A geriatric care manager can bring your loved one the support they need while relieving the caregiving stress in your life! At Care is There, the client families we serve finally can relax and know that a caring team -- led by their Care is There geriatric care manager - is nearby to help their loved one live a great life of independence, vitality, and connection! Read this pertinent article … [Read more...]
The Intimacy of Caregiving
I knocked on the door - no answer. I called - no answer. His newspaper was still by the door. I asked if the  neighbors had seen him. No. I was checking in on a new 90-year-old client while his family was away for the weekend. On Saturday everything went as planned - he greeted me warmly at the door. I saw him take his medications and stayed a while to be sure he got breakfast and was … [Read more...]
Joy with Our Mothers Now
I spoke on Jennifer Till's radio show about how we can miss the joy of "now" with our mothers by relating to them based on past experiences. (Click here to listen to a recording of that episode of "Real Life with Jennfer Till.") Perhaps we had difficult childhood experiences with our mothers that we haven't fully forgotten. It can even be positive memories from the past that distract of from … [Read more...]
11 Ways to Stop Caregiver-Related Depression
Don't let depression get you! Care-giving is life-giving and love-giving. Don't let it suck the life and the love out of you! At Care is There, one of our most important jobs is to support caregivers so they don't burn out, get sick, lose their jobs, neglect their families and forget their own sources of joy. That includes you long-distance caregivers, who may worry all the time and have to get … [Read more...]
How a Trip to the Hairdresser Can Change Everything
Today I took a client to the hairdresser. That was a giant victory because this very frail and very proud lady rarely lets anyone do anything for her. Then we had lunch (something she rarely does anymore) and picked up light bulbs for her nightlights and a battery for the radio beside her bed. So what? So EVERYTHING! At the end of this visit, my client held my hand in her arthritically … [Read more...]
The Number One Reason Why Caregivers Get Sick
Stress is the number one reason that caregivers get sick: see this helpful article on caregiver stress. As geriatric care managers we see this all the time -- caregivers wearing themselves out trying to look after their loved ones. Don't fall victim to the "I have to do it myself" mentality. Services are available, volunteer groups exist, neighbors will help where you didn't expect it. And … [Read more...]
Aging in Place: Your Home as a Care Setting
How do you adapt your home as a care setting for your loved one? This Aging in Place Workbook from MetLife is a good guide. Excerpt from the workbook: "Regardless of the cause, changes in the ability to live independently require decisions regarding the type of care we are to receive and the setting in which it will be delivered. Most people want to remain in their own homes even when they may … [Read more...]
The Hidden Costs of Caregiving, from the Wall Street Journal
This is a good article from the Wall Street Journal about all the various costs of trying to do caregiving all by yourself. At Care is There, we see one thing consistently after caregiving families start working with geriatric care managers like ourselves. Relief! What a joy to know your loved one can receive what they need without you having to give up what you need! How sweet to realize … [Read more...]