Practical Caregiving
By Jean Donahue
January 2009 Articles:
When Mom Wants to Break Up Your Relationship
When the Inevitable Moving Day Comes for Mom and Dad
December 2008 Articles:
Running Ragged in Caregiving Runaround
Getting a Handle on Your Own Stress
November 2008 Articles:
Caregiving Lite ? Or Preparing or the Real Thing in Tough Times
Don't Forget Yourself in Upcoming Holidays
October 2008 Articles:
Is a Deathbed Vision Possible?
Public Transportation Can Be Elderly's (and Your) Best Friend
September 2008 Articles:
When You Can?t Stand the Person You Care For-- It Happens
Geriatric Care Managers Can Help Frazzled Families
August 2008 Articles:
When You're Taken to the Edge with Caregiving
July 2008 Articles:
In Caregiving, Play the Hand You're Dealt ? and Play it Well
Facing Mom's Wish to Die
June 2008 Articles:
In Disaster's Face, Caregivers Must Prepare
Finding Ways to Best Help Mom and Dad
Nursing Home Decisions -- Always Difficult
May 2008 Articles:
What to Do When Day-to-Day Caregiving Cooperation Falls Short
What if I Become My Parent's Guardian?
April 2008 Articles:
Strange Behavior Requires Determined Action
Recognizing Elder Abuse
March 2008 Articles:
When Dad Is Stubborn and Fearful
Doctors Can Make Mistakes Too: A Lesson for All
February 2008 Articles:
More on Those Food Tips -- and How to Find a Caring Caregiver
Seeing the Good in Bad Situations
January 2008 Articles:
Preparing for the Inevitable (and Money-Saving Tip)
Presidential Candidates and Caregiving: Do They Have a POV?
December 2007 Articles:
Taking Away the Keys
Where is Care for the Caregiver in This Political Season?
November 2007 Articles:
Romantic Entanglements (or Not) for Caregivers and the Elderly
At Thanksgiving, Make a Point of Finding Happiness
October 2007 Articles:
Finding Innovation in Fighting Caregiving's Many 'Fires'
Tuning in to the Changes in Loved Ones' Lives
Escaping from Your Feelings
September 2007 Articles:
Help! And Ways to Get It
Near or Far, Knowing a Loved One's Needs is Critical
August 2007 Articles:
Stop Thinking and Start Moving on Getting Some Relief
What to Do When You Need Help Helping a Parent
July 2007 Articles:
Money, Scams and the Elderly: A Bad Recipe
June 2007 Articles:
Banishing Elderly Loved One from Family Event Draws Reader Ire
When on the Edge, Take That 'Must' Break
May 2007 Articles:
Is Aging a Reason to Exclude Elderly from Family Events?
Whether Mom or Dad, Caregiver Headaches Abound
April 2007 Articles:
Thanks for a Too-Often Thankless Job
When Caregiver Emotions Blur Dad's Care
Poor Dental Care Can Lead to Many Physical Problems
March 2007 Articles:
Overcoming Elderly Pride for Their Own Good
Planning for Love One's End is Essential Hard Work
February 2007 Articles:
When Caring Taxes Us Most, Take a Breath and Keep Moving
If You Think You're Cold, Try It at Age 80!
January 2007 Articles:
When You're Just Plain Tired from Years of Caregiving
When Whistle Blowing Costs Your Job -- But Saves a Life
July 2006 Articles:
Looking Back and Looking Forward at Practical Caregiving
June 2006 Articles:
Drowning in the Caregiver Role While Siblings Do Nothing
May 2006 Articles:
Downsizing Mom and Dad
Emotional and Physical Abuse -- Is This Part of Caregiving?
Don't Worry; Be Happy -- It Can Work for You
March 2006 Articles:
Sibling in No-Win Tug-of-War Over Mom's Interests
Remembering Dana Reeve -- Wife, Mother, Caregiver
February 2006 Articles:
Many Causes for Lack of Motivation in Elderly
Caregiving Love and Questions . . . (and Answers?)
January 2006 Articles:
Accepting Life When Dad Has a New Girlfriend
Thanks -- a Small Word with Big Meaning
The Human (Caregiving) Condition -- Touching Women, Using Others' Money
December 2005 Articles:
Food, Food, Food -- and (Maybe) Nutrition
November 2005 Articles:
Why Is She Making Those Sounds?
Headaches: Sibling Squabbles and Bathing a Neighbor
Flu is Nothing to Sneeze At -- Get Your Shot!
October 2005 Articles:
From Bathing to Elderly Vanity, Caregivers Have Questions
Looking in the Caregiver Mirror to Take Better Care of Yourself
'Woe Is Me' -- Plaintive Cry of Some Caregivers?
Tips for Getting a Good Night of Sleep
September 2005 Articles:
Finding Our Way As Caregivers
A Nation of Caregivers in Katrina's Aftermath
When Care and Resentment Meet Head-on in Caregiving
August 2005 Articles:
Waning Elderly Hygiene Can Stink for Caregivers
Dementia's Toll on Caregivers and Our Elderly
The Games People Play -- Especially Older People
What to Do About Needy Parents and Spouses
Humor is an Important Caregiving Ingredient
July 2005 Articles:
Caution! Heat Waves Are Deadly for the Elderly
Keeping Friendships and Dealing With Fatal Illness
Disaster Planning is Essential for Caregivers
From an Earlier Time -- It Was Still Called Caregiving
June 2005 Articles:
Navigating the Fine Line of Proper Caregiving
A Primer on Elderly Driving -- and Alternatives
Job One: Staying on Top of Your Loved One's Needs
Pill Dispensers Can Avoid Serious Meds Mixups
May 2005 Articles:
Greedy Brothers Not in Parents' Will
Getting Organized
Next Steps With Mom as She Changes Before Our Eyes
April 2005 Articles:
Knowing Family Medical History Can Save Lives - Yours too!
