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In the Midst of Grief, there is Hope
Grief is an emotion that is not exclusively associated with losing someone you love. In fact, you may find that you experience grief when you change jobs, (i.e. retirement or being fired) or when there is a significant change in you or your loved one’s physical or mental health. For caregiver Donna O’Donnell Figurski, grief…
Read MoreAn Interview with Professional Caregiver Amber Snyder
Who are Linchpin Caregivers? Amber Snyder is a Linchpin Caregiver (a caregiver who is doing double duty i.e., working in the healthcare field as a nursing assistant, home care aide, personal assistant, or volunteer, while who also caring for a family member or friend). Amber works full-time as a nursing assistant in long-term…
Read MoreA Life Saving Conversation – Caregiver Support Services National Awareness Campaign
Did you know that the average adult over the age of 65 takes seven or more prescription medications? It’s true! And while most medications are perfectly safe, from time to time you or your loved one may take a medication or a combination of medications that don’t suit your body. As a result you may…
Read MoreFour Tips to Enhance Your Spiritual Wellness as a Caregiver
Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy is known for her strength in the face of adversity, but few recognize that she was also a family caregiver. Rose’s first notable experience as a caregiver began when her daughter Rosemary Kennedy was diagnosed with an undetermined mental disability. Her next experience was years later, when her husband Joe Sr. suffered…
Read MorePhysical Wellness Webinar with EveryBody Fitness
Your Physical Well-being as a caregiver is vitally important! To help family and professional caregivers manage caregiving responsibilities with their own health and well-being, Caregiver Support Services is hosting a webinar with EveryBody Fitness, on August 24th where Dr. McNealus will discuss the importance of encouraging those you care for to participate in an exercise…
Read MoreI trained the cat: An emergency response solution?
Last week, Mrs. Lydia, the great-grandmother of a close family friend, fell and broke her hip. Few injuries are more emotionally distressing and physically painful than muscle strains and broken bones. Even for a chronologically young and active person, recovering from a fall can take a great deal of time. For an elderly person like…
Read MoreCaregiver Wellness: Are you feeling guilty?
Are you feeling guilty? The truth is that it is not uncommon for caregivers to experience some level of guilt, even when they know they have done all they can to support a sick or disabled loved one or client. In fact, according to a study published in the Journal of Aging and Mental Health,…
Read MoreCaregiver Wellness: Tips to improve your physical well-being
Did you know that caregivers are reported to experience heart disease, arthritis, and diabetes at higher rates than individuals who are not caregivers? It’s true! Long-term stress resulting from providing care for your sick or disabled loved one or client can lead to risky behaviors, including poor diet, increased use of prescriptions and over-the-counter medications,…
Read MoreCaregiver Wellness: Posttraumatic stress disorder among caregivers
Increasing evidence suggests that family caregivers are at risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is an anxiety disorder that results when a caregiver experiences a particularly distressing and traumatic event while caring for a sick or disabled loved one or client. Caregivers who are at an increased risk for developing PTSD…
Read MoreCaregiver Wellness: National Family Caregiver’s Month
Rosalynn Carter, photo credit Washington Post Photo by Nikki Kahn Caregivers play an important role in providing care for their sick or disabled loved ones. However, caregivers need support to increase their chances of having an effective and healthy caregiving experience over the long haul. Following are the top five reasons why caregivers need support.…
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