Caregiving

Finding in-home Alzheimer’s caregivers can be difficult and expensive. Sometimes, the best option is to make some changes so family members can take a more active role.

When Alzheimer’s disease strikes, it causes a slow, progressive decline.  While Mom has her good days and bad days, it is not always easy for us to notice the gradual changes.  It’s hard to believe that she has been living with us for almost two years.  Recently, I’ve been thinking about some of the ways [...]

This post is the last in my series about the caregiving journey.  All of my other posts have covered the trials and tribulations of caregiving, but this one is a reflection on the rewards.
If you are a non-runner like I am, it can be hard to imagine why anyone would purposely go through all the [...]

Just like a long-distance race, the caregiving journey has its share of dangers to be on the lookout for.  The most common dangers of caregiving are stress and depression.  These are the kind of dangers that can sneak up on you, just like heat exhaustion or muscle strain.  Not only does this put the caregiver [...]

This post is part of my series that compares caregiving to a long distance marathon.  If a marathon runner tries to sprint their way to the finish line, they’re likely to collapse with exhaustion long before reaching the finish line.  Caregiving is the same way.  You have to pace yourself to succeed.
When it comes to [...]

This post is a continuation of a series about how to best prepare for the long journey of providing care for an Alzheimer’s patient.  Just like any grueling task that requires endurance, lightening your load will help you to go further with less exhaustion.
There are a lot of things that can weigh down a caregiver.  [...]

This post is part of a series about ways to prepare for the long journey of caregiving.  Just like a long-distance runner, you need the right equipment to succeed.  When it comes to caring for someone with a debilitating disease like Alzheimer’s, there are some helpful tools available to make caregiving easier.
Safety
When I think about [...]

This is the second is a series about how to prepare for the long journey of caring for someone who has Alzheimer’s disease.  The journey is often long and difficult, so it is crucial that the caregiver take proper care of themself.
Becoming a caregiver is a life-changing experience.  You have to alter your routines and [...]

Note – My last post compared the caregiving journey to a long-distance race.  I listed several ways a person can prepare for the rigorous demands of caregiving, much like a runner would  prepare for a race.  After I wrote this, I realized that each of the steps I listed to help be a better caregiver [...]

Note – After I created this post, I realized that each topic could be expanded upon and discussed more.  I created an 8-part series to more in depth.  Each heading links to the post for that topic.
I have been the primary caregiver for my mom for over a year.  Mom has early to moderate Alzheimer’s [...]