I am beginning to think there’s an evil group of monsters who design packaging so difficult to open that one needs a knife, hammer, and bolt cutters to get to the contents. In the last couple of weeks, I’ve tried to open a bottle of salad dressing, a label-maker, and a package of salad mix.…
5 Things to Know When Caring for Relatives with Dementia
Finding out that your loved one has dementia can be difficult and scary. You know their lifestyle will inevitably change, and you know one day, they might not remember who you are. It can be a very overwhelming and heartbreaking thought, and taking care of such a relative can be extremely challenging. It requires a…
Boundaries…What Boundaries?
When Mike and I first talked about moving in with my mom after her stroke, my sister in law gave us some advice. “Talk to a counselor. You need to make sure all of you understand boundaries.” At the time, I thought she was making something out of nothing. I could handle Mom and her…
The Shadow
Mim has been a member of the same church for over forty years. She’s served on the Women’s Ministry Council, sung in the choir, worked in the nursery, and is a prayer warrior. She’s adored by everyone who knows her. Now in her late eighties, Mim had a stroke. Her daughter flew up from Southern…
A New Season of Caregiving – Part 3
The move in with my mom is a work in process. A very slow process. I’m finding out how easy it is to gather stuff. For instance, I have enough rags to fill a garbage bin. Do they reproduce while in the dark linen closet? I’ve compartmentalized the emotional part of the move. It’s there,…
Therapeutic Massage Benefits for Elderly
Massage therapy is vital for elderly people since with old age, body muscles and bones become weaker. There are different options when it comes to massage. If convenience is a major factor to make a final decision then getting a full body massage chair for the elderly people is the easiest at-home option as it…
Hospital Hack for Caregivers
Maria cared for my dad when he needed more help than my mom, Mike, and I could give. She was a nursing student with a huge heart in a tiny body. Fast forward eight years. Maria was getting married and our entire family was to attend the wedding. It’s all my mom talked about for…
A New Season of Caregiving – Part 2
First world problem – I have too much stuff. Too many shoes, way too many clothes, and things in my linen closet I haven’t touched in years. What to do? Purge. Repeat. Purge again. Mike and I are going from a three-bedroom, 2 ½ bath home to one very small bedroom in my mother’s townhome.…
The Adrenaline Rush of Caregiving
On Labor Day, I left my doctor’s office and hopped in my car to drive home. My cell phone rang, and I saw it was my mom calling. I answered with my usual cheery, “Hello-o.” Mom’s hitched breathing came through the phone. “What’s wrong?” I demanded, as adrenaline surged from my overworked adrenal gland. “I…
Caregiving and Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is a ravenous beast. It desires to suck the joy out of our lives. It isn’t satisfied until every bit of life is squeezed from our wheezing, dying frame. It mocks our attempts to hold it at bay with pills and potions. Sometimes after a sharp prick from a needle, it will go…