“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
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
The most challenging question facing family care givers is knowing when to step in and take care of an aging parent and when to leave well enough alone. As we care for our loved ones we want our help to be received with a “thank you so much” and not “mind you own business, I can … Read More
When do I take away the keys? That is a question I am asked all of the time. When is it time to tell your aging parent to stop driving? And more importantly should you intervene at all? Many caregivers struggle with these questions as they become more involved with the care of an aging … Read More
Are you one of the 40 million? I know I am – or will be! Forty million- that is the estimated number of unpaid family caregivers in the United States today and the number is growing! You are not alone. With our aging population and longer life spans many more of us will be finding ourselves caring … Read More