TheSeniorList

Caregiving During The Holidays

As a caregiver- Do you look forward to a time of delight with family and friends, or a season of nearly unbearable stress? Regardless of the holiday you're celebrating, getting through these times can be like walking through a field of emotional land mines.

One of the most vexing questions in elder caregiving is "Why isn't my loved one eating?" Your loved one's well-being is heavily dependent on nutrition, so a refusal--or the inability--to eat is frustrating and stressful for the caregiver.

When you're trying to keep you loved one in his or her home--or in your home--the nagging question always seems to center on the issue of safety. "When is it no longer safe to leave my loved one at home alone?" The question may not be about moving your loved one to a care facility, but may involve deciding to bring in full-time help.

When is it time to bring in full time in-home care for my loved one or parents? A guide for caregivers

Oxygen Mask Rules for Caregiving... Take care of yourself before taking care of others...

By now, I like to assume I'm on gardening auto-pilot--snipping a few of the choicer blossoms, pulling one, maybe two weeds, and just generally sitting in a rocker on the porch and taking it easy. In those moments when I actually get to do that, I realize how like gardening caregiving is--bursts of furious activity, followed by times of relative calm.

If you're a caregiver, the subjective side of healing--not medical treatment, but inner reconciliation and acceptance--is important. Here are some thoughts on the subject from Julie Silver, M. D.. a breast cancer survivor who wrote about healing in a 2010 issue of AARP The Magazine.