Take the time to read this very informative article from Caring.com about the following seven emotions can zap your energy and cause you additional stress as a caregiver for a loved one.
This article gives you the causes, the risks and what you can do for each of these emotions.
Continue readingAs I have mentioned in a previous post, most of us don’t want to think about planning for our aging selves, parents or other loved ones but it is a necessity if things are to go smoothly when a need arises. Â Here is a great article from Elder Care Link that gives suggestions on how to get the conversation started. Â Family gatherings are an ideal time to bring the subject up to mom and dad in a non-threatening way. Â Talk about it before a crisis arises so that you will have time to find out your loved ones wishes and investigate your options.
Continue readingThis is a highly informative article from AOL Health on the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.  When most of us think of Alzheimer’s we generally think of forgetfulness, however there are other signs and symptoms that are associated with the disease.  Listed below are the eight symptoms cited in this article that you should watch for.  If you or a loved one has these symptoms, make an appointment to see your doctor for an evaluation.
Just a reminder that although good works alone don’t get you to heaven, the kind things that we do for others are returned to us ten-fold!
Continue readingMost of us would like to stay in our own homes as we age. Â Everyone needs their privacy and that does not change as we get older. Â Most of us do not react very well to major changes in our lives. Â I know before my husband and I moved from Savannah to Guyton I thought that the transition would be a piece of cake. Â Boy, was I wrong! Â I felt completely out of my element and totally lost for several months. Â I can’t imagine being 80 years old and all of the sudden having to move from the home that I have known for the past 40 years or so, or from the retirement community that I have grown to love. Â It doesn’t seem fair that one should live so long and be uprooted from the familiar.
One of the biggest mistakes I see senior citizens and their families make is waiting until an emergency or crisis to investigate their living options.  It is natural for people to ignore the possibility that they may outlive their money or not be able to live totally independently one day, but the fact is that people are living longer and longer these days due to improved medicine.  Along with that comes the effects of aging such as mobility, visual and hearing  issues that can be an obstacle to living independently.  We can’t see the future but we can take steps to make it a less painful transition when a need arises.
The article below just touches on a few things that need to be considered when planning for the future. Â There are financial, physical, mental, social and spiritual needs that will have to be planned for. Â Do not wait until a crisis occurs in your life or your parents’ lives to take action. Â Know what options are available such as in home care, medical alert systems, home modifications, and financial assistance to make remaining at home a reality. Â We will be adding resources to or website in the future to aid you in finding the help that you need to make the right decisions.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B55EA20101206
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Loving care for independent living.
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