Hospice Care: Help During End Stages of Life
“No one needs to die in pain.” That is what the social worker told me as I signed the papers that would put my father on hospice care. That is the mantra of hospice providers. As a family caregiver entering the new and scary realm of end-of-life care, it became my mantra, too. I had no choice but to believe these words since my dad had already suffered so much, especially in the weeks leading up to this decision. Each time I walked into Dad’s room in the nursing home, he would be rigid in bed, propped up on one elbow and slamming his other fist against his upturned palm. Pow! Pow! Pow! Over and ove...
Source: Minding Our Elders - March 25, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
The Problem of Alcoholism in the Older Population
Photo credit Drew Beamer
Age-related changes in the body, chronic health conditions, prescription medications, and other factors can magnify the effects of alcohol consumption and jeopardize a senior’s health. This can cause an older adult’s relationship with alcohol to change even though they may not have altered their drinking habits. Unhealthy drinking patterns like binge drinking and heavy alcohol use are associated with serious health risks, especially for the elderly. Alcoholism in seniors is commonly overlooked or misdiagnosed by health care providers. Therefore, it is crucial for family caregivers to be aware o...
Source: Minding Our Elders - March 24, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Caregiver or Care Partner? What Evolving Terminology Means
Decades ago when I began my caregiving life, I just did what I did. I’m not sure I was referred to as anything other than the daughter, the niece, or the mom, and I was too busy to care. However, as my elders became more dependent I began to hear myself, at least in medical settings, referred to as “the caretaker.” Somehow, that word made me grind my teeth. My loved ones were not a patch of land. They were not a house. They were not an object. Yet the term “caretaker” brought such images to mind. As the years went by, however, I slowly began to notice a change in terminology in the clinic and hospital...
Source: Minding Our Elders - March 23, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
10 Things Not to Say to a Person Living with Dementia
Providing care for someone who lives with any type of dementia — whether it’s Alzheimer’s, vascular, Lewy body or any of the myriad incarnations — can be intimidating. We watch helplessly as someone we love changes dramatically in how they view the world, and in the words and actions that they can understand. These changes can lead to situations where we unintentionally say and do things that make life harder for everyone involved. This list is only a start, but avoiding or rewording these questions and statements may improve your caregiving partnership.
Continue reading on HealthCentral for more ideas ...
Source: Minding Our Elders - March 22, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
When an Older Adult Refuses to Bathe and Change Their Clothes
Photo credit Carson Masterson
At best, poor hygiene can result in minor body odor and an unkempt appearance. However, extreme changes in bathing habits can border on self-neglect, affect a senior’s social life (and quality of life by extension) and even jeopardize their health. Frustrated family caregivers often struggle to convince aging loved ones to bathe more often. The solution seems simple, but there is often much more to this issue than meets the eye...
Continue reading on Agingcare for more about the common problem of older adults not wanting to shower or bathe:
Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal...
Source: Minding Our Elders - March 21, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
