Caregiver 101
The Caregiver’s Balancing Act
In the 1960s, TV celebrity Ed Sullivan featured a Chinese talent artist who demonstrated the careful balance and timing of spinning porcelain plates atop thin, wooden sticks. Read more
Aging in Place: A Real Choice
Consumers who plan to age in place should take proactive steps to modify their homes while they are still financially and physically able. Read more
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Caring At Work
Are you one of the 65 million Americans who care for a family member? One of the 20-50% of employees who tend to a loved one before going to work, then return to care again after a long hard day on the job? Read more
Do you have what it takes to be a caregiver?
The time has come when a family member needs assistance and you’re struggling to understand what will be needed of you as you move into the role of full- or part-time caregiver. Read more
I'm Fine, Thanks
That is the life of a caregiver. You are always fine because the focus is always on the person that you care for. You are “just fine” because if you think of allowing yourself to be anything other than fine, your legs will come out from under you. Read more
Caring for the Caregiver
Being a caregiver is a stressful and demanding job. There is usually very little, if any opportunity to prepare for a new caregiving situation. Read more
The ABCs of Caregiving
Throughout our lives, we each perform a variety of different roles. For me, I have been a daughter, sister, student, sales clerk, secretary, coach, and a writer. The one role I thought I would never assume is now the main focus of my life ... Read more
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Guilt Free Caregiving
I read a comment in a publication by Catholic Family Services in Michigan about caregiving: “As a caregiver, you are consumed by guilt, doom, fear, hopelessness and even helplessness.” Read more
Top Ten Ways To Care For Yourself
1. Keep a journal. Start today. Describe your fears as well as your hopes, the reality of what each day is like Read more
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6 Things to Remember as You Start to Care for Your Parents
Whether you are an adult child or a parent trying to communicate with your kids, here are six suggestions for overcoming some of the obstacles and frustrations we commonly experience during this time. Read more
Respite: Enjoy a Guilt-Free Summer
Why is it that the words “respite” and “guilt” seem to go hand in hand? Why do caregivers feel we are somehow failing our loved one by admitting that we need help, Read more
What the First-time Caregiver Needs to Know
Everyone ages, and there comes a time when older or ailing loved ones need help. Oftentimes friends or family members rise to the occasion to assist them. If you’re one of those first-time family caregivers, you are not alone. Read more
Positive Aspects of Caregiving
Caring for a person with a debilitating illness is often challenging. It becomes all the more difficult when the person is in the throes of Alzheimer’s disease Read more
Tips for Organizing a Medical History
A trip to the emergency room made me realize why caregivers are advised to organize heath information. Read more
Emotional Fatigue
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, founder of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving, says there are four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those Read more
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Nip Depression in the Bud
Warning Signs to Look For Caregivers need to be especially aware of depression because of the great load they carry. Read more
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After Caregiving: Picking Up The Pieces
As a caregiver, we totally commit ourselves to caring for another person who no longer functions as they once did in the normal scheme of life. We move in with them or move them to us. Read more
Respite for Two
Adult day care centers provide a break (respite) to the caregiver while providing health services, therapeutic services and social activities for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, ... Read more
Safety Begins at Home
If you're among America's 54 million caregivers, knowing how to evacuate a loved one or how a loved one can take shelter during an emergency may not be as easy as just stepping out a door, or crawling out a window... Read more
Five Simple Steps to Create a Safer Environment for Seniors
On behalf of the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), I encourage caregivers to familiarize themselves with some basic tips to help maximize the safety of the seniors in their care while minimizing the risks associated with electricity. Read more
