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By Carol January 26th, 2012
I’m so glad the producers of To Not Fade Away asked me to review their film. Otherwise I would never have seen it, since it is not offered on my DTV plan. In Denver this wonderful RLTV video can only be seen on Comcast Channel 205.
Both my mother and my father suffered from dementia. While neither of them had Alzheimer’s disease, a fear of this particular form of dementia looms large for me as for many in my generation. The older I get the more unsettling small moments of forgetfulness become. I believe that having solid factual information about Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia is vitally important for all of us at this stage of life. And it is equally important for children and loved ones of the elderly to know much …
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By Carol January 24th, 2012
For every caregiver, the day will arrive when caregiving comes to an end. Most of us can’t know when that day will come. Because of this, caregiving often seems endless, but it is not.
Some of us are able to accept that the end is coming sooner or later. The couple in this video are planning for the time when he will be gone, and she will be alone. Senior co-housing is one option for companionship and support for the spouse that is left behind.
Weighing the Options from Our Future Selves on Vimeo.
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Technorati Tags: afraid, aging in place, Brave Old World, caregiver mental health, caregiver needs, caregiver stress, co-housing, coping with death, Elder Spirit, end of life, end of life decisions, family caregiver, pain of caregiving, Paula Span. Columbia University School of Journalism
By Carol November 22nd, 2011
Here is the link to sign on to the webcast on Dec 1 http://meta.media.qualitytech.com/m/wm/wlj-01/COMP008760SCH1_AARP_Caregiving_Forum.wvx And here is a link to the current website describing the event http://www.aarp.org/relationships/caregiving/info-11-2011/Solutions-ForumThe-Challenges-of-Family-Caregiving-What-Needs-To-Be-Done.html This is an important event for all caregivers who can participate.
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The Challenges of Family Caregiving: What Needs to Be Done?
9:00 AM-Noon
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Connect Via Live Webcast
Prominent authors and experts discuss the difficulties faced by millions of family caregivers coping with our health and long-term services and supports (LTSS) systems. They will explore how public policies can more effectively address the needs of caregivers and provide insight on how health care professionals can improve support for family caregivers. Audience participation is encouraged.
Speakers:
Susan Dentzer, Editor-in-Chief, Health Affairs (Moderator)
Susan Reinhard, RN, Ph.D., FAAN; …
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By Carol November 20th, 2011
My dad, Frank, died over a year ago at the age of 91. When he finally came to live in Denver two years before his death, I thought I would be able to help him have a better life, a happier old age. It turned out that the real job was to support him while he moved closer and closer to death.
As the days of his life grew shorter, my confusion multiplied. As much I knew he would die one day, I was caught up in Dad’s insistence that he would live to be “at least” 100. I think it seemed easier to accept this idea than to understand that death was creeping nearer to us with every passing day.
The last days and weeks of Dad’s life were very difficult for all …
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By Carol November 1st, 2011
Recently one of our readers wrote to us about some of his feelings following the death of his mother. “I am overwhelmed with guilt for not always being a good caregiver – giving in to work stressors, tiredness, other concerns,” he said. “…I go over every detail of caregiving and find the things I believe I did and didn’t do. It is sad as I wanted to do the best for my Mom, but I feel I failed her.”
We’ve talked to a lot of caregivers who feel the same as our reader. Years after his mother’s death, one friend who had spent a couple of hours every day after work with her at her assisted living residence confesses that he feels he didn’t do enough. Now, when Judi, Bill and I look back …
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