Care Giving
God’s Sense of Humor
It sounded like one of those bucket list items when my friend, Debra Kostiw, asked me to play the part of her demented mother in a “few videos.” Debra is a certified educator on Alzheimer’s and other dementias, giving lectures and training health care...
Caregiving is Messy – So is Life
Caregiving sneaks up on you. One minute you’re just helping a parent, spouse, or grandparent — and who doesn’t do that? It’s our nature to help when we can. Women especially are prone to believe they must do everything that’s asked of them, but men also struggle with...
Three Sad Words
Usually, my “caregiving” blogs relate to caring for an ill or demented loved one. However, two recent experiences made me realize we are all hurting more than usual. The constant drumbeat of wars and their victims, of a paralyzed and hostile Congress, of a...
Why It’s So Hard being a Caregiver
When my friend, Debra Kostiw, Certified Master Dementia Strategist, asked me to join her in role playing for her educational series on dementia, I thought it would be one of those fun bucket list things. Since then, playing the part of a person suffering from dementia...
Thank you, Rosalynn Carter
Presidents and First Ladies come and go. After their terms of office, some retire quietly while others engage in projects near to their hearts. But I don’t think any ex-presidential duo did more for the average American than Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. Between Habitat...
The Promise
Covenants. We make them all the time. From pinky swears to wedding vows, we earnestly commit ourselves to do, or not do, certain things. Many caregivers make THE PROMISE. “I promise I will never put you in a nursing home.” Cultural Factors Thousands of...