Watch this video blog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvSyldkV_cQ
I taught a class that I teach often this past week and heard from many participants in the class: “I’ve been doing it all wrong”; “I wish I took this class 2 years ago”; “I struggle trying to make my mother understand what I am saying, for me and not her, [...]
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Yes, no, maybe? This prospect dances out there in the breeze every so often. We get glimpses of it occasionally then seemingly effortlessly the thought drifts to another day. This might be a decision you could be making for yourself or, even more dauntingly, for someone else.
The idea of giving up our home, whether it [...]
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Watch the video blog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oltA6PVmEXo
Often families come to the conclusion that it’s a safety risk for their frail elder family member to stay at home yet 24/7 in-home care is not affordable. The question arises: What is best for Mom or Dad?
Remember to think of future needs as you make a decision for the needs [...]
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When a parent or spouse can no longer do what they did yesterday, it becomes another transition for the primary caregiver and for the extended family.
These transitions catch us off guard and an overwhelming sense of loss and grief is experienced by the primary care provider. The caregiver often does not label this as a [...]
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When a family member is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, often little is given to the patient or the family as they all are entering a very long journey of feelings of anger, disbelief, grief, depression, fear and concern.
It would be my ideal that each family who must experience this disease is given a coach to help them [...]
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View this video blog: Memory Loss and Aging Parents
When one parent is exhibiting signs of memory loss the other parent can often cover up for the spouse who is losing the ability to care for themselves. Adult children are often surprised when they hear about a diagnosis they never saw, sometimes because of denial and [...]
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View the video blog: Guilt and Parent Caregiving
Recently in talking with a caregiver who takes care of her mother, father and mother-in-law, the ever present “guilt work” came into the conversation.
“Why”, said the daughter, “do I never feel like I do enough or do the right thing”? Well, it is more complicated than this simple [...]
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A daughter I was working with called and asked how to get her mother to agree to go to a doctor appointment for a flu shot. Her mom has dementia of the Alzheimer’s variety and is starting to become paranoid. The daughter has spent the past 65 years reasoning with her mother, a retired attorney. [...]
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Often individuals with dementia are in denial to something as evident as incontinence, deny they have a problem and make excuses for the wetness on their clothing or furniture. This is embarrassing to family members and presents a hygiene issue to the family member with dementia. This could be the sign of a urinary tract [...]
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When a grandchild sees a grandparent losing the capacity to remember and they are less than 10 years of age, it is hard for them to understand what is happening to Grandma or Grandpa.
Try to give the individual with dementia the pleasure of relationship with a younger family member – it just might be the [...]
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