How many male caregivers do you know? Are they husbands, sons, extended family or friends? Are they caregivers to the elderly or to those with cancer, multiple sclerosis, dementia or AIDS? I am curious to learn more about who they are, what they do and what they tell us about being caregivers. My curiosity about male caregivers stems from my own personal experiences, three of which I would like to share with you Continue reading →

Whether you’ve suspected it for ages or it’s come as a shock, absorbing the reality ahead of you when someone you care about is diagnosed with any form of dementia can be a sobering yet critical process. This is especially true if much of the burden of care will fall on your shoulders.

There are a number of things you can do to prepare yourself for what’s to come. Continue reading →

Q. How many hours can caregivers work a day? My mother shouldn’t be alone.

A. In most cases, the number of hours a caregiver works in a day is divided by a two-week period of time, rather than per day. This allows caregivers to work three to four 12-hour shifts in one week without working overtime, but also helps maintain consistency with the same caregiver. Continue reading →

It’s in the weekend papers and Boomer magazines—top tips for downsizing and de-cluttering. Useful advice, of course, but what is it really all about? Is it just another to-do list, a rite of passage or a major life event?
In… (Read more)

1. When should a person move from living alone to a retirement or nursing home?
It is hard to make an exact determination, but one of the main things to be concerned about is the person’s safety when living… (Read more)

Putting the words “caregiving,” “work” and “life balance” into the same sentence is almost comical. Yet it is no joke to manage all three at the same time. It is very hard, focussed work to be the caregiver you think… (Read more)

Sometimes it seems like avoiding the bureaucracy and getting things done within our healthcare system is next to impossible, especially when we’re trying to manage care for someone else.
Between the line-ups at the family doctor’s office, the waiting times… (Read more)

A special someone
By Audrey Lawrence
My husband is in care at West End Villa because of his Alzheimer’s. One evening he was unusually talkative and lucid, so we were chatting about his old friends. I would ask, “Do you remember Larry?” and he would say that he did.… (Read more)

Unlike some medical conditions characterized by clear onsets and hopefully adequate resolutions, once dementia is diagnosed, it becomes apparent to those who know what is entailed that there will be a long journey from the time of diagnosis until the… (Read more)

Leslie Beck’s Longevity Diet: The Power of Food to Slow Aging and Maintain Optimal Health and Energy
By Leslie Beck, RD
Citing current research and providing a detailed examination of dietary guidelines and techniques, Leslie Beck demonstrates the… (Read more)