Regardless of how fulfilling caregiving can be, it is also stressful and emotional work. It is easy to get so caught up in the daily tasks of caring for a loved one that you forget to care for yourself. One way to reduce caregiver stress is to start a caregiver journal.
One of the biggest worries families caring for a loved one with dementia face is the risk of wandering. It is unfortunately very common and can happen at any time in the disease progression – even if they’ve never done it before.
Constipation is one of the most stressful symptoms experienced by patients with a serious illness. It occurs in at least 70% of patients. Many times, it goes unrecognized and is often undertreated.
One of the most difficult things when a loved one is approaching end of life is our own sense of helplessness. While we may not be able to stop the inevitable outcome, there are still things we can do to provide our loved one with additional comfort at end of life.
When we think of elder abuse, we often think of physical injuries. But financial fraud is one the fastest growing forms of elder abuse. In fact, one out of every five Americans over the age of 65 has reportedly been the victim of a financial scam – and that’s not counting the many seniors who don’t report scams out of fear or embarrassment.
According to the AARP’s 2021 Home & Community Preferences Survey, over 80% of Americans over the age of 50 say they’d prefer to receive care in their own home if needed. In order to make this wish a reality, you may need to make some changes to prepare for caring for a parent at home.
