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General Caregiving

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Title Author
10 Places to Find Caregiving Help Rebecca Sharp Colmer
The information in this article will tell you where to search for caregiving assistance for your loved one.
10 Reasons to Keep Caregiving Records Rebecca Sharp Colmer
The caregiver role is complex and differs for everyone depending on the needs of the care-receiver (patient). Many times, in the beginning, there may only be a few needs, such as providing transportation or helping with shopping or cooking.
10 Steps To Grieving The Loss Of A Parent Alexandra Kennedy
The death of a parent is a shattering experience, wounding us and flooding us with powerful forces. We must be willing to take a journey through grief, following what may often seem like a long, dark passage that will, in its own time, open out into vast new worlds.
10 Things Every Caregiver and Care-receiver Should Ask About Guardianship Rebecca Sharp Colmer
If you are a family caregiver or a care-receiver, it is important that you understand your legal rights. Use this article to help start a discussion with your attorney or with the appropriate representative.
25 Bad Habits Every Caregiver Should Avoid Rebecca Sharp Colmer
A habit is a constant, often unconscious inclination to perform some act, acquired through its frequent repetition. If the habit is objectionable, we call it a "bad habit.".
30 Signs That Your Loved One Needs a Caregiver Rebecca Sharp Colmer
There are approximately 37 million people over the age of 65 and 5.3 million people over the age of 85. Each year millions of older people start requiring some sort of assistance to carry out their routine daily activities. Family members (family caregivers) provide most of the help.
7 Things Every Caregiver Must Know Raquel Smith
Taking care of a spouse, parent, or other family member or friend is not an easy task. Being their caregiver takes devotion and balance to make sure that you take care of their needs, as well as your own. There are seven things that every caregiver should know to be able to take care of their needs and that of their family member or friend.
A Few Tips on How to Be Prepared for an Emergency Medical Situation Art Gib
Somewhere at the back of our minds, we all dread being involved in a medical emergency--whether we are the ones in need of urgent care or we are the ones to take charge in a crisis, the possibilities are indeed daunting.
Assistive Technology Rebecca Sharp Colmer
Assistive technology is one of the most exciting areas of gerontology. We use it to extend the independence of older workers and frail elders. Caregivers even use it to help their care-receivers.
Avoid Burnout When Caregiving An Aging Parent Dana Sanders
When providing care to aging or disabled parents, many caregivers ignore the most important person involved in the caregiving process. "Who?" - you may ask? The answer might surprise you: The Caregiver.
Avoiding Caregiver Burnout Rebecca Sharp Colmer
Caring for one's loved ones is a tough job that requires a lot of responsibility. As a family caregiver, not only do you have to manage your loved one's health and medical needs, you also have to manage their daily living needs, including legal, financial, and social concerns. Judging from the important issues listed above, it is not hard to see that caregiving is often difficult, exhausting, and emotionally upsetting.
Bad Habits Every Caregiver Should Avoid Rebecca Sharp Colmer
A habit is a constant, often unconscious inclination to perform some act, acquired through its frequent repetition. If the habit is objectionable, we call it a "bad habit". It's possible to control your habits and make a positive change in as little as 30 days. Focus on one habit at a time.
Basic Caregiving Tasks Maria Sandella
If you are providing basic care to a person who has been diagnosed with a chronic condition you are a caregiver. A chronic condition is described as an illness that lasts a long time or doesn't go away at all.
Becoming a Caregiver James O. Armstrong
Following is part one of an interview with Phyllis Slater, owner of Slater Solutions LLC. Ms. Slater has devoted years to providing coaching and concierge services to the working caregiver and aging parent.
Being a Caregiver James O. Armstrong
Following is part two of an interview with Phyllis Slater, owner of Slater Solutions LLC. Ms. Slater has devoted years to providing coaching and concierge services to the working caregiver and aging parent.
Caregiver Agency EldercareCoordinaror.org
A Caregiver agency is an alternative to nursing home facilities and helps in recovery, relieving anxieties, and stress and offers companion care in a familiar environment. Most agencies provide skilled caregivers for elderly or disabled persons wishing to stay in their own homes.
Caregiver Agreements: A Creative Solution to the Elder Care Dilemma Gene Osofsky
Caregiver agreements can be like a family-based insurance plan – creatively ensuring that elderly family members receive the loving care they deserve.
Caregiver Bill of Rights Unknown
Caregiver Tips For Getting Through the Day Rebecca Sharp Colmer
The duties of the caregiver usually change and increase over a period of time. One of the most difficult aspects of the caregiver role is that the job continues seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
Caregiver Training Improves Caregiver Relationships Kaila West
Caregiver training has recently been making the news as a way to enhance the quality of care for individuals who have moved in with relatives or are being cared for on a daily basis. Unfortunately, these loving caregivers often find they are unprepared for the challenges of being full-time care providers for people who have physical, emotional or intellectual disabilities.
