“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 »
My journey on the Caregiver River started in rough water and became increasingly more challenging until I was out of the raft altogether and almost completely submerged. As I reflect on the last seven years, I see the experience as a crystal clear rite of passage. I was wholly unprepared when I started this adventure.
Lessons Learned on the Caregiver River Read More »
Changing roles and responsibilities Caregiving changes our relationships. If our care recipient is our parent, our relationship shifts from parent / adult child to caree / caregiver. It may be a gradual shift over several years or a sudden shift in the case of a hospitalization or a disease diagnosis. Regardless of the pace of
Sustainable Caregiving: Boundaries Read More »
Mistakes are going to happen during a hospitalization. Misunderstandings are inevitable. Mishaps are sure to occur at home following a hospitalization. “Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.” – Eleanor Roosevelt. It would be wonderful if we could learn everything we needed to know from the
Hospital Stays: Mistakes, Mishaps and Misunderstandings Read More »
Caregiving is intense. We are not at our best because we are overwhelmed. This makes the experience ripe for regret. There are three strategies that, when combined, create a web of protection against remorse. Imagine reflecting back to this time. What would you do differently? Recognize the opportunity you have, at this moment, to make
Reduce Regret: Reflect, Forgive & Be Present Read More »
My support system repeatedly crumbled like a Jenga tower until it didn’t. Support “Support – A source of comfort or encouragement.” – Oxford English Dictionary I thought I might crack and was aware of the need to support my emotional, mental and physical state of being, but building a support system was a lot like
From Jenga Tower to Stable Structure: My Caregiving Support System Read More »
Conditional compassion I needed a compass to find my way back to compassion. First, I needed to remember what it was, what it felt like. I remembered having it and watching it slip away as circumstances became more challenging. Was compassion conditional, like conditional love? Will I feel and show compassion only if deserved and
My Journey to Sustainable Compassion Read More »
According to Family Caregiver Alliance, “Regardless of employment status, unpaid caregivers report that positive activities in their respective daily lives are reduced by 27.2% as a result of their caregiving responsibilities. This effect is three times greater in their personal lives than their professional lives.” Pre-caregiving, I spent hours at the Y and in the
Thrive or Survive: Self-Care and Caregiving Read More »
Family caregiving and weight management seemed mutually exclusive. Caregiving is stressful. Comfort food is comforting. It is also fast and filling, which is exactly what we reach for when we are overwhelmed and juggling our many tasks. My strategy was simply to stay alive. It was survival eating, but it was killing me. Blood pressure
Sustainability Super Powers: Routine and Protein Read More »
Runaway rollercoaster I remember feeling like I was on a runaway rollercoaster, but not exactly on it. I was hanging onto the last car with one hand, feet swinging in the wind. With each twist and drop, my grip would loosen. My situation was not sustainable. It was just a matter of time before I
How Do We Sustain Our Ability to Provide Care? Read More »
