Caregiving

Last year I experienced one of the great, unexpected joys of grand-motherhood. One lunchtime I introduced my then 18-month old grandson to my meatballs. Read More

Deciding between assisted living and in-home care is a tough choice.

When your parent or spouse needs assistance in their daily life, the first thing to do is understand the situation and create a realistic plan to help them live safely and comfortably. Read More

The recent PBS documentary, Alzheimer’s: Every Minute Counts, sounded an alarm and a wakeup call to the devastation being caused by dementia, including Alzheimer’s. As more and more people become impacted, it’s important to help family members, including children and the community-at-large, understand the disease so everyone knows how they can help.  Read More

Growing up, it felt as though we spent most Sundays visiting my Grandma in a nursing home. Some days she would be angry and combative. Others times she appeared listless and disinterested. Read More

Dementia is largely a mysterious disease. What do we really know about it and its different branches? Join us in conversation with Lori La Bey who talks about the symptoms of Lewy Body Dementia. Enjoy the show! Read More

Alzheimer’s and dementia can make you feel depressed, alone and socially isolated. When ‘normal’ people don’t understand your need for human contact, what do you do? Lori La Bey is here today to share some incredible information about useful social interaction resources. Enjoy the show! Read More

Dementia could be quite depressing for both the person who suffers from it and those who care for them. Is there a way to bring joy into a life of deteriorating mentality? Our guest today, Lori La Bey, will share with us the importance of nostalgia and happy memories when dealing with dementia. Enjoy the show! Read More

In my recent HuffPost50 article, I wrote about things to look for when visiting older relatives during the holidays. For many, the holidays are one of the few times during the year when you get to really see how they are faring. And if you have not seen someone for say six months, declines in mental or physical health can be readily apparent. Read More

One of the hardest decisions you’ll ever make as a dementia care partner is when to move your parent or partner into memory care. Once the move is done, you next need to know how to work effectively with care staff. The fantasy is that the move goes off without a hitch, and then life just magically gets easier. In my experience, though, that’s about as common as running across a unicorn in the wild…

Being a caregiver is one of the hardest jobs in the world. Whether you are a professional or you are looking after someone in your own family, the work, while emotionally fulfilling, is also exhausting and stressful. Sometimes you just need a break! Read More