JUST THE FACTS FRIDAY

Taking a walk, relaxing on the beach or at the park, even just getting some fresh air on your deck or in your backyard are great ways to either get respite for yourself or to spend time with the loved one in your care. But on these bright summer days, the sun can be a foe as well as a friend. Click here for some sun-safety advice from the American Cancer Society, and then enjoy yourself!

 

ALZHEIMER'S: A CAREGIVER CONVERSATION CHECKLIST

Even under the most optimal at-home care circumstances, a long-term care facility may be able to offer a more safe and comfortable environment for someone with Alzheimer’s disease. Now, the Alzheimer’s Association has created a checklist of talking points and helpful hints to begin a series of relevant conversations with your family, fellow caregivers and the person with Alzheimer’s. Click here to read more.

 

 

Mary Ellen Geist

HOME AGAIN

Broadcast journalist Mary Ellen Geist left her big-time reporting life and returned to her family home in Michigan to help her mother care for her father, who suffers from Alzheimer's. She felt her parents' lives were in a downward spiral, she missed her family and her father needed surgery. Maybe it was also a midlife crisis—certainly her friends were having them. "So," she said to herself, "if you're going to have one, why not help your parents during it?" Three years later, we talk to Mary Ellen about her experience and her new book, Measure of the Heart: A Father's Alzheimer's, A Daughter's Return. Click here to read her touching story.

 

 

HOW TO MAKE THE BIG DECISIONS

Do you have trouble making major decisions? It’s not surprising. As caregivers, the choices we make shape our lives and the quality of someone else’s life. That’s why it’s important to hone your decision-making skills. Click here to find out what the experts have to say on this and their seven top strategies to increase your chances of success...

 

 

CARING TODAY CAREGIVER GUIDES

NEW! Caregiver Guide to Respite Care—Providing guidance on why you need it, how to find it, best ways to discuss it, and how much it will cost and assistance in funding it. Plus, a respite care resource guide.


NEW! The COPD Caregiver Guide—Offering tips on how to help your loved one with COPD at home, at mealtime, at work and on the road.

Also check out these Caring Today Caregiver Guides...

The Basic Caregiver Guide

The Diabetes Caregiver Guide

Caregiver Guide: Depression vs. Bipolar Disorder

 

 

TEN MINUTES WITH...RICHARD ANDERSON

Marking its 20th anniversary, the Well Spouse Association—a non-profit, volunteer-based organization—has spread its message of "you are not alone" by lending a needed ear and respite through its website, support groups and caregiver getaways. Here, the Well Spouse president, who spent 29 years as his wife's caregiver, provides helpful insights.

 

 

PARTNERS IN CARE

The doctor seems very busy. While sitting in the waiting room, you catch a glimpse of him racing down the hall. You note he's already a half-hour late for your loved one's appointment, so you figure he'll give you short shrift. You wonder how you can slow him down enough to listen to your worries about your loved one's health. But how do you get your loved one's doctor to be more available, attentive and responsive? Click here for five steps to better caregiver-doctor communication...

 

 

THE PROMISE

"Promise you'll never put me in a nursing home." How many of us have been lassoed by that demand? Is it a promise we're obligated to obey? Or is it one that shouldn't be asked? Click here to read how caregivers like you have handled this dilemma.

 

 

MELT AWAY ANXIETY WITH YOUR MIND

If you make meditation a habit, studies suggest, you may feel calmer and more in control of your life—and what more could a caregiver want? And you don't need to practice a particular form to set your mind at ease. All that’s required is a quiet place that’s free of distractions, a little patience and some understanding of the challenges of meditation. For instance...Click here to read more!