Courtesy of Flickr/Ian D. Keating

Faithful readers may have noticed there’s been a lot more talk of goodlifery than homesteading lately. There’s a good reason. Two reasons, actually. My Mom and Dad.

Both are battling their own long-term illnesses, and I feel fortunate that my sisters and I are able to look after them. While caregiving can be all-consuming, I never cease to be amazed at the lessons my parents are still teaching me. Especially my mother, whose Alzheimer’s has stripped life to its very essence.

• There is no past or future. Only the present. Your previous successes or failures don’t matter. Regret and guilt are a waste of time. There is only this moment, maybe sitting in a swing, holding the hand of someone you love, someone you suddenly realize won’t always be here. Savor each moment and live in it fully. Memorize it. The rest of the world…

Dementia, Including Alzheimer’s

Has Become A National Challenge

In The U.S.!

Over 5 million Americans are currently living with dementia – or one in nine people age 65 and older – and the number will escalate at an alarming rate as the baby boom generation ages. It’s very likely you know someone in your extended family or community with this condition.

Dementia costs now exceed those for cancer or heart disease. Despite the high expenditures, dementia care in the U.S. is fragmented, the quality of paid care is uneven, and most services and supports are NOT following the gold standard of person-centered practices. Person-centeredness nurtures well-being by supporting one’s dignity, individuality, personal preferences, and choices.

Person-centered care is the gold standard and can help make life better for people living with dementia and for those who care about them.     “Person-Centered Matters” is a beautiful and compelling 16-minute video produced by the…

As I sit down to write this long overdue piece, I can’t help but be struck by how many wonderful people I’ve met through dementia advocacy. It’s safe to say that as a whole, these are some of the most gifted and compassionate human beings on the planet. Each has a unique story, but those stories are the common thread that creates such a bond between us.

Mara Botonis falls into that category. To be honest, I don’t recall exactly how we first crossed paths; however, I do know we were instant friends. I’m grateful that social media provides an avenue for meeting people all over the country – and the world, for that matter.

A Caregiver’s Handbook

But, I digress. The intent of this post is to introduce you to what I believe is the best resource in existence for Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers. I know that’s a lofty…

It’s normal to feel loss when someone you care about has Alzheimer’s disease. It’s also normal to feel guilty, abandoned, and angry. It’s important to acknowledge these emotions and know that you may start to experience them as soon as you learn of the diagnosis.

Alzheimer’s gradually changes the way you relate to the person you know and love. As this happens, you’ll mourn him or her and may experience the stages of grieving: denial, anger, guilt, sadness, and acceptance. These stages of grief don’t happen neatly in order. You’ll move in and out of different stages as time goes on. Some common experiences in the grieving process include:

Denial

• Hoping that the person is not ill
• Expecting the person will get better
• Convincing yourself that the person hasn’t changed
• Attempting to normalize problematic behaviors

Anger

• Frustration with the person
• Resenting the demands of caregiving
• Resenting family members who can’t…

In the post “The Layperson’s Guide to Home Health Care for Our Loved Ones with Dementias and Alzheimer’s Disease,” we discussed what home health care is, when it should and can be used, and what services it provides.

In this post, we will discuss what palliative health care is, when and why it should and can be used, and what services it provides at home for our loved ones with dementias and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Although, as any caregiver can tell you, dementias and Alzheimer’s Disease are always on the radar with our loved ones who have these neurological diseases, there are often other health-related and age-related illnesses that our loved ones are also dealing with, especially if they’re elderly.

Home health care services are available – and should be used – when there is an acute medical condition that needs to be monitored and resolved (if possible) after our…

Caregiver Stress

By Theresa Bayman, Program Director Coastal Region

Recently, a member of one of my support groups (with whom I have become very close),  reached her caregiver “breaking point.” Most, if not all caregivers, find themselves at this point at least once throughout their experience. This particular caregiver is a retired nurse – which you might think would give her a leg-up when it comes to care-giving for a loved one at home – but you’d be wrong about that.

When it comes to caring for someone we love, especially a parent or a spouse, the playing field is leveled.  Dementia care-giving is unlike most other care-giving experiences because of the ever-changing needs and limitations of the person receiving care.  With many illnesses, a caregiver can ask the patient “Are you in pain?; Are you hungry?; Would you like some company?”  With a dementia diagnosis, caregivers do not always have…