Taking Care of Yourself Every day we need to learn a lesson from our caregiving journey. As with the person in the story on Smilecast, it became clear that unlike himself, who could take care of his mom, he had no social support in place should he need care. Taking...
Inspiration – Moment of Zen
New Caregiver – Stepping into the Role – Smilecast 22
New Caregiver Sometimes as in the case of my sister and my mother, you are thrust into becoming a caregiver. In my sister’s case, she had lung cancer as she was caregiving for mom. And when she passed I was caregiver to mom. Other times, you can see the caregiving...
Care Coordination – Key to Not Falling Through the Cracks – Smilecast 21
Care Coordination Care coordination is perhaps the biggest issue facing family caregivers, especially if a loved on his hospitalized. That is when it is important to pick a great primary care physician who can serve as your medical home. This will smooth transitions and assure that your loved one does...
Expression of Gratitude – Smilecast 20
Expression of Gratitude One of the biggest lessons I have learned from seniors is that those who live a quality life share a trait. Gratitude. Every night before I go to bed I think about three things I am grateful for that day. Your expression of gratitude could be silent,...
Find an Employer of Choice – Smilecast 19
The Employer of Choice Finding a helpful employer, an employer of choice, can greatly ease your caregiving burden. An understanding employer will have policies and procedures to help caregivers and more importantly will have a culture that reflects a progressive nature and caring hand toward family caregivers in the workforce....
Life Is a Sacred Journey – Smilecast 47
Interview with Micheal Pope on Life is a Sacred Journey Podcast Next January 13, a cruise will depart to the Caribbean from Ft. Lauderdale that will provide an opportunity for caregivers of all types to gain knowledge, create new friendships, and deepen relationships with other family members and older loved...
The Working Caregiver – Double the Fun – Smilecast 18
The Working Caregiver Being a working caregiver you have twice the responsibility – job by day, job by night. You essentially work 24/7 and it can be exhausting. That is why it is more important then ever to take care of yourself and find resources that can help you too....
When Things Are Out of Your Control – Smilecast 17
Out of Your Control Sometimes in your caregiving, things are simply out of your control. And there i little you can do about it. In this episode we address the issue and essentially come to the conclusion that you change the things you can change and you learn to live...
Life After Caregiving – Now What – Smilecast 16
Life After Caregiving It’s take some getting used to life after caregiving. Believe me I know. After two and a half years as mom’s caregiver, upon her death on June 2 of 2016, I suddenly had this new found freedom and Catholic guilt associated with it. Yes life goes on....
The Caregiving Journey – What Will Change in You? Smilecast 15
Caregiving Journey – What Will Change in You? I think there is profound, life-changing purpose in being a family caregiver. No one can truly know about aging issues, how to deal with the health system, and any number of issues until they have been through it themselves. But at the...