Fighting Caregiver Burnout with Resiliency Have you ever wondered why some people can seemingly cope with any life stressor while others seem to falter in the face of any adversity? Do you admire people who handle the ups and downs of the caregiving journey with apparent ease and grace and do not allow moments of failure to consume them? These individuals most likely have developed resiliency. The good news is that anyone can cultivate resiliency, too. Read more
From Caregiving to Widowhood: Balancing Grief and Wellness One of the biggest challenges of being a caregiver is coping with the fear of losing a loved one. When that loss becomes a reality, the effects can be devastating. Those who provide care for their spouses can have a particularly difficult time coping with grief, as they are losing their life partner, someone of central importance to their heart and happiness. Read more
How to Handle Dementia-Related Sleep Disturbance Though dementia is most commonly associated with memory loss, it can touch many different aspects of a loved one’s life. One of the most challenging for caregivers is when a loved one experiences sleep disturbance—such as excessive napping during the day; insomnia; nighttime terrors and anxiety; and difficulty staying asleep without constantly waking up. Read more
What Does Wellness Look Like for Dementia Caregivers? Anyone providing care for a loved one with dementia knows how stressful it can be. Not only can the tasks involved be challenging and exhausting, but there is a very emotional level as well. But even with all the challenges , caregivers often neglect self-care, infrequently check in on their own health and either don’t know about or don’t use opportunities for respite. Read more
Increasing Utilization of Caregiver Support Services As professionals in the aging sector, we know there are dozens of helpful support services and resources available to family and friend caregivers that could significantly help to reduce caregiver stress and burnout. Unfortunately, the caregivers who need them the most often don’t seem to know it! Read more
How Caregivers Can Get Involved in the Community Many times, people think of volunteering or being involved in the community as another activity to add to their to-do list. This can especially be the case when the project we have signed on for is out of our realm of interest. Caregivers can also often feel they do not have enough time to engage in activities they enjoy. However, finding the perfectly tailored volunteer opportunity or community engagement program can be key to gratification in our personal lives. Read more
Encouraging an Older Loved One to Get Tested for Dementia Cathy Franz, LSW, a Care Consultant with Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging’s WeCare…Because You Do, discusses tips on how to encourage older loved ones with symptoms of memory loss to visit a doctor to get tested for dementia. Read more
Caregiving for Older Male Loved Ones Every caregiving journey is unique, and there are so many factors that can change the experience. Your loved one’s family history, age, diet and ethnicity are all things that can affect his or her wellness, while their temperament, ability to communicate, values and beliefs can all impact the smoothness of providing care. Biological sex can also play a role. Those who care for the important men in their lives—fathers, spouses, partners, brothers, uncles, grandfathers, and many more—may experience different challenges than those caring for women. Read more
Keeping Your Older Loved One Safe from Grandparent Scams It’s an old stereotype that grandparents will do almost anything for their grandchildren—including opening their wallets more often than they probably should. If they hear their grandchild is experiencing a crisis, their first response is likely to do whatever they can to help them. Unfortunately, fraudsters are taking advantage of this natural impulse to help with a type of scheme known as a “grandparent scam.” Read more
Perceived Unmet Need and Need-Related Distress of People Living with Dementia The unmet needs of people living with dementia have been shown to be multidimensional and impact well-being. However, there are a lack of studies examining variability of unmet needs and need-related distress from the person living with dementia’s perspective. The current study (n = 12) examined the self-reported unmet needs and need-related distress of people with mild to moderate dementia. Seventy-five percent of participants (n = 9) identified at least one unmet need and 50% (n = 6) reported 10 or more unmet needs. “Finding and Arranging Services” and “Health Information” subscales had the highest reported average unmet needs. The most frequently reported unmet need-item was “getting information about your memory problems?” Participants reported variability in distress for both unmet and met needs. Continued research can provide beneficial information on the relationship between unmet needs, need-related distress, and outcomes of well-being for future interventions. Read more
