Tag Archives: Healthcare

Having a Heat Wave

Summertime tips for Caregivers Seniors are especially at risk in high heat situations. Large stretches of the USA are experiencing extreme temperatures. Here are some summer heat tips for helping elderly loved ones avoid heat stroke or heat exhaustion Encourage … Continue reading

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POA – The Chosen One

A friend called me the other day and shared her concerns about being chosen to be the health-care and financial power of attorney for her mother.  She had heard me speak on the topic and the challenges associated with the … Continue reading

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Advocate and Empower

My sister and I have become the dynamic duo of caregiving, with her brains (she is the smartest person I know) and my health care background our family members have come to rely on us when it comes to making … Continue reading

Posted in caregiving, chronic conditions, eldercare, encouragement, health care, making a plan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Patient Strategies for Communicating with Multiple Doctors

Years ago I met a woman at a rehab facility while visiting a family member.  She was recovering from a stroke and looking forward to getting back home.  I acknowledged how well she was doing considering the circumstances.  She said … Continue reading

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Having a Heat Wave

Summertime tips for Caregivers Seniors are especially at risk in high heat situations. Large stretches of the USA are experiencing extreme temperatures. Here are some summer heat tips for helping elderly loved ones avoid heat stroke or heat exhaustion Encourage … Continue reading

Posted in aging, boomers, caregiving, eldercare, elders, health care, taking care of yourself, work/life/flex, working caregiver | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Chosen One

A friend called me the other day and shared her concerns about being chosen to be the health-care and financial power of attorney for her mother.  She had heard me speak on the topic and the challenges associated with the … Continue reading

Posted in aging, boomers, caregiving, eldercare, health care | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

FYI about POA

Medical Power of Attorney (POA) is something each of us, no matter our age, should have. Frequently, people grant POA to their spouse, children or siblings. POA goes into effect only if you are not able to make competent decisions. … Continue reading

Posted in boomers, caregiving, eldercare, health care, making a plan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Celebrate Triumphs – No Matter How Large or Small!

Anyone who has had a loved one with cancer understands how stressful the ongoing 3-6 month marks are waiting to hear if the blood work and bone-scans were clear. When those we love have had ongoing health issues and it … Continue reading

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A Fundamental Rule of Caregiving (that No one can seem to Follow)

An essential imperative of caregiving is: Take care of yourself.  However; the majority of family caregivers are so busy taking care of others that they neglect to care for themselves.  The sad irony is that if caregivers made it a … Continue reading

Posted in caregiving, disabilities, dying, eldercare, encouragement, healthy living, sandwich generation, work/life/flex, working caregiver | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

What if…?

“I wish I had met you a few months ago.”  I hear some variation of this phrase weekly from people I meet through both networking and personal events.  The comment comes from people who have experienced family caregiver in some … Continue reading

Posted in aging, boomers, caregiving, eldercare, encouragement, health care, sandwich generation, taking care of yourself, work/life/flex, working caregiver | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Mission Critical

I recently attended a luncheon where they discussed the importance of having a plan in place for a disruptive event.  They were referring to a disruptive event in a company’s computer processing and systems, however; it occurred to me that … Continue reading

Posted in boomers, caregiving, eldercare, healthy living, making a plan, working caregiver | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Boobs and Bowel Movements

My sister shared with me that when she called our Aunt to wish her a “Happy Birthday” her reply was “I had a bowel movement today”, to which I commented “well then that was a happy birthday for her wasn’t … Continue reading

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One Word Can Change Your Life

“It’s Cancer”, my sister and I tried to compose ourselves and comprehend the significance of what we had just heard the doctor say. Did he just say that our mom has cancer? Having worked in hospice for many years, I knew … Continue reading

Posted in caregiving, health care, hospice and end of life care, making a plan, working caregiver | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Wrinkles, Memory Loss and Erectile Dysfunction

Every time I turn on the TV I see a commercial for yet another thing I need to be concerned about as I age.  Wrinkles, weight gain, memory loss, chaotic hormones and even thinning eyelashes (not to mention the distressing … Continue reading

Posted in aging, boomers, caregiving, dying, eldercare, health care, hospice and end of life care, hot flashes, hysterectomy, making a plan, sandwich generation, work/life/flex, working caregiver | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Fear vs. Fact

When a loved one gets a life altering diagnosis it can be scary.  Distressing questions rush through one’s mind such as: will they survive, what are the options, do we need a second opinion, what will their be like now … Continue reading

Posted in caregiving | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Firefighters approach to Caregiving

While watching one of my favorite shows, NCIS, the medical examiner, Ducky, uses the analogy of a firefighter when discussing the approach to finding a kidnapped girl with Special Agent Gibbs.  “Firefighters never run into a burning building, they walk … Continue reading

Posted in boomers, caregiving, eldercare, work/life/flex, working caregiver | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Family Feud

Over the last 20+ years of my career I have seen numerous families torn apart due to issues related to caregiving.  The saddest part about it is these feuds could have been avoided if the elderly parents had taken the … Continue reading

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Duty and Honor

On a full flight from Atlanta to Chicago I noticed a soldier was sitting behind me.  As is my custom I thanked him for his service to which he sheepishly responded “thank you”.  A few minutes before take off the … Continue reading

Posted in aging, caregiving, eldercare, encouragement, taking care of yourself, work/life/flex, working caregiver | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Permission to Fail

A few years ago I was part of an expert panel discussion on “How to care for yourself while caregiving” through WEGO Health and one of the other panelist, Ben Murphy (@athletdad) shared a great point.  He said that one … Continue reading

Posted in against all odds, boomers, caregiving, eldercare, elders, encouragement, forgiveness, health care, making a plan, sandwich generation, taking care of yourself, work/life/flex, working caregiver | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Support for End-of-Life

“People I know who have gone on hospice only lived 2 weeks”.  This was what my step-mother said when we discussed hospice as a care option after the cancer in her lungs had increased in size during her chemo treatment.  … Continue reading

Posted in caregiving, dying, eldercare, encouragement, losing a loved one | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment