. I hadn’t realized how enmeshed in everyday routines and relationships my life had become. I am participating in an intensive weekend training at a retreat center. Business development is the focus. We are learning from each other, as well as the expert faculty. The camaraderie and colleageality are [...]
Caregivers Commonly Experience Anticipatory Grief
Posted in Grief & Loss, tagged anticipatory grief, anticipatory grieving, caregivers on April 13, 2008 | 4 Comments »
It is so wonderful to see the genuine affection and regard that congregants in our small community church have for my mother. Today, as usual, she was greeted with warm embraces. People seek her out to share their news, good or bad. She routinely holds the Pastor’s hand and prays for him before the service [...]
Contingency Planning For Primary Caregivers
Posted in Advance Planning, tagged contingency planning, nursing home placement, primary caregivers on April 11, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Last weekend, I had a painful wake-up call. I fell headfirst in a parking lot. While I was able to walk away under my own power, I could have been paralyzed instead. It didn’t dawn on me until several hours later, that I had never addressed contingency planning for being unable to serve as a [...]
Scrapbooking: A Valuable Legacy Building Tool
Posted in Activities, tagged caregivers, ethical will, legacy, life review, scrapbooking on April 7, 2008 | 2 Comments »
The dining room table is a mess. It is filled with photos, decorative papers, adhesive dots, a paper cutter, special-edged scissors, and more. It looks like someone dropped everything from an airplane. We had to set up a card table to handle the overflow. My 89 year-old mother is on a mission to create the [...]
PBS Special, “Caring For Your Parents”
Posted in Educational Programs, tagged caregiving, relationships on April 4, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Last night, I watched, “Caring For Your Parents,” with my family. This poignant and valuable 90-minute documentary chronicles five American families who are struggling with complex caregiving issues. It is an intimate picture that doesn’t minimize the strain that caregiving may make on one’s relationships, health, and finances. But at the same time, we see the underlying love [...]
Sharing Solutions To Caregiving Challenges
Posted in General, tagged caregiver stress, caregivers, caregiving, self growth, solutions on April 3, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Welcome to Caregiving Solutions. This blog is dedicated to finding and communicating creative, effective solutions to caregiving challenges. It is also a place to find inspiration and learn ways to cope with caregiver stress. As caregivers, we have rich opportunities for self growth and reflection. But we have to remember to exhale….Caregiving is never truly unidirectional. We give and [...]
