JUST THE FACTS FRIDAY

A new poll of MS caregivers sheds light on the financial, workplace and personal aspects of all caregivers. Click here to see how their experience relates to yours.

 

Judy Martin and Dad

THE FINANCIAL FIX

Judy Martin is racking up a lot of frequent-flyer miles. Not by taking exotic vacations, either. Instead, this 63-year-old grandmother flies every six weeks from her Texas home to California to assist her ailing, aged father. These trips began last year when Judy became concerned that her dad seemed increasingly disorganized and confused. But when Judy asked him about his finances and he couldn’t provide a reasonable answer, she knew it was time to act…. Click here to read more.

 

 

HI contest image

Enter the 2008 Caring Today "Give Caregiver a Break" Essay Contest

Tell us your story for a chance to win the GRAND PRIZE worth $5,000, a FIRST PRIZE worth $2,500 or an Extraordinary Caregiver Award worth $500!

 

 

Lynn Johnston

TEN MINUTES WITH...LYNN JOHNSTON

As the creator of the comic strip "For Better or For Worse," Lynn Johnston has made an art of putting her life on paper for all to learn from and enjoy. And she presents it in a way that makes us smile, even with a subject as serious as a stroke and a family's subsequent struggles. Click here for the backstory behind her tales.

 

 

DNorville

Deborah Norville on the Attitude of Gratitude

In her book, Thank You Power: Making the Science of Gratitude Work for You, Deborah Norville notes that common sense told her that, in order to be happy, you must "focus on what you've got—not what you've not." And, as her hunch and the research she uncovered proved, if you notice and acknowledge the good things, you'll reap surprising life improvements. Click here for Deborah's thoughts on how the thankful life can help caregivers like you.

 

 

CARING TODAY CAREGIVER GUIDES

The Basic Caregiver Guide—Covering communication, stress-busting, care management, family, caregiver wisdom and more.

The Diabetes Caregiver Guide—Providing info about meds, the healthcare team, diet and more. Includes special focus on kids with Type 1 diabetes.

Caregiver Guide: Depression vs. Bipolar Disorder—Helping you identify the problem, the differences and how best to provide care.

Coming Soon: The COPD Caregiver Guide

 

 

Savages

CARING TODAY CAREGIVER CINEMA

With their recent success both at the box office and as recipients of major awards, Away from Her and The Savages have brought caregiving to the top of hot-topic lists. But these aren't the first films about caregiving, nor will they be the last. Click here for 20 movie favorites that might teach you something about caregiving, sometimes provide you with a smile and certainly entertain you.

 

 

Yes, You Can Say No

It's Friday night, and just as you're walking out the door for a much-anticipated evening with friends, the phone rings. It's your elderly mother calling for the third time that day. She's lonely. She wants to chat. And she asks if you wouldn't mind picking up some items from the store and dropping them by her house.

So, how do you decline without feeling guilty? How can you be a consistent and loving caregiver while also setting effective boundaries? And how... Click here to read more

 

 

WHEN SIBLINGS ARE OUT OF STEP

Worry, resentment, self-righteousness, anger. These and other emotions can shatter family accord when siblings are confronted with problems in caring for an elderly parent. When Mom can no longer live alone, who will take her in? If no one can, or will, what's to be done? Under these stresses, sisters and brothers can be provoked into...Click here to read more

 

 

5 SURPRISING PEOPLE TO HELP YOU

You know how it is—taking care of a loved one can be so rewarding, but there are times when it feels overwhelming, too. You're juggling family, career and caregiving. You want to do everything you can but you just can't do it all. So where can caregivers turn for help when the decisions and responsibilities seem like just too much? Certainly there are a lot of people able and eager to help—the trick is... Click here to read more

 

 

A MOVING EXPERIENCE

Edith Stark of Pikesville, Maryland, insisted she needed no help downsizing from a spacious condominium into an apartment half the size in a retirement community. But with moving day just a week away, the closets, cupboards and drawers were still jammed with belongings waiting to be sorted. Friends and family were concerned that the physical and emotional toll of moving a lifetime of possessions would be too much for the retired elementary school principal. Click here to see where they found help.