Caring for Our Veterans

by Madison Scheriff, RN Many of us have been involved some way or another in caring for someone, whether it be a friend, parent, child, or spouse. With each caregiving situation comes unique and diverse challenges, and no one situation is exactly alike. Caregiving for a Veteran can encompass both rewards and difficulties. Each Veteran

Advance Directives: How to Speak When You Have No Voice

by Jamie Barbiere, RN What are they and who needs them? We hear the term “Advance Directives” often. Whenever we have a surgical procedure or go to an appointment to see our doctor usually. So, what are they and why is it important to make sure we have these important documents in place? Advance directives

You Wanna Have a Plan

The caregivers: Eileen Eileen moved in with her mother, Verna, when Verna could no longer care for herself. Verna had dementia and got to a point that it was unsafe for her to live alone. Eileen was an only child, and Verna’s only living sister lived in a skilled care facility and had her own

One Thing You Can Do Today

Family caregivers spend an average of 24.4 hours per week providing care. Nearly 1 in 4 caregivers spends 41 hours or more per week providing care.1 Primary family caregivers of people with dementia report spending an average of 9 hours per day providing help to their relatives. 2   Family caregivers who reside with those they

Bath Day …With Dementia

Mike and Linda. Linda had always taken pride in her appearance. During her thirty-plus-year career, she always showed up at the office freshly showered, with her hair styled, and her nails done. Some years after Linda’s retirement, her husband, Mike, noticed that she wasn’t taking care of her appearance like she always had.  He thought

The Importance of Being Hydrated

I don’t drink enough water.  A lot of people don’t, but that doesn’t make it any better for me. I asked my friend, Bugga, how much water she drinks in a day.  “I’m trying to drink more,” she replied. Her answer, though it didn’t answer my question, told me two things immediately. First, like most

Losing Yourself (in Caregiving)…And How to Find Your Way Back

I bumped into Dave while out shopping.  I hadn’t seen him or his wife, Marie, for some time and was actually surprised to see my dear old friend at the mall. I was also surprised by his appearance. He had lost weight, looked tired, and wore a worried expression. Dave looked haggard. “Marie’s sister is

31 Ways to Be Your Own Santa

They mean well.  They really do. They probably spent hours, maybe even days, looking for something you would like. Something thoughtful, something sentimental. Something that would make your eyes sparkle and a smile shine brightly on your face as you unwrapped this special gift on Christmas morning…. …and discovered…. A 15-pound box of chocolates, or

Are YOU a Caregiver?

(Why Admitting it Can be Helpful) I recently met Mary at a community function and we started chatting.  Soon, she was telling me about her life:  Her children, her grandchildren, and her husband, Charlie. Charlie had dementia, among other health issues, and Mary was adamant that he would stay at home with her for the

Sundowners

Aunt Nelly was a sweet old woman with dementia. She was the kind of woman that could make babies coo and laugh. She was the type of person that would kiss you on the cheek and give you a big hug before you said goodbye, and made you happy that she did.As Aunt Nelly’s dementia