Respite Care: The Act of Looking Back Today’s guest post comes from SeniorsforLiving.com’s Michelle Seitzer. Before committing to life as a full-time freelance writer, Michelle spent 10 years in the senior living and advocacy world, serving in various roles at assisted living communities throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland, and leading the charge for Alzheimer’s as a [...]
It would seem obvious that guilt and regret are two very different emotions but when examined more closely, they have many of the same characteristics and can often be confused, one for the other. In order to fix the mistakes that we may have made or to move forward emotionally, we need to be able [...]
When I returned from Canada a little over a week ago, I brought my Mom back to stay with me for a couple of months. She is 86 and basically in good health. Unlike my father, she has no dementia. She has some hearing loss and her balance is not as good as it could be, but [...]
Vacation For The Caregivers “JUST DO IT” This is an article written by Greg Pledge, who cares for his mother in Ontario, Canada. I am writing this article with hopes that I will reach as many of caregivers out there that read Shelley’s web site. I sincerely hope that the word “Vacation” and the [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
According to Geoff Bernhardt, an elder law attorney in Portland, Oregon, a recent article in US News & World Report states that “more than 50 million family members provide more than 300 billion a year in uncompensated care to family members.” This care is frequently provided by an adult child who has either moved back [...]
Guilt is an almost inevitable part of caring for aging parents. Whether it’s the feeling of not providing enough care, having to restrict the use of automobiles, or power tools for safety reasons, leaving the house without the elder, exchanging angry words when caught in the frustration and fatigue of the moment or the placing [...]