Caregiver Training Programs Provide The Tools To Change The World Andy West
Unfortunately, elderly persons do not often get the care that they need; and that care involves more than simply showing up once a week to check on a neighbor, though even that is better than nothing. Many churches, hospitals and home health agencies work to train individuals, with caregiver training programs, who are interested in making someone's life better.
Caregivers - Don't Let Isolation Get You Down! Greg Katz
One of the biggest challenges for those facing an illness either on the patient side or the caregiver side is feeling isolated. It's difficult when most of your contacts, friends and family, have had no or very little experience with illness to connect on the issue. You look for a sympathetic ear and although they mean well, you probably know the blank stares that come your way.
Caregivers - Finding Good Home Care for Your Elderly Loved Ones Rich Herman
Being a primary caregiver takes a lot of time and effort, especially if someone is caring for a person with Alzheimer's. Caregivers can easily get burned out or suffer health challenges of their own if they don't get regular breaks. Even if your family is well equipped for caregiving, its important to be familiar with the many home care services that are available today for the elderly. Taking advantage of these services may give you the occasional day off or vacation that you need, without putting undo stress on your family or friends.
Caregiving across the Miles: Tips for Successful Long Distance Caregiving Torey L. Farnsworth
Caring for a parent or a loved one is a difficult job. Your duties as a caregiver become increasingly difficult as the miles increase between you and your loved one. The following are a few helpful tips in order to plan ahead in the event your loved one needs your help, as well as ideas on how to become a successful caregiver once your caregiving duties begin.
Caregiving and a Glimpse into Our Future Rebecca Sharp Colmer
Being a family caregiver will have a significant impact on your life. You will probably never view the world exactly the same way again. While caring for your loved one, you may ponder what the future holds for you the end of your life. It is almost impossible not to think about your own mortality as you watch someone grow old and die.
Caregiving Etiquette - Ten Dos and Don'ts Rebecca Sharp Colmer
Moving through the caregiving world with grace and ease is no simple skill. However, having good manners will carry you a long way. As a caregiver we spend our day interacting with family members, friends, and everyone on the Care Team.
Caregiving For Someone With Cognitive and Memory Impairments Maria Sandella
At some point in your life you will either be a caregiver or need one yourself. Becoming a caregiver may occur gradually over time or you may find yourself in the caregiving role overnight.
Caregiving Tasks - What's on Your List? Harriet Hodgson
After my mother was found wandering in a Sears store, I moved her to Minnesota so she could be close to family. I found a senior living apartment for her near my home. Having my mother close by was comforting, but it also made me an "on call" caregiver. What do caregivers do?
Caregiving Tips for Boomers: 5 Tips for Decreasing the Cost of Caring for Elderly Parents Dr. Vicki Rackner
Over 30 million Baby Boomers provide countless hours of assistance to elderly parents at no charge. It is estimated that, using average hourly wages, the total amount of this uncompensated care is comparable to the entire Medicare budget.
Caregiving With Love: The most prestigious caregiver service Michael Kennedy
Researches in the field of care giving have proved that an ailing person can recover faster than any other place if he is given the same standard of care taking service. Providing an opportunity to recover at home is believed to be the best option for the mental and physical health of the patient.
Caregiving: Role Reversal between Parents and Children Mary Sanders
As children, many of us took for granted the countless hours of hard work our parents endured to ensure we grew into happy, healthy and respectable adults.
Caring For The Caregiver - Preventing The Burn Out In You Abhishek Agarwal
The relationship that exists between a caregiver and an elderly person is intense and complex. But this relationship is not confined. Many people are affected when a caregiver visits an apartment for senior citizens to give the elderly person the undivided attention that he or she deserves.
Coping With The Emotional Challenges Of Caregiving A Parent Dana Sanders
Do you know someone acting as a caregiver to an aging or disabled parent, maybe a friend, loved-one, or a co-worker? Are you serving as the role of caregiver yourself? Do the emotional challenges seem impossible to deal with some days, and you just don’t know how you can handle anymore?
Depression And Guilt For Caregivers Maria Sandella
Being a new caregiver is hard and can lead to depression if you let it. Not everyone who becomes a caregiver will experience depression and the negative feelings that often go with depression.
Discover How to Become a Successful Alzheimer's Disease Caregiver Rose Mary
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease in which the condition worsens over time. As more parts of the brain are being damaged, the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease become more severe. Patients experience frustration and grief as they struggle with gradual loss of function and fading memory.
Family Caregivers: Get Reimbursed for Providing Your Homecare Services! Jill Gilbert
Many of us will gladly take Mom to her doctor's appointments, administer medications, and check in if the need arises without a second thought. But with millions of loyal children caring for aging parents out of their own pockets, a little financial relief is welcome. Few family caregivers are aware that you can get paid - however small the amount may be - to care for Mom and provide homecare services.
Five Ways to Improve Caregiver Communications Within the Family Rebecca Sharp Colmer
Communication goes on in many ways: exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, signals, writing or behavior. It is no surprise that most families develop a special and unique communications style. When we talk to our family members, not only do we search for signs of love, but we also look for signs of disapproval. When families come together for making decisions about the care of their parent, they may need to develop or reframe their communication skills.
Have You Protected Your Loved Ones By Signing A Living Trust Agreement? Wade Anderson
A Living Trust is a type of trust formed to hold ownership of the assets of the Grantor during his or her lifetime and to distribute the same in the event of his or her death. It is common practice in the United States to use such a document since it facilitates the transfer of assets to heirs without need to go through probate. Not having to go through probate is very convenient and time saving as well as being private.
Health Care Professionals Every Caregiver Needs To Know Rebecca Sharp Colmer
Good information helps caregivers understand the course of illnesses and how best to manage them. For this reason, caregivers are encouraged to go to medical appointments with their care-receivers.
Healthful Caregiving Kate McLaughlin
An estimated 25 million Americans provide care for elderly or chronically ill family members, doing everything from shopping for groceries and medication, driving them to appointments and social commitments, to bathing, dressing, feeding, cleaning house, and taking care of the family finances. Often they do it all. And often there is no other choice.
Help Your Respite Caregiver by Doing These Ten Things Rebecca Sharp Colmer
If you are a family caregiver there will come a time when you need a break. It usually comes sooner rather than later.
High Tech Caregiving Rob McInnes
There is a lot of new stuff on the market every day. The electronics industry especially is overwhelming us all. Whether it is NASA derivatives or geeks or the latest venture capital upstart, there is almost too much to choose from.
Home Safety Tips For Caregivers Rebecca Sharp Colmer
As a family caregiver, it is important to safe-proof your home. Falls are the seventh leading cause of death in persons over the age of 65. There are a variety of reasons for falls, such as falls from ladders or scaffolding, falls from slipping, tumbling or tripping.
How To Choose The Best Senior Housing For You
Going through life's sunset presents many daunting challenges and consequences. You will have to face financial constraints and inflexibility due to limited source of income, fixed social security benefits, facing the high cost of health care and preparing all those legal documents through power of attorney in cases when you can no longer carry out duties normally attributed to a healthy person.
How to Relieve Caregiver's Stress? Laura Nuhaan
As our worldwide population ages, there will be a significant increase in the number of caregivers providing care and support to our elderly loved ones.
How to Shift from Daddy's Girl to Dad's Caregiver Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D.
Have you ever wondered how you can give back to your parents emotionally what they have given you?
How to Take Care of Yourself When You Become the Caregiver Ellen G. Goldman, M.Ed.
At some point in everyone's life, there may come a time when we need to put our own needs aside to care for someone else. Whether it is aging parents or helping an ill loved one in crisis, our world can turn upside down. It is easy to neglect ourselves and cave under the stress.
If Patience is a Virtue, Then Caregivers Rate Supreme Greg Katz
When facing an illness there is a lot of waiting that goes on for both the patient and the caregiver.
Living Will Form vs. Health Care Power of Attorney Form
A will to live, formally called a living will form, is a type of advance directive. These legal forms are usually required to be notarized or signed and dated by witnesses.
Living Wills Protect You at All Ages, Stages of Life
Among living creatures, awareness of one's own mortality is a uniquely human experience. And, for most people, it is not easy to discuss. While some may be afraid to talk about death, most do not want to be a burden to loved ones and would prefer to see their wishes followed in the event of a significant health status change or even a catastrophic event. Yet more than two-thirds of the adult population does not have a living will or other advance directive
Long Distance Caregiving John L. Webb, Jr.
If you have a parent or older relative that lives far away from you, it is sometimes difficult to know how you can help them when they become ill or infirm. You may not be able to leave your job or family to provide regular care. You can help them get what they need, even if you can't be there all the time. But it does take some careful planning to make the best use of your time and take care of their needs.
Long Distance Caregiving for a Loved One is Particularly Difficult Linda LaPointe
The phone rang at 5 a.m. John was sure it couldn’t be good news at that hour. He was right. Mom’s neighbors were calling him from 850 miles away in Texas to say that she was out watering her roses an hour ago on a cold, early spring morning. John knew that she had been failing. She wasn’t the same Mom he could always count to stand by him. Now he needed to stand by her. But how?
Long Term Care Decision Can Take an Emotional Toll on Caregiver Clay Cotton
It is universally agreed that one of the most difficult decisions a caregiver must make is deciding when it is finally time to choose a long term care facility for a loved one.
Managing Caregiver Guilt: 5 Tips To Manage Guilt So Guilt Serves You, Not Imprisons You Dr. Vicki Rackner
Guilt is a common feeling in the landscape of care giving. However you will be a more effective caregiver when you care for yourself first. This helps you to increase and improve your own caring. This guilt can help you become the caregiver you and your loved one want you to be.
Medication Tips For the Caregiver and Their Care-Receiver Rebecca Sharp Colmer
Did you know that the average senior takes two to seven daily medications?
One in Four South Florida Households Takes on Caregiving Thomas R. Cutler
One in four households, approximately 22 million U.S. families, are currently providing care to elder loved ones. South Florida companies are starting to recognize that employees providing care ultimately affects workforce productivity.
Planning for Tomorrow James O. Armstrong
Following is part three of an interview with Phyllis Slater, owner of Slater Solutions LLC. Ms. Slater has devoted years to providing coaching and concierge services to the working caregiver and aging parent.
Preparing Your Home For Caregiving Maria Sandella
When you decide to become a caregiver one of the first steps you need to take before moving someone into your home is to prepare your home for their arrival.
Recognizing The Need For Outside Help In Caregiving Dan Fisher
Caregivers often don't recognize when they are in over their heads, and often get to a breaking point. After a prolonged period of time, caregiving can become too difficult to endure any longer. Short-term the caregiver can handle it. Long-term, help is needed. Outside help at this point is needed.
Seasonal Affective Disorder Rebecca Sharp Colmer
It is that time of year again -- shorter days and grayer skies. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of seasonal depression, usually occurring in the winter, which affects millions of people a year between September and April.
Senior Care - 5 Ways to Provide Support for a Caregiver Rich Herman
Being a caregiver takes a lot of time and effort, especially if someone is caring for a person with Alzheimer's or some sort of dementia. Caregivers can easily get burned out or suffer health challenges of their own if they don't get the breaks and support that they need. Family members and friends can help out in many ways. If someone you know is a caregiver, here are some ways that you can give them the help that they need.
Senior Caregiving Jobs Julie Northcutt
In just the last ten years, an entire industry has developed to offer professionally managed in-home care services for seniors.
Senior Health Insurance Plan - Where to Get the Best Rate Brian Stevens
Senior health insurance plans can be both expensive and confusing.
Signs of Impending Death Every Caregiver Should Know Rebecca Sharp Colmer
One of caregivers' biggest fears is that the care-receiver will die on their shift. Most people have never watched someone die.
Taking The Keys Away From An Elderly Driver Dave Herron
More and more adult children each year are facing the heart rending decision of taking the car keys away from elderly parents whose driving behavior has become a danger to themselves and others. This isn\'t an easy decision to make because it represents the older driver\'s sense of independence and dignity. For anyone facing this choice, there are some valuable tools to help you with your decision.
Ten Caregiver Tips For Care of the Elderly Rebecca Sharp Colmer
The caregiver role is complex and differs for everyone depending on the needs of the care-receiver. Many times, in the beginning, there may only be a few needs, such as providing transportation or helping with shopping or cooking.
The Best Home Care Provider - Who Can You Trust
As people grow old, their siblings main concern is to provide them with home care assistance in their Golden years. It is better safe than sorry. The bottom line is that you are entrusting your loved one to a complete stranger. Therefore, it would be worth the money spent in checking applicant's background.
Top 25 Interview Questions You Should Ask a Potential Caregiver Rebecca Sharp Colmer
Finding the right caregiver to take care of your loved is not always an easy task. Here are some key interview questions to help you get started.
Travel Tips For Caregivers and Care-receivers Rebecca Sharp Colmer
Just because you need a caregiver doesn't automatically mean you cannot travel. If your situation permits, travel can be very enjoyable.
Turning Death Into Triumph Andrew Smith
The time was near. My father had fought cancer for 3 years but the fight was drawing to a close. Over 3 years a strong man had slowly diminished until he had reached the point that he could not get out of bed.
Understanding The Roles Of Formal And Informal Caregivers Dan Fisher
Formal caregivers are typically paid providers but they may also be volunteers from a government or nonprofit organization. Where care is being provided in the home there is often a mix of formal and informal care provided. And the trend is towards using more formal care since, unlike the past, more informal caregivers are employed.
Unrealistic Expectations about Caregiving Rebecca Sharp Colmer
Many long-term caregiving situations occur due to unrealistic expectations by adult children and/or aging parents. It is not unusual for adult children to "promise" to never move parents out of their homes or put them in nursing homes. Some adult children try to avoid bringing outside help into their parents' homes because they believe they can do a better job than an outsider.
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