Caregiver Support

Elder Care Mediation Eases Family Conflict While Caring for Senior Parents

Elder Care Mediation Eases Family Conflict While Caring for Senior Parents It is common to have even the closest siblings to have disagreements when it comes to meeting the needs of their parents. Emotions and stress can run high and at times past family dynamics can arise. This can lead to conflicts while caring for loved ones. When it comes to family members, money, medical treatments, living arrangements and caregivers assignments can cause problems to arise. These issues can cause tension and would require communication and compromise to find a solution. Even with the best of intentions, it can be difficult to find common ground with our siblings when it comes to care for our aging parents. This is a  situation and can often cause unresolved issues and complex family dynamics. However there can be a solution that many family members are not aware of: enlisting the assistance of an elder mediator.  A mediator can be a tremendous helpful resource in navigating these challenging situations and helping to find a solution that works for the whole family. A mediator…

How Can You Be a More Patient Caregiver? Practice!

How Can You Be a More Patient Caregiver? Practice! Does your blood pressure soar once you finally finish filling your cart with groceries, simply to find only one checkout lane open and a line of aggravated shoppers ahead of you? Or when you arrive five minutes early for a doctor’s appointment, only to have to wait 45 minutes to be seen? Some people just appear to project an inherent sense of patience, regardless of the circumstances. Wouldn’t you love to know their secret, particularly when it comes to learning to be a more patient caregiver and provide better care for a loved one? Thankfully, you can increase your level of patience in much the same way that you increase your endurance in exercising – through practice. Try the following tips to strengthen your caregiving patience muscles: How Can I Become More Patient? Intentionally put yourself in circumstances that require patience. Let someone go ahead of you the next time you are standing in line. Make yourself wait a few moments (or more!) before checking your phone. Strike…

Caring for Your Partner? Here’s How to Maintain Appropriate Boundaries.

Caring for Your Partner? Here’s How to Maintain Appropriate Boundaries. If you’re in a successful, long-term relationship, you know that it requires commitment, compromise, and sacrifice. The happiest relationships are those where both parties selflessly take care of each other. This balance shifts, however, if the person you love experiences a serious health concern. And this shift can have a devastating impact on the dynamics of your relationship if you’re not careful, as you find yourself in the role of caring for your partner. Naturally, you want to do everything you can for your loved one. However, it’s important to ensure you’re not losing your romantic connection in the process. Trying to parent your partner can lead to resentment – for both of you. To maintain healthy boundaries, keep the following in mind: Be intentional in creating opportunities to focus on your relationship apart from the illness or injury. Continue to engage in the activities and conversations you enjoyed together before the health issue arose, modifying as needed. Express…

Caring for Ageing Parents While Working? Reduce Stress with These tips!

Caring for Ageing Parents While Working? Reduce Stress with These tips! The COVID-19 pandemic has affected nearly every aspect of our lives in one way or another: physical, mental, financial – you name it. The resulting stress has been particularly hard on those who are caring for ageing parents while working – something that is already incredibly stressful without adding a pandemic to the mix. Perhaps you feel as though you’re unable to perform either job to your best ability. You may be wondering if it’s even possible to achieve a healthy life balance between these two important roles in your life. And while we all know that self-care is crucial to our wellbeing, who has time to take care of their own needs while striving to meet the needs of everyone else? If this reflects your own internal dialogue, we suggest you take just a few quick moments to review the following tips to help you better manage both responsibilities. Review finances. It’s likely not a conversation you want to have with your ageing parents, but it is important to raise the…

Take Two: The Dual Purposes of Journaling for Caregivers

Take Two: The Dual Purposes of Journaling for Caregivers Most of us are jotting down notes all the time: grocery lists, to-do reminders, appointments, meetings, events…the list goes on and on. If you’re a family caregiver, you’ve got even more reasons for writing, as you manage another person’s life in addition to your own. Journaling for caregivers is a great way to keep everything together in one concise location. Yet we recommend taking it a step further by utilizing two journals for two distinct purposes that are equally important to your caregiving role. The Organization Journal This type of journal is a great tool for keeping everything related to a senior family member’s health and wellbeing together. Include: Any changes in condition Information regarding any concerning symptoms and what may be impacting them (i.e., Mom has been feeling lethargic this week; it seems worse on the days that she skips breakfast) A list of any questions you want to remember to ask the doctor (along with their answers and recommendations) Prescriptions…

When a Chronic Senior Health Condition Leads to Anticipatory Grief

When a Chronic Senior Health Condition Leads to Anticipatory Grief Grieving the loss of a loved one is one of the most painful aspects of human life, particularly when that loss is sudden and unexpected. But there are additional shades of grief that are less often discussed and worked through, such as when a loved one begins to progress through dementia, when a terminal illness is diagnosed, or any other chronic senior health concern is brought to light. Referred to as “frozen grief” by Pauline Boss, a family therapist, author, and University of Minnesota emeritus professor, these types of loss are complicated, leaving loved ones in a state of limbo. It’s important to remember that each person’s experience of loss is different, and there’s no one right or wrong way to grieve. The following tips can help: Never push yourself to “move on.” Take the time needed to process your feelings, and seek the support of a professional counselor. Set aside plenty of time for self-care, making sure to eat healthy, exercise, get plenty of sleep, and participate…

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