Mid-Life, Mid-Stage CrisisWe have been humming along okay. Mom has been managing pretty well. She can make her grits, dress herself, contribute brokenly to our conversations. We will watch a show together...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Balancing Caregiving and FriendshipsBeing a full-time family caregiver is a noble responsibility, but it can impact your social life. When you're constantly attending to your loved one's needs, it's easy to feel isolated...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
How Family and Caregivers Can Help Those Living With Alzheimer'sAfter my Alzheimer's diagnosis, I found it hard to ask for help. I never really had to ask for help before and I didn't want to admit my "failure" to...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
A Million Ways Not To: Remaining Hopeful in Finding a CureScientists can be some of the most rewarding people to speak to. I know, as a community bonded together by our shared suffering at the hands of a disease for...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
"Normal Life" After Full-Time Caregiving: What It Looks Like for MeWhen my mom lived in my home and I cared for her full-time, it felt like it might never end. But a few years later, my mom moved into a...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
We Got a Puppy - What Were We Thinking?!Caring for a loved one with dementia is a lot of work. It takes a lot of time. Your day revolves around how they are doing, and who is going...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Helping Caregivers - A SMART ApproachAbout 10 years ago I finished my master's degree program in management and leadership with the goal of using it primarily in the non-profit sector. Funny thing is that I...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Trending Caregiver Practices for Self-CareAre you a family caregiver who is feeling mentally and physically drained lately? Taking care of a family member can be challenging. As a caregiver for over 10 years, I...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
My World With Alzheimer's: A Trip to the Grocery StorePeople ask me what it is like to live with Alzheimer's. My common response is, "I have good days and bad days." So, let's talk about a bad day. I...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Looming Like a Hurricane, the Unstoppable Force of Alzheimer'sThe winds swept over New Orleans in the summer of 2005 like a hurricane. In fact, it was a Category 3 hurricane. Katrina bashed the Crescent City with hammering blows...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Alzheimer's Book Club: "We Are the Brennans"I took a rest day recently to dive into a book that had been sitting on my book shelf for longer than I would care to admit, quite frankly. I...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Road Trip With MomI recently went on a road trip with my husband, son, his girlfriend of one year, and my mom. We drove from Long Island back to Buffalo where we lived...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Finding Independence in a Senior HomeWhen people imagine senior homes, they can typically only think of losing freedoms. Losing the freedom to live in your own home. Losing the freedom to live alone. Losing the...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Making Memories With PoppopMy Poppop's house sits at the corner of Virginia and Finley Avenues. It will always be his house. It is the house in front of which I learned how to...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Top 3 Cringe-Free-Feeling Gifts (Caregivers Can Ask For)What's a full-time job with no breaks, no vacation days, and no official work hours? Have you guessed yet? Okay, here's another clue, it's a round-the-clock gig full of sleepless...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Happy HolidaysWe had not seen my brother in almost 2 years. I was worried that if he didn't come for Christmas, who knows what mom would be like by the next...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
How to Exist Outside Your Caregiver Role (and Lose The Guilt)If you are anything like me then you may feel that your life can often be consumed by your role as a caregiver. Maybe you feel an overwhelming sense of...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Helping Others Help ThemselvesAs we age, we see more of our friends and family struggling with health issues. Unfortunately, many times that is a diagnosis of some type of dementia. Since I was diagnosed...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Alzheimer's Caregiving: My Biggest Fears and How I Overcome ThemI have a confession to make - sometimes, I don't feel like I know what I am doing. My management classes in graduate school taught me nothing about caring for...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
The Caregiver Hack That Makes My Loved One With Dementia's Life (and Mine) BetterCaring for someone with dementia can be tough. It's a daily battle against a disease that robs our loved ones of their personality, independence, and memories. As a family caregiver...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments