A Note From Carol
July 4th is Independence Day. I think of my dad a lot
on any "flag" day, as his original brain injury was from
World War II. It was the surgery to correct the backup
of fluid behind scar tissue that lead to his dementia.
I also think of how our elders - many of whom were
World War II veterans or their spouses, and all of
whom were part of the war effort - valued their
independence. And how, now, they are gradually
losing it, as a result of age.
One can look at it as a gift. At least they lived long
enough to get old. However, as they say, aging isn't for
sissies. Either is caregiving. Watching the people who
once cared for us become less and less able to care
for themselves is painful. Caring for them in intimate
ways that we would once have thought unfathomable
is poignant.
If you can involve an elder in the Independence Day
celebration, please give some thought into doing so. I
know - any celebration can be hard when the elder
is physically and/or mentally difficult to contend with.
But even ceremonies of flag-raising on television can
bring them to attention. It's a familiar scene that take
your elder back in time.
Fireworks may not be such a good idea if dementia is
an issue, as the sound is too much like gunfire. You'll
have to be the judge of what your elder can handle
and what he or she can't.
You'll be spreading yourself thin if you are trying to
provide a great time for youngsters at the same
time as coping with an elder or two, but most of us
have learned to juggle these issues. It's tough, and
often someone gets short shrift. That's life, and you
can only do so much.
Spreading yourself too thin can leave everyone short -
as you may end up being the one sick and unable to
attend your own celebration. So, as always, I'm
reminding you to care for yourself as well as those you
are responsible for. They need you to help them with
their own independence.
Take care,
Carol
Quick Links...
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Hello!
Welcome to Minding Our Elders! Our hope is to break
the isolation that caregivers often feel. We'd also like
to share ideas, comfort and information that will help
you along your caregiving journey. Finally, we'll be
adding some articles on health and even travel for
caregivers, boomers and seniors. Thanks for reading.
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Alcoholism and Elders: Watch for the Signs
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My neighbor Joe was rarely without a hip flask during
Prohibition, and, while a hip flask eventually went out
of vogue, he didn't change his drinking habits as he
aged. Joe was a functioning alcoholic - he, and
everyone who knew him, was well aware of that fact.
He was also brilliant, inventive and funny. He had
reached 87 years, and had no desired to quit drinking.
His wife had died a few years before, and, as his
neighbor, I'd become his primary caregiver. His one
son lived half-way across the country.
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Clueless About the Extent of My Memory Loss: Dementia and Day-to-Day Life
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A post from my friend Leah, who has vascular
dementia:
"I wrote this about my memory just two days ago, or it
may have been yesterday...
"Some of my memory, surprisingly, seems to be
better... in spite of my mourning the loss of my brother
and grieving over the news of the inoperable brain
tumor of my seven-year-old nephew.
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Agingcare.Com Adds Elder Care Expert Carol Bradley Bursack to Staff
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I'm proud and happy to have been named Forum
Moderator for AgingCare.com.
I hope you'll stop
by to chat and become involved in this thriving group of
caregivers. There's never a dull moment.
The link below will take you to the full press release.
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The Alzheimer's Action Plan - Top Choice for Practical Advice
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When a weighty hardbound copy of The Alzheimer's
Action Plan arrived in my mailbox, I looked at it with
some trepidation. Reference - yes. Cover to cover
reading? Not too sure.
However, I wanted to get this information out to our
readers here on OurAlzheimer's.com, so I dug in.
I must congratulate the authors, P. Murali
Doraiswamy, M.D., Chief of Biological Psychiatry,
Duke University Medical Center and Lisa P. Gwyther,
M.S.W, Founder and Director of the Alzheimer's Family
Support Program at the Duke University Center for
Aging. The Alzheimer's Action Plan is extraordinarily
readable.
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Depression and Older Adults
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From Senior Approved Services - Another terrific
article. This one is written by Rebecca Allgeier, LISW
from Northcoast Conflict Solutions A Certified Senior
Approved Service .
"Feeling sad and depressed is something we all
experience at times throughout our lives. However,
when these feelings persist over a long period of time
interfering with relationships and your daily routine,
then you may be experiencing a clinical depression.
The good news about depression is that it is usually
very treatable and offers good prognosis.
"Depression is not a normal part of growing older but
is fairly common in adults 65 and over. Diagnosing
depression in the older adult is not always easy. The
depressed person or family may think that it is just a
passing mood.
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About Carol
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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.
If your group or organization would like to buy "Minding
Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories"
in bulk, please email carol@mindingourelders.com
for information.
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