Caregiving advice: usually well-intentioned, seldom useful, but occasionally spot on. When I was in the thick of a caregiving crisis – both of my parents were very sick and transitioning out of their home at the same time – I wished I could hand out cards to friends and family that said, “Hugs and support […]
For years I thought I was rather unemotional. Boy was I wrong. I blame my lack of insight on Mr. Spock and the fact that I dined with the first officer of the starship Enterprise most nights of my youth. My father was a Trekkie and so my family watched Star Trek reruns while […]
Happy New Year! In case you missed it, here’s a roundup of caregiver related stories and news from around the web: Pacific Business News has an interesting read on the pros and cons of proposed hospital patient discharge planning rules which would require in-hospital caregiver training before a patient is discharged. Chronogram has a great overview of what […]
A woman I know recently posted on Facebook that her friend had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and given a very short time to live. “I am going to visit her tomorrow. What do I say?” the woman asked. What do you say to someone who is dying? Most doctors and hospice workers will tell you there […]
A nurse practitioner who works with the elderly told me Being Mortal by Atul Gawande is, “perhaps the most important book of our times,” and I agree. Gawande, a surgeon at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a bestselling author, gives us an unflinching look at illness and death and suggests a better path forward […]
“Elder care is a lot like being a parent in some respects but without the joy.” So said Janet James, a working daughter, in a Washington Post article titled, “Aging population prompts more employers to offer elder-care benefits to workers.” While James’ comment is sobering, the article is hopeful and outlines a number of companies that are addressing the […]
