(Add to Favorites | View All Articles | Resource Directory)
|
|
|
Fighting your loneliness when caring for the disabledFeeling Lonely?Q: I hate Alzheimer's disease, not only has it robbed me of my husband, but it has taken my life too! I feel like all of my friends have disappeared. I am lonely, and that makes me feel guilty. Help! A: What you are describing is very typical for caregivers. No one seems to understand! Your world seems to get smaller and smaller as you care for your loved one. In order for you to continue caring for your husband you need to get some rest and take care of yourself, and more importantly reach out to others. I know, I know easier said than done. There are many options for you. The key is to pick something and do it. Do something for yourself. It is very easy to give all of your attention to the person whom you are providing care for and neglect your needs. 1. Get a manicure 2. Go see a movie 3. Go for a walk alone 4. Try to take a nap, when your loved one is sleeping. Even though it takes up time you have to get other things done. 5. Buy yourself a magazine 6. Take a bubble bath 7. Go to a spa If you are lonely you should avoid isolating yourself. Perhaps your friends have left because they didn't know what to do to help, simply because you didn't ask them. If you feel uncomfortable asking for support start with small things and work up to bigger ones. 1. Try inviting a friend to coffee or tea 2. Ask a friend to stay for an hour while you take a bath, read a magazine, or go for a walk alone. 3. Call a local senior daycare program and arrange for your loved one to go there once a week. There are programs available in almost every city. 4. Contact a local Alzheimer's support group in your area. These people do know what you are going through. If you are truly burnt out and at the end of your rope, you should check into long term care for your husband. If you cannot continue to give him quality care, or if your health is deteriorating you may need to look at some alternatives. Renee "Dutchy" Reeves is an Elder Care Consultant with over 10 years of working with the elderly and their families. Her online advice column, "Ask Dutchy" provides practical ideas and advice for assisting the elderly with Alzheimer's disease, Dementia, Parkinson's, disability, and those needing long term care.
MORE RESOURCES: News provided by Yahoo! News and Google News Families play big role in care Some councils not giving priority to elderly care, says minister - Telegraph.co.uk Government to ramp up elderly care services - AsiaOne Leeds elderly care charity’s £30000 Comic Relief boost - Yorkshire Evening Post Elderly care - a key element of welfare expenditure - 7thSpace Interactive (press release) Elderly care is already in crisis. Why we must all open our eyes to the ... - Daily Mail Norwell: Wound care and diabetes program offered Elderly care: Commentary by the Archbishop of York - Telegraph.co.uk HCUW prepares for Day of Caring Elderly care facing £500m funding black hole - Public Finance |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Why you should become Certified as a Senior Approved Service Are your clients pleased by the fine quality service that you provide? Validating your clients' endorsement of you through Certification as a Senior Approved Service will increase your client base. Senior Approved Certification leads a family towards a service like yours side stepping the possibility of connecting with a less than desirable service. Cherish the moments you have - now It was right about this time, 19 years ago. My wife and I were sitting in the very last Lamaze birthing class, soon to be brand new parents. A look at Assisted Living Facilities Assisted Living facilities are generally for person's 60 years of age and older. Typical candidates need assistance with "Activities of Daily Living" (ADLs), but wish to live as independently as possible. Adult Family Homes - a great alternative to Nursing Homes As a long-term care consultant for seniors and their families I have visited many different types of facilities. But my favorite type of facility to visit is adult family homes. Exercise Walking For Seniors: Preventing Foot Problems Exercise has a very important role in the general health and the quality of life of everyone, but especially in seniors. Seniors who walk tend to look younger, sleep more soundly and have fewer visits to the doctor. Stair Lifts for curved staircases There are two types of stairlift. Straight and curved. Stair Lifts when a doorway or aisleway are near the stairs If a door at the top or the bottom of the stairs may be blocked by the rail of the stairlift, there are a number of models designed to overcome this problem. Some manufacturers are able to produce a rail with reduced overhang upstairs, so the lift will not protrude as far into the hallway. Arizona Senior Housing: Care Options for Seniors Who Can No Longer Live Alone The following are a few of the care options available for seniors who can no longer live on their own and require assistance with their Activities of Daily Living (ADL), or require skilled nursing care. Every state is a little different in terms of availability and cost, state regulations, and the specific names used for each care option:Assisted Living Home- A facility consisting of 10 or fewer residents in a private home setting located in residential neighborhoods. Long Term In-Home health care expenses can be reduced Are you worried that you may lose all your life's earnings and nest egg due to the rising costs of in-home long term care? As you get older do you have the necessary finances to protect yourself from going broke while slightly incapacitated? Many seniors are worried about are worried about the costs of long-term health care.Are you worried that if something happens to you, that you may run out of money and burn thru their reserves and all your nest egg. How far does a child's responsibility to care for their parents go? It happens somewhat slowly in the beginning, maybe with a small cough that gets worse as time goes on. It might simply begin with absent mindedness which is totally out of character, followed by total memory lapses. Don't be embarrassed to ask for help! Becoming a care giver might not have been a conscious decision on your part. It may have arrived quietly and unnoticed because you are the adult child of your elderly parents who now require care or you may have a special needs child that exacts your constant attention or a friend or spouse has become very ill and needs your support. Do some research before buying any Stair Lift There is no doubt that having a stair lift in your home can dramatically improve your quality of life. If you are starting to find that climbing the stairs is becoming a hazardous experience, or just hard work, then a stair lift could be the answer. Housing for lower income seniors who are able to care for themselves A few years ago Miranda M. became a widow. Psychologists: May be more effective than drugs, and covered by Medicare! Medicare recognizes this need and, therefore reimburses your residents to receive advanced behavioral health services? making them free to your facility!Psychologists provide a wide variety of valuable and tested clinical services that can provide a big shot in the arm to your nursing home care. For example:1. The Golden Years 1) What does Adrian Mitchell say we do to people when their working lives are over?Adrian says that "when a man's too ill to work we punish him", rob him of half his income or replace it with "pocket money" and or place him in a retirement home to sit out the remainder of his live in isolation.2) What does he think about this?Adrian thinks that "the old people are being robbed" and says "to hell with retiring" he believes that the way that deal with old people (to have your ability to sport yourself removed and then being given "pocket money"). How many employees should a nursing home have? During the week of February 17, 2002, headlines screamed the news - more than 92% of US nursing homes fail to have an adequate number of staff to provide quality care for elderly residents. Newspapers and radio programs based their stories on the new study the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) recently provided to the Senate's Special Committee on Aging. Retirement considerations for UK citizens Retiring abroad needs careful planning. Not all countries have the same entitlement to benefits as the UK and your tax liability may be affected. A look at Board and Care Homes Board and Care homes (also known as RCFE's - Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly) are residential private homes that have been licensed by the Department of Social Services to provide services to seniors. Most accept no more than six residents, but offer a cozy, home-like setting for frail seniors. Getting your senior to wear adult diapers Q: My mom is in the early stages of dementia and she is also incontinent we have tried to get her to stop wearing her underpants and have her start wearing pull-up diapers, she throws the Depends out the door and puts her underpants on. Of coarse we have a lot of laundry! How should I handle this?A: This one should be fairly easy to solve. Angels are for everyone I am reminded time after time of the profound effect Angels have on people. Recently, I have been receiving many emails containing examples of how the Angels are reaching through the veils to assist the elderly.
|
| Home | Site Map | Privacy Statement | More Articles |
| © 2006 |