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articles about Heart/Stroke

  • ENixon

    A UNIQUE FOCUS: 2007 First Prize Winner

    She combines caregiving, college and advocacy

  • 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.

  • REWARDING WORK, SURPRISING REACTIONS

    2007 "Give a Caregiver a Break" essay contest runner-up

  • THooper

    THE TEAM PLAYER: 2007 Grand Prize Winner

    She and her sisters try to meet all their mother's needs

  • HOW I DO IT

    2007 "Give a Caregiver a Break" essay contest runner-up

  • Marian Colton

    DOUBLE DUTY: 2006 GRAND PRIZE WINNER

    My caregiving experience has been one of “double duty.”

  • HIS ONE AND ONLY

    2007 "Give a Caregiver a Break" essay contest runner-up

  • "ATTITUDE! ATTITUDE! ATTITUDE!"

    2007 "Give a Caregiver a Break" essay contest runner-up

  • DANCE OF LIFE image

    DANCE OF LIFE

    When a stroke makes communication between a husband and wife near impossible, determining how to maintain contact is key. It could even depend on the love between a father and his son. This is one family’s story of determination and courage in dealing with the unexpected.

  • HONORING A PARENT image

    HONORING A PARENT

    They say it takes a village to raise a child. The same is becoming ever more true when it comes to caring for an ill or elderly loved one. A story of strength, honor and the Native American way.

  • NEVER LOOK BACK

    2007 "Give a Caregiver a Break" essay contest runner-up

  • SISTER ACT image

    SISTER ACT

    Three sisters overcome obstacles of busy careers and impossible schedules to become equal partners in caring for their mother.

  • CAREGIVER SUPPORT

    Q. I recently refilled my mother’s prescription and found that she had previously been given pills that were half the dosage of what had been prescribed—even though the pharmacist’s label indicated the vial’s contents were what had been prescribed. How do I prevent such a potentially tragic mistake in the future?

  • FINANCE

    Q. I applied for Social Security disability almost a year ago, and I was told my hearing is still pending. Are there any shortcuts or ways to deal with such a delay?

  • CARE RECIPIENT HEALTH

    Q. My father is in a rehab facility where he gets daily physical therapy but still appears weak. How can I tell if he's making real progress?

  • CARE RECIPIENT HEALTH

    Q. My mom, who's prone to colds and flu, is on several different prescriptions. How can I tell if an OTC cold/flu medicine will adversely interact with her prescriptions?

  • CAREGIVER HEALTH

    Q. Why does stress make me so tired?

  • CARE RECIPIENT HEALTH

    Q. My father has a number of health issues that make me wonder if he's a candidate for a stroke. What are the signs to look for if you think someone is having a stroke?

  • CARE RECIPIENT HEALTH

    Q. My neighbor told me that her mother has started having "TIAs." What exactly are TIAs, and how worrisome are they? And does this mean that she is a candidate for a major stroke?

  • CAREGIVER SUPPORT

    Q. My husband recently had a stroke. After being at a rehab center, he’s coming home. He’ll work with an occupational therapist here. How can I best work with the OT?

  • CAREGIVER SUPPORT: A Good Kind of Pressure

    Research shows the increasing benefits of massage. See how it can help you and the loved one in your care.

  • SHARE THE CARE

    When creating a caregiving team, you need the Team Leader, the Assistant Coordinator, the Researcher, the Arranger, the Experienced Caregiver, the Chief Cook and Bottlewasher, the Creative Type, the One with a Special Skill, the Shopper, the Handyman, the Driver...the list goes on. And when all work in a coordinated effort, the result is stress-reduced caregiving. So how do you put together such a team? Click here and find out.

  • THE PROMISE

    "Promise you'll never put me in a nursing home." How many of us have been lassoed by that demand? Is it a promise we're obligated to obey? Or is it one that shouldn't be asked? Click here to read how caregivers like you have handled this dilemma.

  • Heart/Stroke: EXPANDING YOUR CAREGIVING TEAM

    A site to help you learn more and increase your connections

  • SEEING A NEED

    When the one you care for enters a nursing facility, you might need some help with coping. And if no support group exists, here are tips on how to start your own.

  • WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS FRIENDS

    A son of the '60s benefits from being part of the love generation

  • 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.

  • WRITE OUT YOUR WORRIES

  • THE POWER OF REIKI

    Fueled by our need for mind-body awareness and prevention techniques, receiving and practicing Reiki can be an invaluable tool for maintaining health, personal renewal and growth. You needn’t believe in anything; you need only have the open-mindedness to experience it....Click here to read more.

  • Caring Today's Caregiver Library

    Check out these books, videos and CDs aimed at helping caregivers. New items are constantly being added, so check back often to find ways to increase your confidence and knowledge of specific diseases and self-care.

  • MAY: This Month's Resource List

    From allergies and asthma to osteporosis, mental health and much more, the issues of note this month are wide ranging and important to many of you. Check out these links for information to help you as a caregiver.

