A Note From Carol
If you've been struggling with an elder and whether he
should vote, join the club. It's a sticky issue many of
us are facing this November. You'll have to make your
decision based on how the elder is doing at the time,
or where she is mentally. It's something most of us
don't relish. Elders lose so many rights because of
advancing disabilities, should they lose this right, too?
Read the lead article if you are interested in some
insight from my personal experience.
I'm also looking, as most of us are, toward the major
holiday of Thanksgiving. Sometimes, when coping
with the demands of elder care, child care and - well -
spousal care, we often get overwhelmed at the
holidays. I'll be addressing that issue more in our
December newsletter, but since Thanksgiving is
about gratitude, what I'm thinking about now is finding
gratitude in the caregiving process.
Sometimes, the overwhelming exhaustion of just
everyday caregiving is nearly more than we can cope
with. Then come the holidays, with even more
demands. Gratitude? What's to be grateful
for?
If you are having some of those thoughts (and who
doesn't?), you may be interested in the
article, "Awareness of Personal Growth During
Caregiving Can Help Caregiver Health." One thing I've
learned, though I find I have to keep relearning it, is
that accepting things as they are can relieve us of
some of the struggle. The study I write about in this
article has found essentially the same thing.
Happy voting and happy Thanksgiving to all of you.
Remember to take care of yourselves while you are
caring for others. That's the only way everyone wins.
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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Should Aging Parents With Dementia Lose the Right to Vote?
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My parents, products of the Depression and World
War II, had very strong opinions about the right to vote.
It was considered nearly sacred, a right that was not to
be ignored. They weren't political people, just people
who deeply appreciated the right to vote and realized
the importance of doing so.
Some of my memories of my vibrant mother in action
were during the years when the League of Women
Voters was really getting a foothold in my home area.
Again, Mom wasn't a political person, but
the "League," as she called it, was just there to get
people out to vote. They are still active in holding
debate forums all over the country.
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Awareness of Personal Growth During Caregiving Can Help Caregiver Health
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In a story on health.usnews.com titled "Caregivers
Face Multiple Strains Tending Older Parents," a study
was examined that showed "middle-aged adults who
regularly help their elderly parents get by experience a
drop in health and well-being in their own lives..." The
study is reported in an edition of the Journal of
Gerontology: Social Sciences earlier this year.
The research team studied diaries of adult caregivers,
and the diaries showed that, "... accumulation of small
and large daily stressors such as work deadlines,
PTA meetings, supporting family and friends as well
as providing routine assistance to a parent living
outside one's house can build up," study leader Jyoti
Savla, assistant professor of human development and
gerontology at Virginia Tech, said in a university news
release."
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Four Ways a Long-Distance Family Member Can Be An Effective Caregiver
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This article is from a terrific new blog, Inside Assisted
Living: Helping families consider a transition to
assisted living.
Proximity is just one of the considerations that
families take into account when it comes to choosing
an assisted living community for an elderly loved one.
In fact, in our recent Assisted Living Family Attitudes
and Preparedness Report, 77% of respondents said
that proximity to their home is among their top three
considerations. And subsequently, a corresponding
number will choose a facility within 25 miles of their
home.
However, situations do arise when you have to be far
away from your elderly loved ones in their new home.
So while you may not be there socially, you can still be
a huge asset to the family goal of caring for its loved
ones.
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Holiday and Travel Tips
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Kathryn Kilpatrick of Communication Connection
writes about traveling for the holidays:
Special occasions happen all the time
in our lives. Sharing them with loved
ones who are older and experiencing
some changes in their capabilities
requires some increased awareness on
the part of families and caregivers.
Make the necessary modifications and
enjoy the memories of the time spent.
Be sensitive to the changes you may
be creating in their environment.
With children, pets, toys, gifts,
luggage and other items, the environment
may feel overwhelming
and there can be hazards that could
cause them to trip and fall.
If the gathering is in their home,
make sure you return things to the
place where the older adult had
them before.
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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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