Let’s Talk Do you have someone with whom you can yammer away caregiver stress? By Paula Spencer Scott It was a classic case of miscommunication. My sister-in-law — a.k.a. the mother of all caregivers, with six school-age kids and, at one time, three live-in elders — was under strict orders to call me at any…
Read MoreWish You Were Here By Gwendolyn de Geest, RN, BSN, MA I am sitting in the restaurant having lunch with my husband, Howard. But Howard’s not here. We ordered our lunch; Minestrone soup (Howard’s favorite), Caesar salad, a nice panini bread, and tea. Howard excused himself, “I have to go to the bathroom Dear.” “Alright,”…
Read More10 Things to Discuss with a New Caregiver By Kate Rauch You’ve finally found a great nursing agency to provide a personal in-home caregiver or companion for your parent, and tomorrow is her first day. But wait: Have you forgotten to tell her anything? Use this list (and adapt it to your parent’s needs) to…
Read MoreIn Home Care Houston TX: 5 Secrets to Aging Well How to be happier and healthier for the rest of your life By Paula Spencer Scott, Caring.com senior editor We’d all like to make it to 100 — but let’s face it, some people age a lot more gracefully than others. What’s the difference between…
Read MoreNo Increase in Medicare Drug Premiums in 2012 Staywell Custom Communications In 2012, the average Medicare premium seniors pay for their prescription drugs will actually drop slightly, U.S. officials announced Thursday. Overall, the average premium cost of the Medicare Part D prescription drug plan in 2012 will be about $30, a modest decline from $30.76…
Read MoreFamily Caregivers: “I Feel Good That I’m Able To Help” Written by Melissa Galvez What will happen to Mom when she can’t care for herself? Every year, millions of Americans join the ranks of family home healthcare caregivers to look after an aging parent, spouse or other relative. They take on several unpaid jobs they…
Read Moreby Jay Kraker, Empowered Caregiver Network Not long after I launched the Empowered Caregiver Network, I heard Donna Wrabel, a licensed social worker and owner of a Houston home healthcare service provider, speak at a major caregiver conference about what it takes to become an “empowered caregiver.” We had never met, but her messages, founded…
Read MoreThe Growing Alzheimer’s Family By Alzinfo.org One in eight older Americans, or some 5.4 million people, has Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. And nearly 15 million family members and others are providing unpaid care for them. That means more than 20 million Americans either have Alzheimer’s or provide unpaid care for those with…
Read MoreSeptember 21 is World Alzheimer’s Day: Faces of Dementia Today, in countries around the world, awareness is being raised about Alzheimer’s Disease and the plight of those afflicted with it. These awareness events range from forums to wine-tasting fundraisers, but in each country, local activists are coming together in order to emphasize the importance of…
Read MoreWhen considering hiring a home care agency to provide senior care services for your parent or another elderly family member when you cannot be present to check in on them yourself, it is important to both examine the organization’s quality standards to ensure that they strive to employ qualified caregivers and provide the highest standard…
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