A Note From Carol
Dear Friends,
I've, lately, had a few moments of clarity, when I've
realized how obsessive I can be about caregiving.
During my two decades of elder care, I was also
raising my sons, one of whom has chronic health
problems. I still am a caregiver, when it comes to many
of his issues. I've got a friend whose daughter
developed disabilities at a young age, and he has
become her primary caregiver. Some of you are
spousal caregivers. So, while most of my work is
geared toward eldercare, there are myriad ways we
become caregivers, and that is our primary bond.
As caregivers, we have to make choices. We try very
hard to do the best we can for those we care for, but
often, it's a guessing game. I'm linking, below, to two
articles I wrote for my Our Alzheimer's blog, because
these articles illustrate how hard it is to always know
what to do. The first is one I wrote about my dad and
his alternate reality. I received a very impassioned
response from a person with early on-set Alzheimer's,
which moved me to write an additional piece. The two
articles, taken together, explain much about what we
caregivers face daily.
Coping With the
Alternate Realities of Dementia Patients: Whose
Reality Is This?
Coping With the Alternate Realities
of Dementia Patients: Part II
Please remember to take care of yourselves.. Your
health is as important as that of your loved one.
Carol
Quick Links...
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Hello!
Caregiving expert Carol Bradley Bursack, Author,
speaker and columnist, presents a collection of
articles, stories, news and research for you to
browse. Please check the blog and Web site links for
more information and feel free to email Carol at
carol@mindingourelders.com to chat or ask
questions. Thanks for reading.
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When it Comes to Hygiene, Sometimes it's Better to Compromise
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My mother had always been very neat, and cleanliness
was important to her. But when she went into a nursing
home, she thought she was "too good" to need help
with her hygiene. Unlike many of the residents, she
could handle it herself.
The problem was, Mom's dementia had affected her
memory so much that she would put the same clothes
on every day, unwashed. She didn't remember that she
hadn't showered. I also think adjustment to the nursing
home was causing some depression. But that wasn't
the whole issue. Memory seemed to be a large part of
the equation.
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Farmer Fleming
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I'm tapping into a resource at Senior Approved
Services to bring you a goose-bump inducing story of
life. Thanks to Barbara Mascio for her generous nature
and for sharing this great story, submitted by one of her
colleagues.
His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish
farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his
family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby
bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog.
There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified
boy, screaming and struggling to free himself.
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Enhancing the Quality of Your Visit With the Older Adult
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By Kathryn Kilpatrick, Communication Connection
Whether you are the caregiver, a friend, the friendly
visitor or a volunteer helping out around the home or
transporting an older adult, you have many
opportunities to share, connect and get to know each
other better.
Our feature this month provides suggested activities
that you might do to enhance the quality of your visit
together or a different way to spark a conversation.
Since reminiscence is such an important aspect of the
conversations of many older adults, several interesting
ideas are included. Try some these or add some of
your own creativity!
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Featured Site: The Eldercare Concierge
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I've been watching, with great interest, a Web site/blog
grow. Called The Eldercare Concierge, this business
is run by Phyllis Slater.
The top of the site gives you a concise description of
what the Concierge can offer you. It says:
Calming the Chaos: Concierge Services for the
Professional and Working Caregiver
Whether you need information from the Internet,
special gift packages, or special daily living items, let
me be your hands, eyes and ears. Receive 24/7
customer service.
Phyllis offers two books which are available from her
site. One is titled "Calming the Chaos: Eldercare tools
for the Working Caregiver; the other is "Slater Solutions
Concierge Services and Internet Shopper."
Whether you are interested in a book, an e-book, taking
advantage of some shortcuts in your own caregiving, or
just want to browse around, you'll have some fun on
the Conceirge site. Give it a try.
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