Writing down your life’s story can be helpful to both you and your loved ones. There are several benefits to keeping track of your life in written form. Don’t worry if you’re not a writer; you don’t have to write a book. Keeping track of your daily life by documenting notes, photos, movie stubs, and other pieces of life’s little moments is enough. Continue reading
Elderspeak occurs when someone in a senior’s life, whether well-meaning or not, uses language that talks down to an older adult by focusing on their age and ailments instead of what they can do and who they are. While elderspeak is often used unintentionally by healthcare professionals, it can have huge negative effects on seniors, particularly those who suffer from Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia. Here are five ways caregivers can try to stay more aware of what they say and do so they can avoid elderspeak. Continue reading
About half of Americans over 60 have completed some form of advance directives. Continue reading
When it comes to how Mom is taken care of and by whom, there are often disagreements. If you are Mom’s primary caregiver, you may sometimes feel hurt or angry when other members of the family disagree with you about how you are handling a certain situation. Feeling criticized can lead us to question our skills and our self-worth. Try to deal with situations where you feel criticized before the criticism sends you into caregiver burnout. Continue reading
As an outside observer, often times, it is the child who first notices changes in Mom that signal it may be time for her to move to an assisted living community. How will she react? How should you bring it up? Knowing what to say and how to begin can be the most difficult part of the entire conversation. So here are a few tips to help you talk with Mom about moving to an assisted living community. Continue reading