  • SEPTEMBER: This Month's Resource List

    Check out these links for information to help you as a caregiver. This month puts focus on leukemia, sickle cell disease, suicide prevention, cholesterol education, ovarian cancer, healthy aging, vision issues and much more.

  • Blood Pressure Issues: AVOIDING WAKE-UP WOOZINESS

    Learn the simplest way to prevent get-out-of-bed falls

  • FEBRUARY: This Month's Resource List

    From heart health to vision issues to eating disorders and more, find resources and contacts for health issues of special note this month, including special dates to remember, websites to visit and phone numbers to call.

  • Heart/Stroke: IMPROVE HEART HEALTH

  • Heart/Stroke: REMOTE POSSIBILITIES

    Innovative, portable pager-size devices allow heart patients to be remotely monitored from virtually anywhere.

  • FEAR OF FALLING

    If a person is paralyzed by a fear of falling due to age, injury or ailment, the burden on the caregiver can be that much harder. So, what do you do?

  • TUESDAY TIPS

    Been thinking of things you can get a loved one who's been devoted to providing care for someone close to you? Here are ideas to help make the holidays happy and helpful.

  • TUESDAY TIPS

    The Oscar-nominated film The Savages, about estranged adult siblings (Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman) who are reunited in their effort to care for their ailing father (Philip Bosco), recently came out on DVD. Rent it, buy it, but see it if you can. For a list of other great caregiver films, click here.

  • WHERE TO LOOK WEDNESDAY

    Knowing how to talk to your loved one's doctor is an important step in care management. Click here for five tips to improve doctor/caregiver communication and to find where to look for further help.

  • WHERE TO LOOK WEDNESDAY

    The time it takes Social Security to act on setting up hearings for SSDI decisions can be hard for caregivers to deal with. It can take months--or years. Click here to find out what the experts advise to obtain the assistance you need.

  • HEALTHY MONDAY IDEA

    Feeling stressed? Caregiving making you anxious? Lots on your mind? Write it down. Get it out. Feel better fast. Here's how.

  • WHERE TO LOOK WEDNESDAY

    Check out these health-information sites with special importance in September, and helpful guidance any time.

  • WHERE TO LOOK WEDNESDAY

    Do you know how over-the-counter meds might interact with meds prescribed to you or your loved one? Some can reduce the effect of the prescribed medication, others might adversely accelerate the effect. Here's how to learn more and be safe.

  • TIME FOR YOU THURSDAY

    When it comes to heart-healthy exercise and diabetes-preventive workouts, which is more true: "More is better" or "Less is more"? Caring Today lets you know the latest research results.

  • TUESDAY TIPS

    Are you or your loved one increasing the risk of heart ailments and diabetes because of your choice of beverage? Find out why it might be a good idea to stop the pop.

  • HEALTHY MONDAY IDEA

    Learn to handle a difficult situation by finding the humor in it. Lynn Johnston, the creator of the comic strip "For Better or For Worse", has done just that. To see Lynn's perspective on how a stroke victim might handle physical therapy, just click here.

  • HEALTHY MONDAY IDEA

    What you learn can save a loved one's life. Click here to learn heart attack warning signs.

  • JUST THE FACTS FRIDAY

    When it comes to heart disease, where you live can make a difference. Check out these new statistics from a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see if you live in one of the most heart-safe--or heart-hazardous--states in the nation.

  • JUST THE FACTS FRIDAY

    Sunday, May 6, is "High Blood Pressure Sunday", a day to raise awareness of the dangers this condition can cause, including heart disease and stroke. The International Society of Hypertension in Blacks is leading the way in this event, but many an organization is offering tips to help you avoid this problem.

  • TUESDAY TIPS

    Looking to lower your blood pressure? Here are some actionable ideas regarding diet, exercise and more from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

  • TUESDAY TIPS

    Older people are at greater risk of developing health problems caused by sun and heat than anyone else. So, as the dog days of summer approach, encourage your loved one to take cautionary measures

  • TUESDAY TIPS

    When your loved one leaves rehab and therapy starts at home, how do you coordinate and talk with the occupational therapist to prevent caregiving from becoming too complicated to handle? Click here to find out.

  • TUESDAY TIPS

    Would you recognize the symptoms of stroke? Here are five things the National Stroke Association advises you to look for.

  • WHERE TO LOOK WEDNESDAY

    For those caring for a loved one with aphasia—the loss or diminished ability to understand language and speak, often as a result of stroke—we offer this list of resources.

  • DANCE OF LIFE image

    LESSONS LEARNED: Josephine

    Taking care of oneself and maintaining one’s faith, while remembering to be thankful for the people offering support and avoiding the victim mentality, are key to a caregiver’s ability to find day-to-day strength.

  • SISTER ACT image

    LESSONS LEARNED: Phyllis

  • RETURNING TO WORK

    How three people with disabilities successfully met the challenge