Category: Giving Care

  • Empowering Family Caregivers

    When speaking with family caregivers, I often hear a common phrase: “I wish I had known…” They confide there is so much they didn’t know when they started their caregiving journey and had to muddle through on their own. These caregivers didn’t know where to begin, where to turn or even what to ask.

  • Caregiving Tips for the Holidays

    Holidays are a time of fellowship and unity with family and friends. Yet, the holidays can be difficult for families when a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Caregivers may feel  overwhelmed with balancing care and managing holiday traditions.

  • One of the Best Decisions I Ever Made

    My wife, May, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 at age 39. In 2015, after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, she underwent a Whipple procedure, whereby some of her pancreas, small intestine, stomach and other parts were removed.

  • Safe Family Activities for the Holidays

    Amid all the COVID-19 restrictions, there is a bright spot — the opportunity for families to celebrate the holidays together by engaging creatively in a way that’s enjoyable and safe for everyone. While younger members of the family are on the go and ready to run around the house, seniors (especially those with dementia) will…

  • Managing Complex Care at Home

    An increasing number of family caregivers are performing more complex medical care for their family members at home. According to Home Alone Revisited: Family Caregivers Providing Complex Care, a report prepared jointly by AARP and the United Hospital Fund, there is an increase in the number of family caregivers performing tasks that would, in the…

  • Dementia Patients, Caregivers & COVID-19

    The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone in some way. But our most vulnerable population, our senior citizens — especially those with dementia — are being particularly challenged. Our normal routines have been altered during the pandemic. This can be devastating for dementia patients, who thrive on the consistency of a regular routine.

  • The Medicalization of Family Caregiving

    Healthcare systems are changing, with radical implications for family caregiving. Cost-saving reductions in hospital stays ensure that patients are discharged “quicker and sicker.” Management of complex chronic care thus moves to the home, and responsibility for that care shifts from medical professionals to family caregivers.

  • Caregiving During COVID-19

    The COVID-19 pandemic has all of us dealing with additional stressors in life, and many of us may find that our abilities to deal with conflict and issues are short-fused. People living with dementia (PLWD) rely on their care partners to provide assistance with activities of daily living with kindness and compassion. PLWD also require…

  • Dementia & the Power of Music

    Music is often the background of many of our memories. We grow up hearing it on the radio, on TV and in concerts. We sang in school and at special events. We often associate certain songs with our relationships, happy memories, sad memories, growing up and different seasons of life. Because of its constant presence…

  • When is it Time to Move Mom and/or Dad?

    Deciding when is the right time to find senior care for your kupuna can be an intimidating task. You want to provide the best care possible for them, but how do you know if it’s the right time; where do you start? First, understand and identify the level of care your senior needs to conduct…

  • Partnerships in Dementia Caregiving

    Hiring a home care aide represents a major transition in family caregiving, especially when the care recipient is a person with dementia (PWD), less able to express his or her needs. Initial encounters may stress both sides.

  • When’s the Right Time for Memory Care?

    Memory care communities that first began appearing in the 1990s are an important care option today for the growing number of families caring for a person living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia. When considering memory care, look for a community with a rich and lively activity program, and staff who are well-trained in dementia…