Caregiver Care
Caregiver Care is the area of the website that has to do with you, the caregiver. For many caregivers, the last thing they think about is taking care of themselves—there is just too much to do. (This was definitely true in my case, unfortunately.) You have got to make yourself a priority—and that is not only hard, it’s very often the last thing you want to think about! We’ll be providing ideas and tips for how to work that into your life. As well, this section is a place for caregivers to share their stories (let us know if you’d like to share yours and we’ll help you do that). Lastly, and the last thing most of us want to think about, is that this journey ultimately has only one ending—the loss of the person you’ve devoted yourself to caring for. We’ll cover topics about coping with the terminal illness of a parent and how to move forward when this journey ends.
No Time to Eat Well? Caregivers Need Nutrition Too!
Author: Anne Bogardus, (Founder and former caregiver)Caring for elderly, and often ill, parents leaves little time to make sure we are maintaining our own health. It can be a real challenge to do things for ourselves, but ignoring our own basic needs doesn't serve...
Stressed, Exhausted, and Overwhelmed
Author: Anne Bogardus, Founder (and former caregiver)This video expresses something many caregivers I’ve heard from experience—and it is very close to my own story as well.Rosemary Lichtman of Comforting Home Care in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania found three ways of coping...
How Does Caregiving Affect the Caregiver?
Author: Anne Bogardus, Founder (and former caregiver)If you’ve been the caregiver for an aging parent, you know it’s a hard job, but did you know that it affects you physically as well as emotionally? Kathryn Doyle, writing for Reuters, reported on a Canadian study...
Emotional Strength
What’s the last thing on your caregiver to-do list? Author: Anne Bogardus, (Founder and former caregiver) If you’re anything like me, it’s anything that has to do with taking care of yourself. That’s not always an easy thing to prioritize since the needs of an elderly...
Anticipatory Grief
Author: Anne Bogardus, Founder and former caregiver Losing a parent is never easy, and when you've been a caregiver to them for any length of time, the loss can be even more keenly felt. Losing a parent suddenly is hard--my mom became ill and died within 48 hours. It...
When Caregiving Ends—Coping With A Parent’s Death
The loss of a parent is a milestone transition in anyone's life. When my mom died on September 10, 2011 at the age of 88, it was a sudden, heartbreaking loss. I didn't have much time to grieve, though, because my dad, who suffered from dementia and could not survive...
Stop Family Caregiver Stress Overload
Author: Anne Bogardus, Founder and former caregiver Family caregivers who take care of their aging parents, in-laws, or grandparents, are amazing. They take on a huge responsibility, one that is filled with the stresses of illness, redefined relationships, financial...
Helping Our Elderly Parents Cope with the Aging Process
When we were little, we saw our parents as invincible people, who took care, protected and loved us no matter what. They were our first heroes who were always there when we needed them. But like the rest of humankind, our parents will grow old, some even die young. My...