Wouldn’t it be helpful if there was an Alzheimer’s care manual, with step-by-step details on what to expect at each and every stage of the disease? While there are a few general commonalities during the progression of dementia, each person’s experience is unique. This makes it difficult to know what to expect on any given…
If you think PTSD only happens to those who have experienced life-threatening danger, think again. PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) can arise after any traumatic event or experience. So, can a caregiver get PTSD? It may surprise you to learn that providing care for a loved one is, in fact, among the main factors behind PTSD.…
After losing a loved one, the last thing you want to do is complete a list of to-dos. The pain and loss alone are overwhelming enough. Taking the time to sort out your grief is very important. Yet there are, unfortunately, a number of tasks that need to be taken care of, at various intervals…
You’ve been taking care of Mom since her dementia diagnosis. You’ve been working through many of the challenging symptoms. However one day, she looks at you and calls you by a different name – that of her husband or younger brother or father. Do you correct her, reminding her that you are her son? Should…
After a surgical procedure or hospitalization, the physician may recommend rehab in a facility prior to when the person returns home. This is usually a short-term period of intensive therapy to promote healing and recovery. However, the idea of moving into an assisted living facility or nursing home even for a few weeks or months…
The benefits of chemotherapy are indisputable and can save someone’s life. Yet in the process of destroying harmful cancer cells, noncancerous cells may also be in the crossfire, leading to challenging side effects. The physician will provide instructions on what cancer patients need to do to minimize these effects, but it is just as important to…
What is it that gets you out of bed each morning? If you’re a member of the sandwich generation, providing care for both older and younger loved ones, your list is probably quite long! As the nest empties, however, it becomes vital to redefine our identity and learn new ways to bring meaning to each…
Hold onto your hats…the holidays are here! Though there are many people who flourish on the frenzied pace of parties and celebrations, there are an equal number of us who cringe at the idea of stepping outside of our comfort zone and into more intensive social requirements. It might simply come down to one main…
We all have good days and bad days, and we are all entitled to a bit of negative thinking or crankiness occasionally. If you are taking care of a loved one who appears to have fallen into a routine of ongoing complaining and negativity, however, it is worth exploring whether a health problem may be…
If you are in a successful, long-lasting relationship, you recognize that it requires commitment, compromise, and sacrifice. The happiest relationships are the ones where both parties selflessly take care of each other. This balance shifts, however, if the person you love encounters a serious health concern. And this shift into the role of care provider…