Finding a good doctor for an elderly loved one can be a challenge. Many rural areas and smaller towns do not have gerontologists available. This means that a family will need to look at the non-specialists available in their area to provide medical care for their loved one. Look for a family practitioner or general [...]
SUBTITLE: Is a Cup of Coffee Worth THIS Much Trouble? This may not sound like it’s related to caregiving at all, but indirectly, it is. My father was a coffee drinker. He probably went through about 2 pots a day up until his last year. He decreased his coffee intake due to “bathroom issues”. I, on the [...]
For many people, the start of a new year brings a resolve to eat more healthy. One of the ways that we can do this is by choosing to add foods to our diet and that of our loved ones that are healthy in and of themselves. Some of the best “heart healthy” foods are fatty fish [...]
If you’ve been following me for awhile, you KNOW that the majority of these goals are about taking care of yourself. Yes, I know I’m being repetitative, but you can’t take care of anyone else effectively unless you take care of yourself first. Remember……YOUR oxygen mask goes on first ! 1. Learn to take [...]
When I woke up this morning, I was crying. I had been dreaming about my father (who passed away at the end of September). I recall that in my dream, he was not alive and was propped in a chair. I was crying, saying “I’m SO sorry; I didn’t know.” Ironically, I know exactly what I didn’t know [...]
Again, I am bringing you guest blogger, Gary Liska from QAS ( Quality Assured Services, Inc.) because his expertise is in Coumadin therapy, INR testing and Vitamin K regulation. When my father was placed on Coumadin, the physician’s instructions were to “decrease his intake of green leafy vegetables and don’t let him fall”. That was [...]
While the holidays can be stressful in and of themselves, when you add caregiving to the mix, they can become almost unbearable. There are presents to buy, fancier-than-normal meals to prepare, traveling to do, and visitors to entertain. As a caregiver, there are also additional questions to answer from family members who have not been [...]
The following is a guest blog featuring Gary B. Liska from Quality Assured Services, Inc. He will be discussing Coumadin (or warfarin) therapy (which we spoke about in our members’ section recently). Although he is in the private sector, I wanted him to discuss QAS’s offerings because they offer in-home testing for blood levels that would [...]
A friend of mine received the following letter from an 80 year old friend of hers. Because of its message, we thought it was important to share. “Dear Kendra, We are very sad about our granddaughter and her husband. Her name is Jessica. She was our lst grandchild and we spoiled her the most. Since [...]
Blood thinners are used to prevent or slow down the formation of blood clots. They are prescribed to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis, heart attack or stroke in patients at risk for these problems. In addition, people with atrial fibrillation are often prescribed anti-coagulants because blood can potentially pool and start to clot [...]
