Nowhere is God’s grace more evident than when a Hospice Angel walks through the door. When Tom’s daughters had a heart-to-heart talk with him last April, he was the picture of a man at the end of his rope. Five months of caring for his wife, Jenny, had kept him awake most nights. Occasionally he catnapped in the afternoons, but it was n...Read More
Dear “Oh Carol:” I’m a caregiver. This is how I make my living. I’m late 60’s. I was married, had one son, then we divorced. My former husband died about 5 years ago. The divorce left me financially devastated and I work under the table. But I do okay because I’m good at what I do. I have a nice circle of women friends...Read More
We’d always thought that my dad would be the first to go. Like many dads of the era, his diet was far from healthy, fitness wasn’t a priority, and alcohol and cigarettes played too big a role in his life. I loved the man dearly but he was a high-speed freight train headed toward a brick wall. By the time he was in his early 60’s, he had heart disea...Read More
Apps for seniors and caregivers Smartphones and tablets have radically changed the way we communicate. By 2017, they will make up 87 percent of the worldwide smart-connected device market, with personal computers shrinking to just 13 percent of market share, according to recent projections released by the International Data Corp., a market tracking...Read More
When her 90-year-old father wanted to remain active and continue living in his own Los Angeles-area home, Tobi Rosen hired a caregiver with the help of a care manager from a geriatric care management firm. Rosen says she chose to go with a professional after taking care of her father herself. “Once we hired the caregiver, my dad and I had a b...Read More
Most mornings I wake at 4:30 and enjoy my first cup of hot coffee while listening to the news. I take a few minutes to relax and read before turning on my one hour work out show at 6. Mom rises at 7:30 and that is when the activities of my day begin. The other morning she asked me why I must wake so early! My hideaway – My Alone Time! Somet...Read More
Mother and daughters sometimes can rub each other the wrong way. Well, this is an experience I had when I completely lost it with my mom when she was in my care. I regret it deeply. Something you must never do is get caught up in the mother and daughter relationship while caring for them. Their behavior may sound like it is accusatory at times. &ld...Read More
The days have grown longer and the temperatures have gotten higher. At this point in time, many caregivers are likely planning a family vacation. Of course, your older relatives will be invited – after all, it's a family trip! However, traveling with them will bring some challenges. As a caregiver, you're familiar with their needs a...Read More
We are constantly reminding caregivers that they must take care of themselves; the easiest way to take care of oneself is by exercising regularly. Are you a caregiver on a budget both with time and money, but still want to find ways to exercise? We have a solution. Many home healthcare supplies can double as fitness and exercise equipment...Read More
Caregiving is a 24-hour a day job. Everything from managing prescriptions, home healthcare supplies and the day-to-day needs of a loved one can take a toll on a caregiver. In addition, many caregivers have full time jobs of their own. Due to the demands and pressure of caregiving, it’s important that caregivers know the best way to ...Read More
After decades of work, your loved ones are finally retiring. You, on the other hand, are probably still working, both professionally and as a caregiver. You likely have a lot of ideas as to what you'd like to do when you get to retire. Your loved ones may too, but as the weeks pass, you might find that they aren't living it up quite...Read More