Monthly Archives: May 2017

May 28, 2017 · 11:50 am

Don’t miss “Care,” a powerful documentary about home care

Courtesy of Care.

A frustrated caregiver recently posted on social media: “We need more than awareness, we need action.”

I totally agree, and while raising awareness of conditions like Alzheimer’s and the sacrifices that family caregivers make is important to push these issues into the mainstream, at some point, messages of support are not enough. Action, from community involvement all the way to federal funding is essential to truly make a difference.

That’s why I’m excited about a new documentary, Care, that examines the hard, often thankless and definitely underpaid work that home-based caregivers perform and offers a call to action on how we can better support these caregivers and families. Caring Across Generations is hosting screenings across the country. In addition to in-person screenings, the documentary will become available via streaming options later this year.

The documentary profiles caregivers from different ethnic backgrounds and from different regions of the U.S., spotlighting challenges but also providing a testament as to why some people feel called to provide care to those in need. The documentary doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of caregiving, showing in detail the difficult physical and emotional work involved. Family members discuss the difficulties of caring for someone at home and those receiving care talk about the loss of independence that often accompanies disease and aging.

For anyone in the metro Atlanta area, I will be participating in a Care screening and panel discussion at Amy’s Place in Roswell on June 7 starting at 6:30 p.m. As I’ve mentioned before, Amy’s Place is a memory care cafe that hosts wonderful community events for those with dementia and their caregivers.

MORE INFO: CARE poster_Roswell Screening

Caring Across Generations is also looking for people just like you, current and former caregivers, who are willing to share their stories. If interested, you can reach out to me via email at joyjohnston.writer@gmail.com.

Check out the trailer below:

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Filed under Awareness & Activism

Tagged as care documentary, caregivers, caregiving, home care

May 21, 2017 · 11:01 am

Marking 2 years since Mom died

Mom school

It’s hard to believe it has been two years since my mother died. The world seems like such a different place, even though two years is but a speck over the course of history.

While merely coincidence, Mom’s death seemed to send the universe into a chaotic spiral. I feel like I’m living in perpetual survival mode, just like I did when I was a caregiver. Mom’s eternal optimism would have been sorely tested over the last year or so.

The grief is less oppressive and not as constant at this point, but it continues to lurk in the dark alleys of my mind, popping out like a villain in a movie from time to time. The “should’ve, would’ve, could’ve” mantra hasn’t been silenced quite yet, but I’ve been able to turn down the volume on the second-guessing for the most part.

Just like in this photo of Mom, I will spend the day writing. She always loved this photo, which appeared in the yearbook. Mom took her education seriously, which wasn’t always a given for farm families when crops could trump classes. I inherited a similar love of learning from both of my parents, which is a precious gift that I use every day.

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Filed under Memories

Tagged as anniversary, death, education, grief

May 14, 2017 · 9:22 am

Thinking of Mom

Mom and I at the library, before taking a stroll through the park.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the wonderful, patient and loving mothers out there, both living and departed.

Even though it is easy to roll one’s eyes at this “Hallmark holiday,” it is a good opportunity to remember those who have cared for you and those you love. Mothering comes in many forms, from traditional to caregiving to caring for pets. A simple thank you, a sympathetic ear, a helping hand, all of these go a long way to honoring the mother(-s) in your lives.

Mother’s Day is extra difficult for me because once I get past today, the anniversary of my mom’s death looms on May 21. It’s a double gut-punch of a month now.

I’ll remember Mom today by doing some birdwatching in the backyard (our birdfeeder has become quite the hotspot) and taking a walk to appreciate other wonders of nature that my mother loved. One of Mom’s best qualities was always “stopping to smell the roses.” She appreciated every flower, every bird, all of nature’s offerings. It’s a good reminder for me to take time to enjoy nature as well and seek a healthier balance between work and other demands of modern life.

‘Senior ER’ designed to reduce stress for dementia patients

Photo by Kenn W. Kiser

One of the most frightening calls I received when Dad was in memory care was that he had been taken to the emergency room. Unfortunately, I received several similar calls over the course of the year Dad was in residential care.

The emergency room visits were usually prompted by falls. Even if Dad seemed OK, regulations required the memory care staff to send Dad to the hospital to be checked out. The worst part was that no staff member accompanied Dad. I can’t imagine the confusion Dad must have experienced, on top of his dementia, with the chaos that accompanies an emergency room visit.

Even for a person without dementia, the emergency room is a daunting experience. I’ve only been to the ER once as a patient, in high school, and it was an exhausting, fruitless experience. I’ve been to the ER several times with others having medical issues, and it is always a nightmarish experience. Why do medical emergencies seem to always happen in the middle of the night? Really though, it doesn’t matter if it is high noon, emergency rooms and hospitals in general seem to be caught in a time warp where it always feels like it’s 3 a.m.

There is so much hurry up and wait. People rushing in and out. Poking, prodding, medications being shoved in your face, or pumped into a vein. So many questions that have to be answered rapidly, and repeatedly. It’s enough to rattle a mentally sound person.

That’s why I am optimistic that some hospitals are reinventing the ER experience for those with dementia. Lutheran Medical Center in Denver was recently profiled for its Senior ER program. They’ve taken half of their emergency room space and retrofitted it to make it a more soothing, less chaotic experience. Everything from mattress thickness to lighting and noise level has been moderated to prevent the onset of delirium, which can hasten death.

The Senior ER has been such a success that people of all ages are asking to be admitted to that wing.