Clarity on Legal Documents, and Caregiver Frustration
Sitting on a Time Bomb: Caregiving for a Dying Loved One
In Schiavo's Wake, Time to Clearly Record Your Own Wishes
March 2005 Articles:
Identify Theft: Specific Safeguards for Caregivers
How to Minimize the Risk of Identity and Credit Theft
Protecting Your Own and Your Elderly's Identity from Theft
Dealing with Overwhelming Caregiving Duties
February 2005 Articles:
What to Do When "Things Change" in Caregiving
Going for the Gusto in Life
So Tired . . . And What to Do?
Caregiver?s Lament: Oh, My Aching Back!
January 2005 Articles:
The Challenge of Moving to Assisted Living ?
and Remaining Happy
Looking Back on Caregiving Victories
Finding a Cure for the Post-Holiday Blues
Common Problems, Different Solutions
Cancer: Remaining Positive Amidst Fearing and Loathing
December 2004 Articles:
Two Daughters, Two Problems
A Special Holiday Caregiving Memory Shared
Ways to Motivate Your Unmotivated Loved Ones
Caregiving Tips to Make the Holidays Merry
November 2004 Articles:
Dementia Caregiving in Two Practical Settings
She Should-a, Could-a, and Would-a . . .
But Didn't and Now Regrets Her Decision
Alzheimer's and Vascular Dementia Differ in Many Ways
Getting a Clearer Picture of a Cloudy Mind
Joy and Frustration Are Both Symbols of Caregiving
October 2004 Articles:
The Cold Facts About Hypothermia in Our Elderly
In Caregiving, No Magic Pills -- or Easy Answers
Learning the Ropes of Guardianship
Hurt and Guilt -- the Same in Caregivers as Children
September 2004 Articles:
Keeping It All Straight -- Meds, That Is
Does Doc Know His Own Best Medicine?
Plus . . . Jean's Soft Shoulder
Pets Can Become a Caregiver's Assistant
Avoiding the Slippery Slope of Parental Control
August 2004 Articles:
Music to a Caregiver's Ears, Therapy for the Elderly
Parents: Stories Differ, but the Worry is the Same
Spotting Suicidal Signs in Ourselves and Our Elderly
Our Elderly Sometimes Go Overboard with Pets
Guarding Against Elder Abuse is Everyone?s Duty
July 2004 Articles:
Research and Request to Get Benefits You Deserve
The Parental Push-Me-Pull-You
Relax! There Are Solutions to Help You
The Never-Ending Complexities of the Adult Child as Caregiver
June 2004 Articles:
Nancy Reagan as Caregiver (Part 2): A Differing View
Denial and Abuse Are Not Caregiving Attributes!
An Open Letter to Nancy Reagan, Caregiver
Do You Feel Like You Got More
Than You Bargained For?
May 2004 Articles:
Remember to Remember
Protect Your Elderly -- and Yourself -- Against Costly Scams
"All in the Family" Never Had Such a Meaning!
An Informed Caregiver Is an Effective Caregiver
April 2004 Articles:
Nasty and Stubborn Parents -- a Bad Brew
Senior Drinking Is Not All Fun and Games
Guarding Against Elderly Wandering and Handling Siblings Who Ignore Caregiving Preparations
The Helping Hand of Assisted Living
March 2004 Articles:
Perspective Helps in Parenting Our Parents
Spruce Up Your Surroundings for Everyone?s Well-Being
Mending Fences Through Caregiving
Knowing What You Need Is the First Step
In Getting What You Need
Is There Only One "Right" Decision in Caregiving?
Usually Not.
February 2004 Articles:
Dealing with Second Medical Opinions, Mom?s Feeling
of Being ?Kidnapped,? and Making Nursing Homes Accountable
Is Your Loved One's Home Senior-Safe?
From the Mailbag: Why Won?t My Spouse Listen!?
Until You Share, Others Won?t Know You Care
January 2004 Articles:
Tugging at Marital Strings in the Face of Illness
Guilt Is a Common Caregiver Affliction - Let's Avoid It
Motivating a Person Without Motivation
Finding the 'Right' Nursing Home
December 2003 Articles:
How to Reasonably Take Away the Car Keys
A Question of Mom's Smoking
Introduction to Practical Caregiving
From time to time,
we will highlight your questions on caregiving and try to lend a
guiding light with answers or solutions that we feel will work for you
in a practical sense. We don't pretend to be doctors, psychologists or
legal experts in this weekly Practical Caregiving column,
but we probably can help with our own practical experience as a basis.
Write me your
practical caregiving questions at this address:
ASKJEAN@caregivershome.com
Try to keep your
questions to no more than 150 words and be sure to include your full
name, full postal address and phone number (as well as email address)
in case I need to contact you. If we use your question here, I will not
identify you in this column with your full name - only your first name
and location. Your privacy is important to us!
