ElderAuthority.com

The Secret Gift to Caregivers

Too Much to Do
Last week we flew to Ann Arbor, MI and closed on the purchase of a new home.  We will probably move into it within the month.  There is much to be done before we can move.  The myriad of details that go into making a major move are mind-boggling.  I can’t imagine doing it if we are ten years older.  As it is, we are exhausted at the end of each day.
In the midst life changing transitions, it is interesting to recognize the moments that cause us to break our furious… More

NFCA’s Family Caregiver Forum

Caring for the Caregivers
One of the most devastating side affects of caregiving is the loneliness and isolation.  If you cannot get away to participate in a local support group, join a few online forums that focus on caregiving.  This kind of resource did not even exist ten years ago.  Today it is a real lifesaver.
NFCA’s Family Caregiver Forum is a place where all family caregivers can post questions, receive support and communicate with others. 4004 users are registered… More

Caregiver Resources: www.nfca.org

Rosalyn Carter says: “There are only four kinds of people in the world – those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers”.  America’s family caregivers are family, friends, partners, and neighbors.
National Family Caregiver Association (NFCA)
The National Family Caregivers Association focuses on the needs of caregivers–not those for whom they are caring.  The… More

Choosing In Home Care

Aging in Place
Eighty-three percent of Americans want to age at home. If the elder becomes frail and requires part-time or full-time support,  In Home Care is one option.
There are a number of factors that should be weighed. The functional status of the person being cared for is the most important factor.  Can care be provided in the home that will allow the elder to live with a reasonably good quality of life?  You should begin by considering the home environment, caregiver… More

Create the Job; Get the Work

Resource for Graying Job Hunters
ElderAuthority has published over 50 articles about the necessity for those of us who are middle-aged and older to create our own jobs.  Because of dreadful job market, everyone has trouble getting work, but older people have special challenges.  Check out some of the following posts:
Senior Jobs: Look at Fastest Growing Professions
Looking for a Job
Healthy Aging: Keep Working, Learning, and Growing
Planning the Next Phase of Your Work… More

ALZHEIMER’S BEHIND BARS

BOOMER PRISON POPULATION DOUBLES
In addition to swelling the ranks of every other aspect of society, more baby boomers are also going to jail.  Between 1995 and 2010, the number of those 55 or older being sent to prison doubled.
With an aging prison population and older folks doing stunts to join them, prisons are now also grappling with an issue the rest of society is also struggling with: the increasing epidemic of Alzheimer’s.
ALZHEIMER’S STATISTICS
Alzheimer’s… More

APPLE CARE & COMPANION: CARE AT HOME SERVICES

AN AGENCY THAT CARES FOR AND ABOUT  ITS CAREGIVERS
Apple Care & Companion is a non-medical homecare agency that serves Collin, Dallas, Denton, Rockwall and Tarrant counties in  North Texas.  They are licensed through the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) in the State of Texas.
There are many caregiving agencies out there, but this one is pretty special.  When I look for key differentiators between caregiving agencies, I research the experience… More

COMPANIONS ON SENIORS’ HEALTH CARE VISITS

COMPANION AS COMMUNICATOR
My mother lost much of her hearing following a big stroke just before her 80th birthday.  Of all those around her, she could most easily understand and communicate with me.  Perhaps it was the familiarity of my voice and facial communications, or the lower tone of my voice, but for the years that followed, my caregiving duties for her expanded to helping her better understand and communicate with others around her.
Nowhere was this more important… More

SENIOR CARE: TEXAS WINDS MUSICAL OUTREACH

WINDING PATHWAYS TO TRUE CALLING
Last fall, while attending an Oberlin College alumni event, I met Catherine Barr and Laura Irvin, the Executive Director and Program Director of Texas Winds Musical Outreach.  We knew we had more in common than classical music training and the same alma mater but couldn’t find time to get together until this week.
In 1985 Catherine, a professional oboist, discovered in the residents of a Dallas nursing home an unusual audience for her… More

A+ HOME ELDERLY CARE ADVICE (video)

The following video about providing eldercare from home is absolutely excellent!  There is nothing in it that I would change.  NBC Digital Health Network has created five minutes of practical, useful information without ever lapsing into an infomercial.
Key points bear repeating.
CAREGIVING IS SERIOUS WORK

The family member who becomes the primary caregiver takes on serious responsibilities.
Caregiving requires patience, planning, and practice.
The most successful… More