Caring For Those in Chronic Pain: How Spouses Cope
Photo credit Justin Follis
Traditional marriage vows generally contain the words "through sickness and in health." For some couples, chronic sickness in the form of a painful disease can come close to defining their lives. I set out to see how these caregivers coped with this change, chronic pain, in their marriages. Research first led to Lynn Greenblatt, a family caregiver for her husband who was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) in July 2008. I began by asking Lynn how she provides the care that her husband needs.
Lynn's Story: "My husband Seth has been in constant severe burning p...
Source: Minding Our Elders - August 6, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Not Everyone Is Cut Out to Be a Caregiver
Photo credit Alex Iby LaHo
Each of us is unique, with our own talents and flaws. Often, our so-called faults are merely ways in which we differ from society’s ever-changing expectations. For example, it used to be a given that married couples would have children if possible. Currently, a significant number of couples are choosing to be childfree. Are they selfish? No. They simply know what they want out of their lives and understand that becoming parents probably isn’t the best choice for them or their potential children.
Similarly, some people have the insight to recognize that they wouldn’t be able to provide dai...
Source: Minding Our Elders - August 5, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Family Caregivers Still Undervalued by Many
Photo credit Andrea Piacquadio
We live in a society that tends to value what we do over who we are. If what we do isn't highly paid or well understood, many people often brush it off as unimportant. Thus, one of the most important jobs in our society today – that of being a family caregiver – is all too often undervalued by people who don't understand. We may not be able to control others' viewpoints, but we do have some control over whether we accept this view of what we do and remain confident in our own decisions. During the two decades that I spent caring for different combinations of multiple elders, I often foun...
Source: Minding Our Elders - August 4, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Balancing Sandwich Generation Caregiving Relationships with Grace
Caregiving can creep into your life or crash down with a bang, but either way, if we aren’t thinking ahead, we can find that our other relationships suffer. Oh man, I’ve been there.
This is how it often happens: You see your parents a lot since you still live in the same community. So, when your mom falls and breaks her arm, of course, you rush to help. You assist your dad with making some adjustments around the house, and then, for the most part, he takes over. Then, the unthinkable: Your dad has a heart attack. You rush in to help. And then…
I refer to this as the “creep-up factor” because while ...
Source: Minding Our Elders - August 3, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Minding Our Elders Newsletter Is All Prettied Up and Sporting more Delivery Options
For those who subscribe to the Minding Our Elders Newsletter, here's some housekeeping news:
1. As expected there were a few bumps along the way, so if you signed up but are not receiving your newsletter, feel free to sign up again. A few email addresses were lost in the transfer (including one of mine that I was using for testing). That glitch has been fixed.
2. The "preferences" link in the footer where you can adjust how you'd like to receive your newsletter had a programming error (or something), but the great Feedblitz team quickly corrected the problem. Now, when you click preferences, you can see all available opt...
Source: Minding Our Elders - August 3, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Balancing Sandwich Generation Caregiving Relationships with Grace
Caregiving can creep into your life or crash down with a bang, but either way, if we aren’t thinking ahead, we can find that our other relationships suffer. Oh man, I’ve been there.
This is how it often happens: You see your parents a lot since you still live in the same community. So, when your mom falls and breaks her arm, of course, you rush to help. You assist your dad with making some adjustments around the house, and then, for the most part, he takes over. Then, the unthinkable: Your dad has a heart attack. You rush in to help. And then…
I refer to this as the “creep-up factor” because while ...
Source: Minding Our Elders - August 3, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Caregiving is Not a Competitive Sport: The Case for Supporting Caregivers ’ Unique Decisions
Photo credit Josh Apel
Caregiving. What does it mean to you? While often rewarding and frequently exhausting, it’s one of many life events that can only be understood if you’ve been intimately involved. This truth is what drives most caregivers to seek support from their peers as well as professionals who can share valuable information. So, what could go wrong in such a well-meaning group?
Normally, all is well in caregiver support groups. People help and comfort one another, offer advice based on what’s worked for them in a similar situation, or just simply offer a much-appreciated hug — virtual or otherwise. Th...
Source: Minding Our Elders - August 2, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Time Management Strategies That Can Work for Caregivers
Photo credit Deniz Altindas
Don’t let the title scare you, folks. I’m not presenting a “system” here. Personally, I’ve never seen a chart or graph designed to help me organize my life that I didn’t intentionally ignore. “Systems” designed by experts never take my life or personality into consideration. Instead, they seem like cookie-cutter solutions intended only for organizing some dream life. That being said, tips and thoughts from people whose experiences have closely mirrored mine, in at least some aspects, have been generally welcomed. I like real-life stories, and I like knowing how people make...
Source: Minding Our Elders - August 1, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Caregiver Wants to Help Dad with Language Challenge Following Stroke
Photo credit Thomas Sumner
Dear Carol: My dad suffered a massive stroke that has damaged his ability to find words and name everyday objects. His doctor calls this aphasia. For example, Dad will ask me to get him an object, but he then uses a completely unrelated word to name it. He becomes increasingly frustrated when I don’t understand him. I know he’s mad at himself, not me, but I’d rather have him mad at me. How do I help him? - AL
Continue reading on Inforum for more about how to help someone with aphasia communicate:
Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories. “I hold onto your book...
Source: Minding Our Elders - July 31, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Loving Yourself: A Caregiver ’s Ultimate Challenge
We’ve all heard that we must first learn to love ourselves before we can love others. Yet, many of us have grown up with family members who were hard on us or taught us that self-love is selfish or arrogant, which couldn’t be further from the truth.
What Is Self-Love? Louise Hay, a founder of the self-help movement and author of several New Thought motivational books, defines self-love as a deep, unconditional acceptance and appreciation for all parts of who we are. Self-love is the culmination of building awareness of ourselves, nurturing our minds and bodies, and acknowledging that we are good and valua...
Source: Minding Our Elders - July 30, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Kitchen Safety Concerns for People with Dementia
Sharing a kitchen with another cook can be trying for some people. Sharing a kitchen with a person who has dementia can be more than trying; it can be unsafe. Cooking and eating are basic daily functions for us all, and since we strive to provide as normal an existence as possible to our loved ones with dementia, if you share a home, sharing the kitchen may need to be part of the experience. However, safety for everyone must be taken into account.
Since the national Alzheimer's Association specializes in tricky issues that can have a steep learning curve for family caregivers, I contacted Ruth Drew, MS, LPC the Dire...
Source: Minding Our Elders - July 29, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
