Many of us start our caregiving career by assisting an elder in his or her home, or we have a spouse who declines and we become the default caregiver in our own home. This care expands to a point where we need some type of respite, often in the form of in-home care agency help. Eventually, the move to assisted living or even a nursing home may become necessary for everyone's health and wellbeing. Whatever happens, we remain caregivers. Many of us continue to see our care receiver daily. Most of us continue to be involved as advocates and support throughout the time of need. When our loving attention and care is no longer needed, we can, indeed, feel lost.
Read more about rebuilding your life after your care receiver dies:
Purchase Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories – paperback or ebook
...The death of a parent is tough, whether it's sudden or a long time coming. The advantage of a slower death is that there may have been more time to prepare, however human nature being what is, often people don't use that time well. Of course, a sudden death can throw everyone back by the very nature of the shock. Either way, unless there is a solid reason to do otherwise, it's generally unwise to make changes too quickly, if they can't easily be undone.
Read about why, after a spouse's death, the surviving spouse often needs more care:
Purchase Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories – paperback or ebook
...Of course, we don't always make the right call regarding every circumstance. But we do our best. I'd hazard a guess that the most painful decision for most of us to make is whether or not it's in our loved one's best interests to place him or her in a nursing home. If it is also in our best interest, then the guilt looms even larger.
Purchase Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories – paperback or ebook
An existing drug already used to treat leukemia has shown promise as a treatment for neurological diseases such as Lewy body dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Researchers from Georgetown University successfully used small doses of the drug nilotinibin in experiments using mice. This drug, which is used to treat chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), appears to eliminate abnormal protein build-up in the brain.
Read more about leukemia drug with promise to help people with dementia:
Purchase Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories – paperback or ebook
You already know what may be gained by giving up employment and becoming the sole caregiver for your parents. You are the hands-on person and know their care intimately. You know how they are doing day and night and you hope they will appreciate your help. They raised you and you want to give back.
Read more about quitting a paying job to care for your parents:
Purchase Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories – paperback or ebook