The Iron Lady, Dementia and Caregiving
I went to see this movie expecting to learn more about British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s life story, with the emphasis on her place in British history and politics. I knew she must be a unique person to have achieved the position of Britain’s only female Prime Minister to date. What I didn’t know I [...]
A New Year, A New Perspective on Caregiving
Today is Groundhog Day in the United States and Canada. Along with the famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, I’m coming out of hibernation, too! While I haven’t written here for over a month, my mind’s been whirring with ideas and I’ve been busy planning new, additional features for Tender Loving Eldercare (TLeC). Why? It all began because [...]
What Do Caregiving and an Empty Nest Have in Common?
Getting married and becoming a spouse. Giving birth and becoming a parent. Watching your adult children move away and becoming an empty nester. Seeing your parents age and becoming a family caregiver. (Then doing it again possibly for your spouse.) These are all major life transitions that schools don’t give classes in! Most of us [...]
It’s National Family Caregivers Month — Have You Thanked a Caregiver?
Each November is National Family Caregivers Month in the United States. I wrote this tribute in 2008 and wish to share it again to honor and thank family caregivers world-wide. What is Caregiving? C is for caring more for others than for yourself A is for appreciating that all human beings deserve dignity and respect R is [...]
“I” is for Interview at EldercareABC
It is with deep appreciation and honor that I ask you to join me today over at the EldercareABC website. EldercareABC is a wonderful community for caregivers, created by caregivers, and one that I respect greatly and enjoy visiting. Mary Nix is a woman whom I interviewed in 2009 about her caregiving experiences, and she [...]
Inspiring Quotes for Caregivers: Every Caregiver’s Journey — 3/10/10
Every caregiver takes the same path I did — from denial . . . to acceptance . . . to overcoming whatever the unique caregiving challenges are. I have walked in your shoes. You are not alone! Here are some of my favorite quotes to help you on each part of this journey. DENIAL It’s [...]
Inspiring Quotes for Caregivers — 1/27/10: On Regrets
Publicly sharing a true confession earlier this week got me thinking about regrets I have as a family caregiver. Looking back, there are definitely some things I would have done differently while caring for Mom and Dad. They’re hard to acknowledge, and I am very sad when I think about them. I wanted so much [...]
Inspiring Quotes for Caregivers — July 22, 2009
There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: one is roots, the other is wings. ~ Hodding Carter I’ve always loved this quote! With just a few tweaks, it applies to family caregivers: There are two lasting gifts we can give our aging parents: one is safety and security, the other is as [...]
Reactions to an Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis
This Associated Press (AP) headline on the computer caused me to raise my eyebrows in surprise: “News of High Alzheimer’s Risk Doesn’t Devastate” Could this really be true? The article summed up the results of a study funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in The New England Journal of Medicine on July [...]
Interview: Born to Be a Caregiver
I “met” Mary Nix when she left comments here at TLeC and I visited her blog, EldercareABCBlog.com. In one of her comments she explained she is a caregiver not only for her aging parents, but also for her younger sister. Since that sounded unusual, I asked if I could interview her about her family’s story. [...]
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