As the founder of Sustainable Caregiving, I care for family caregivers. My path to this role was rocky. I cared for my father for seven years. He passed at 99 in December 2020. I spent the first few years struggling with the emotional challenges, which also impacted my physical health. I became a shell of […]
3 Ways Healthcare Professionals Can Support Family Caregivers Read More »
The appeal of the wild for me is its unpredictability. You have to develop an awareness, react fast, be resourceful and come up with a plan and act on it. Bear Grylls Caring for a parent can feel like we are navigating an unpredictable, wild river. How do we know when it is no longer
Timing Transitions: Reading the Caregiver River Read More »
“A person’s success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have.” Timothy Ferriss National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) is April 16! NHDD focuses on vital end-of-life decisions. It is critical to have these discussions before an illness or accident because a plan to wait
Sustainable Aging and End-of-Life Conversations Read More »
I noticed my anxiety starting to peek over the rim of my teacup during my self-care breaks, like a reticent critter checking to see my reaction. Then, I felt myself become tense when I sat down for the afternoon chat with Dad. Our chats had turned into a re-hash of what his disease was called,
A Holiday Gift of Wisdom Read More »
Holidays and caregiving evoke an uneasiness that comes when we anticipate turbulence and uncertainty. The stormy holiday season is upon us and navigating caregiving during the holiday season to create something special, minus the stressful, is the goal, and that requires strategy! We can continue to prioritize our well-being during the busy season. In fact,
7 Holiday Sustainable Caregiving Strategies Read More »
More than 1 in 5 Americans are providing care for a family member. You likely interact with many family caregivers in your close circles, including friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors. When someone in your realm is involved with care for a family member, you have a unique opportunity to provide support and encouragement. Caring for
7 Ways to Thank a Family Caregiver Read More »
You may be trying to decide if you should bring your family member from a care facility into your home or you may have come to the realization that it is time to get help taking care of a family member. This is the perfect time to start doing the research on home-based care and
Care at Home: What to Consider Read More »
Medication was a serious subject I found no humor in caregiving until I pulled back the curtain and saw it for what it was. It was seriously hard and at times seriously funny. Language is also a funny thing. How did the word “seriously” come to mean “very”? This language confused my French students who
Laughter is the Best Medicine Read More »
In sickness and in health Wedding vows don’t include the sickness and health of a spouse’s parents. I suppose it’s implied, but it wasn’t something that we considered or discussed until we were confronted with choices. Joe and I were like a small business partnership. We had been collaborating on life’s twists and turns and
Caregiving as a Couple: Our Keys to Collaboration Read More »
Memory lane As I tripped down Dad’s memory lane, I found he and I, arm in arm, skipping to the beat of a familiar tune. As I read more of Dad’s journal entries, I was astonished and saddened at how unhappy he seemed. Caregiving has received due attention recently. It is not an easy path
Sustainable Families: Have the Talk Now Read More »
