Elder Care Cafe

If you have been a caregiver for any length of time, you know how stress can become an unwanted addition to your life. There is a wonderful questionnaire on the Alzheimer’s Association website Alz.org that I think might help you find the information you need to help you combat caregiver stress. Answer the questions, then [...]

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No matter how long you have been caring for an elderly loved one your caregiver stint will someday come to an end. Whether you want to retain the memories of those days will often depend on who you are caring for and what relationship the two of you have. For example, in my case I [...]

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Caring for the elderly is difficult no matter how self-reliant they are. The emotional and physical stress of being responsible for another person tends to pull the caregiver down whether they realize it or not. Suddenly one day the caregiver realizes how exhausted he or she feels, how time seems to have slipped away, and [...]

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How are you doing? Has the stress of the holidays gotten to you? Every year we try to be a bit more organized, a bit more prepared for the holidays – after all, we do know they are on the way. But, it seems like time passes much too quickly. For many years, I sent [...]

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While few of us think about our own self esteem – how we feel about ourselves, our work, our relationship to our family and community, our place in the world is the cornerstone not only of our ability to function and be productive in life but of our mental and physical health as well.  That [...]

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Change happens! That is a way of life that some people find disturbing. They go day to day settled in their routine, at peace with the world, and content to remain where they are. Others, however, embrace change. They want change on a daily basis and are bored to tears when everything stays the same. [...]

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As a caregiver, we should never underestimate the value of building a network of support. Good contacts are a valuable resource when we are in need of any type of assistance. Having a well thought out rolodex can make a huge difference between our success or failure as a caregiver to our aging parents. Building [...]

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Many people liken being a caregiver to their aging parents as a relatively difficult battle they must face on a daily basis. If you have ever engaged in war with someone, on the battlefield or not, you understand the pressure and fatigue that can set in during the duration of the battle. However, if you [...]

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In recent years, labels have been given certain time-periods that helps identify that particular generation. One obvious example is the Baby Boomers that started in 1946 and ended approximately 1964. A current title that is most appropriate for those of us who are caregivers for our children or grandchildren as well as our aging parents [...]

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What most adults do not usually think about as they go about their daily lives is that, unless their parents pass away when they are younger, the adult child will more than likely become involved in their care as they age. Caring for aging parents isn’t normally on anyone’s mind when they and their parents [...]

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We have found that most relationships between caregivers and the seniors they are caring for tend toward self-absorption or self-centeredness. Most topics of conversation dwell on the caregiver or the person receiving care. On any given day, about all your elderly parent talks about are his or her physical or emotional needs and we all [...]

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When you were growing up, your parents were your care givers. They made sure you were safe, well fed and clothed, had medical care and that the money was there for the things you needed. But, for your mom and dad being your caregiver was about more than just giving you the basics of survival [...]

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Much of the adjustment that goes into caring for your aging parent deals with the stress and the emotional drain that being a caregiver can bring. In addition to the issues involved in how to care for your loved one in the best possible way, there are also the emotions of anger and frustration to [...]

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Providing care for your adult parent can be difficult in the best of times. However, when their health seriously begins to decline and you wonder is the end near, you are placed in a position of having to make a growing number of difficult decisions. Many of those decisions will be made without the input [...]

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Sometimes when you have a consuming problem, it can so take over your life that you let go of the rest of life’s responsibilities and relationships. That is certainly a danger that caregivers face. It is easy to become so wrapped up in the demands of being a good caregiver for your aging parent or [...]

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