A Note From Carol
Dear Friends,
There's just something promising about the unused.
The untouched. The un-smudged. The feeling never
lasts, of course. If the crayons are to be of use, then
we must risk that they will be rounded, dulled and
eventually, need the paper peeled back. If the tablet is
to be something other than a blank page, it must be
written on or drawn on in an imperfect, human way.
Things left untouched - unchallenged if you will - often
have a perfection about them. But of what use are
they?
The same is true for our shinny new year. We, as
caregivers, will move forward, because we must. As
we move forward we will make mistakes. We will fail
to be a patient as we feel we should. We will fail to
pick up on every nuance of need shown by the person
or people we are caring for. And we will inevitably
blame ourselves for "failing."
Our new page will be smudged. Our actions will prove
our imperfection; our humanness. Yet, if we were not
to move forward in our caregiving, or in any
relationships we have - what then? Who'd step in to
care to care for those we love?
We can get education. We can get help. But, in the
end, all we can do is our imperfect best. We must
remember that the page of life is smudged because
we are making an effort to do what needs to be done.
We are moving forward with courage and wisdom
gained from mistakes of the past. We'll keep on, in
this new year, even as the shine wears away and
weariness takes over. We'll make this a better year,
because we'll ask for help. We've learned to look for
support from other caregivers and education from
good resources. We'll keep putting one foot in front of
the other, helping those that need us.
Let's not forget that we, the caregivers, need care, too.
If you, my caregiving friends, are making any New
Year's resolutions, please make the top one be "I will
remember that I need care, too." Make this new year
one where everyone gets care - even you, the
caregiver.
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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"Old Age in a New Age": A Book About Transforming Nursing Homes
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I've read about the "Green House Project." I've seen
homes that proudly carry the moniker "Eden
Alternative." I've witnessed tremendous progress,
physically and culturally, in many of our local nursing
homes. But I've never had the foundation to defend my
dream of patient centered, dignified lifestyles for our
elders until I read Beth Bakers "Old Age in a New Age:
The Promise of Transformative Nursing Homes."
This book should be read by every nursing home
employee, from certified nursing assistants to
administrators, and every government regulator and
Medicaid employee. I'd also love to see everyone who
is considering a nursing home for an elder have a
copy of this book. If more people were informed about
what is possible, there would be such a demand for
improved services that there would be no way the
masses could be ignored.
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Senior Approved Services Leads Consumers to Excellent Elder Care
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As the senior population grows, the need for quality
care and services increases. In response, service
organizations claiming to meet the needs of the
elderly are multiplying. How to choose? How can
seniors and their adult children know which services
are safe, reliable and able to deliver on the promises
they make?
Senior Approved Services, a national network of
products, resources and services endorsed by
seniors, themselves, answers that question. This
exclusive service administers a consumer-driven
survey and certification process for businesses that
serve seniors.
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Not Too Late For New Recipes...
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AgingCare.com had a marvelous idea when they set
up a recipe exchange site. Take a look at great family
recipes, and add your own, if you'd like.
You'll also want to take time to explore this terrific site
for caregiving ideas.
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Elders, Eye Health and Depression
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A study about the connection between an elder's
eyesight and depression was conducted recently at
the University of Alabama, Birmingham. The study
showed that elders that don't get their eyesight
checked regularly, and their glasses updated, showed
more signs of depression.
This shouldn't surprise anyone. Many elders don't
hear well. They have other health problems. They lose
so much outside stimulation, that if their eyesight isn't
kept as sharp as possible, they will just decline more.
Of course they get depressed.
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If Downloads Didn't Work...
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One new subscriber couldn't get the free downloads
to work. Please, if you had any trouble, e-mail me and
I'll send them to you directly. I tried the links and they
worked for me, but computers are funny creatures,
and I've had the very same thing happen to me with
free downloads from lists I've subscribed to. I want
you to get your bonus! Thanks, Carol
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CareGrade: Caregiving Business of the month
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I feel that the more ways there are to check out nursing
homes, assisted living, in-home care and other
caregiving options, the better. There's a relatively new
kid on the block called CareGrade. CareGrade lets
consumers rank the services they have tried. It also
gives professionals a chance to speak up.
From their site:
"CareGrade was developed to help people rate, review
and find senior service providers and facilities in their
area. We are the only website of our kind that utilizes
both consumer and professional reviews."
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