“I’m dying.” These are words that most of us dread hearing from the people we love. However, death is an inescapable part of life. If it hasn’t happened already, chances are you’ll be called upon to help a parent, spouse, friend or other loved one through the valley at some point. Yes, it can be […]
Caregiving is a stressful job even during the best of times. The sheer amount of responsibility is enough to make the most stoic person falter, but there are also a number of diverse personalities at play. Your care recipient may be grouchy or demanding or your spouse may resent the time you devote to caregiving […]
Life is a mixture of positive and negative experiences. Over time, these experiences intertwine with each other to create a balance. In this give and take scenario, the negative experiences allow us to more fully appreciate the good in life. Secondly, they often serve to strengthen our character by providing us with new opportunities for […]
Living a productive and meaningful life is a balancing act. With the pressures of today’s demanding and high paced world, most people struggle to find a reasonable balance. We can easily be drawn away from our priorities when one aspect of our life consumes the bulk of our time. To a large extent, it is […]
Breathing is something we do without thinking, so it’s easy to take it for granted. But as people age, they’re more likely to develop respiratory complications and experience breathing difficulties. Along with this inability to breathe freely and sustain healthy oxygen levels comes a host of other ailments, including elevated anxiety and emotional stress, reduced […]
Sharing your diagnosis with others is an important step toward integrating Alzheimer’s disease into your life. You may be hesitant to share your diagnosis with some people, given the impact such a disclosure may have for you. Keep this mantra in mind: Alzheimer’s disease is not your fault. Why tell others about your diagnosis As […]
Receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is never easy — it’s life changing. It is normal to experience a range of emotions. Acknowledging your feelings can be an empowering first step in coping with the challenges ahead. Emotions you may have You noticed symptoms. You made a doctor’s appointment. You took tests. And you felt a […]
These days, family members are often scattered in various cities and states throughout the country. This poses a serious challenge when a loved one requires increased care or assistance. There almost always comes a point in time when long-distance caregivers give serious consideration to moving their loved ones closer to them. This can occur when […]
Over the years, there have been many posts in the Caregiver Forum about the questionable things family members do and how deeply these actions affect elders and their caregivers. It seems that every family has a “difficult” member: the one who is never around but somehow knows everything; the one you can never please, no matter how […]
It was a memorable place to have an “aha” moment about aging. Peter Sperry had taken his 82-year-old father, who’d had a stroke and used a wheelchair, to Disney World. Just after they’d made their way through the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, nature called. Sperry took his father to the bathroom where, with difficulty, […]
