“My brother is visiting and he thinks Mom is just fine! And to make matters worse Mom seems to fool him that she is just fine! What do I do?” Peggy, North Carolina This is a common frustration shared by so many family caregivers. When the siblings or adult children who are at a distance … Read More
You may not be but the one you’re caring for probably is… Today I am writing at the request of a fellow blogger who has a message she wanted me to share with family caregivers. Becca lives with a chronic illness and in her blog Chronic Beauty (click here to read) she shares what life … Read More
In case you’ve been wondering where I’ve been… I’ve been driving MYSELF crazy! These past several weeks have been quite a blur – the view from my car window as I drove back and forth to North Carolina. Last I wrote I was trying to juggle all of the needs of those around me and … Read More
“How do I care for myself when everyone around me needs me to take care of them?” Pat from Virginia This question poses one of the most common caregiver dilemmas – the sandwiched caregiver. Those family caregivers who are taking care of their children, jobs, home as well as caring for an aging parent. Those … Read More
” It Depends…” That was the answer the attorney gave to a caregiver at the elder law seminar I recently attended. A very frustrating and unhelpful response but it is the right one. But what does “it” depend on? Well everyone’s circumstances are different and laws vary widely from state to state, so a lot … Read More
Making self care a priority In last week’s blog I focused on the importance of taking care of your self and introduced you to the Caregiver Bill of Rights. In my Facebook posts this past week I have been giving you daily reminders of those rights and have suggested ways to put them into practice. … Read More
Where do you begin as a Caregiver? Many family caregivers find themselves well into this role before they realize what has happened. Whether suddenly at a hospital bedside or slowly over time, families quickly realize just how difficult caring for someone can be at times. They search for information and answers to help make better … Read More
Maybe you have seen the commercials on TV or received a phone call about Medicare Open Enrollment deadlines. As a caregiver of an aging parent do you know what are these deadlines are and what you need to do? It is important to separate the hype of the sales pitch from the actual deadlines and … Read More
And how do you know? Family caregivers struggle with knowing when to step in to help and when to leave well enough alone. But how do you know what to do and when? Maybe your 80-year-old mother is fine living alone right now with just some occasional assistance. But what additional help could she use … Read More
I’m an Overseer – what level are you? Many of you are finding yourself in the role of caregiver and are feeling lost and overwhelmed. In my previous post I introduced the 6 essential steps helpful to make family care giving a little easier. Understanding what your job is as caregiver is an essential first … Read More