A Note From Carol
I love fall. Even if the weather is still summer-like on
Labor Day, the holiday signals my favorite season.
Labor Day should have more significance to us than
back-to-school sales and a change of seasons.
Fortunately, there are those who still strive
to make it the holiday it was meant to be - one to
honor workers - workers like the generation of elders
many of us are now caring for.
Labor Day should also honor you, the caregiver. No
one works longer hours than caregivers. You don't
have to be giving hands-on care to be working 24/7.
Who is it who gets the call from the nursing home
when Dad falls and needs to go to ER? Who is it who
gets the call from the dispatcher when Mom presses
her personal alarm button at 1 a.m.? Who is it who
has to run and get a battery for Uncle Jim's watch at
10 p.m. because he can't stand not wearing it, even
though he has three clocks in his assisted living
rooms?
It's you, the caregiver. The people we are caring for
are always on our minds. When will they need more
help than we can give? What kind of help will they
need? Should we be taking about including hospice
care?
This Labor Day, try to remember that what you, the
caregiver, are doing is labor. It may be a labor of love,
but it is labor. It is work. You took on one
more job the moment you became a caregiver.
Whether the care receiver lives with you or is in
another dwelling; whether you have other family
member to help or not; whether you have paid
assistance or not - you have taken on
another job. Don't forget to honor yourself for your
commitment to this work, and don't forget to get some
rest when you need it. Use this Labor Day as a
reminder that what is best for you is also best for the
care receiver.
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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How to Die organized: Ten Tips
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The authors of a neat little organizer titled, "Putting
Things in Order: A Journal to Organize Your Life for the
Next Generation," sent me their top ten list of things to
do so you can be organized with the paperwork you
want your heirs to have. Before I tell you about their
book, here's the list as written by authors Ellen
Baumritter and David Finkle:
1. Make sure you have a will, and that it's up to date.
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Elders and Sex: Who Gets to Decide What is Proper?
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You see an older couple walking hand in hand down
the street, staring into each others eyes and grinning.
Their hands are clasped." Ah, cute," you think. Then
they giggle and - kiss. Yikes! Aren't they kind of old for
that?
Our society has marginalized people over fifty when it
comes to love and sex. The "ick" factor is natural,
when one thinks of his or her parents. Who wants to
think they ever did that? Of course the fact that you and
your siblings exist is a clue, but still, it's just
something most of us don't care to think about.
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Cost of Caring for Aging Parents Could be Next Financial Crisis
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A survey conducted by AgingCare found that although
adult children are often responsible for paying for their
aging parent's care, the large majority of caregivers
are vastly unprepared. The survey found:
- 63% of caregivers have no plan as to how they will
pay for their parent's care over the next five years.
- 62% say the cost of caring for a parent has
impacted their ability to plan for their own financial
future.
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Safety Tips from Connections in Communication
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Create a list of important contact numbers that are not
only in the home but in the car.
Include basic medical details as well. When a person
has speech or memory issues,
providing that information can be challenging. Stress
can make it more difficult. Being pro
active can make the difference in getting timely and
appropriate intervention.
If there is an emergency, it may be difficult for a
memory-impaired person to recall the 911
emergency number. Tape that number to every phone
in the home. Make sure they can
easily see the numbers, otherwise replace the phone
with one that has larger buttons. In
some cases a picture phone might be the best option.
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Dementia: Tips for the Newly Diagnosed & Their Spouses
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This is from the excellent resource "Gilbert Guide."
During a recent Alzheimer's convention I attended a
seminar in which all panel members were part of a
couple; one spouse in each pair had recently been
diagnosed with Alzheimer's. All ten older adults
shared their stories-which were inspiring and
honest-of how slight memory loss eventually was
diagnosed as Alzheimer's. Below are some ABCs for
couples dealing with a partner being newly diagnosed.
Assert Who You Are
You have dementia or your spouse has dementia.
Although it is a part of your life, allowing it to overtake
your life will not help you cope with it.
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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. Minding Our Elders is a registered
trademark.
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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