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...]
A Miracle Can Look Like A Bagel
This week I attended Charlottesville's Senior Networking Group - one of several such groups I participate in to keep informed about services available here. After the meeting there were bagels left over. Margaret Fitch - Program Coordinator for our local Senior Center - knew I was going to see on of our geriatric care management clients directly after the meeting and asked if I’d like to take … [Read more...]
Senior Citizens and Driving: Can My Loved One Improve Their Driving Skills and-or Regain their Driver’s License?
Are you worried that your elderly parent can no longer drive safely? This series of articles tells you what you can do, including: What the law says about elderly drivers. The process and implications of reporting an unsafe elderly driver. How driving skills are assessed for senior citizens. Can my loved one improve their skills and regain their driver’s license? How to talk to … [Read more...]
A Poem of Thanksgiving for Long Distance Caregivers
This poem was written by my sister, the poet Karen Lewis, in honor of families who love each other across the miles. The portrait of my family was created by my sister, the photographer Cindy Strickland. I send this out to all the families who are loving each other everywhere, through thick and thin! The Giving ~Karen Lewis Thanks the giving of family across the miles we leap to land in … [Read more...]
Five Ways to Get your Elderly Parent to Listen to You
Do your elderly parents refuse or resist your help? Frustrating, isn’t it? As geriatric care managers we frequently see this happen within families. It can be especially worrisome to long distance caregivers for parents who are aging in place, but there are ways to communicate that can work miracles: 1. Let your parent be right. Communicating requires that your parents actually hear you, … [Read more...]