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Rx FOR CAREGIVERS

There's hardly a caregiver—especially a male caregiver—who hasn't faced the issues of caregiver burnout. What can be done to avoid it or, at least, deal with it? Alan Dengiz, MD, an expert in the care of those with Alzheimer's and their caregivers offers his advice. Click here for his prescription that can help you. Part of our Special Report on Men as Caregivers.

 

HOW TO MAKE THE BIG DECISIONS

Do you have trouble making major decisions? It’s not surprising. As caregivers, the choices we make shape our lives and the quality of someone else’s life. That’s why it’s important to hone your decision-making skills. Click here to find out what the experts have to say on this and their seven top strategies to increase your chances of success...

 

CHEMO BRAIN, THE “ITCHIES” & MORE

The more than 11 million cancer survivors in the U.S. today
are living proof that cancer treatments are more effective than ever. But,
along with strides in survivorship, medical researchers now know that
when treatment ends, after-effects will likely emerge. The most
common complaints—memory loss, fatigue, skin sensitivity, neuropathy
and nausea—are bothersome at the least and potentially serious, sometimes not appearing for months or even years after treatment. Click here to see what a caregiver like you can do to help your loved one deal with chemo brain, the itchies and more.

 

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.

 

featured articles

  • TEN MINUTES WITH...RICHARD ANDERSON

    Marking its 20th anniversary, the Well Spouse Association—a non-profit, volunteer-based organization—has spread its message of "you are not alone" by lending a needed ear and respite through its website, support groups and caregiver getaways. Here, the Well Spouse president, who spent 29 years as his wife's caregiver, provides helpful insights.

  • ALZHEIMER'S: A CAREGIVER CONVERSATION CHECKLIST

    Even under the most optimal at-home care circumstances, a long-term care facility may be able to offer a more safe and comfortable environment for someone with Alzheimer’s disease. Now, the Alzheimer’s Association has created a checklist of talking points and helpful hints to begin a series of relevant conversations with your family, fellow caregivers and the person with Alzheimer’s. Click here to read more.

  • 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

  • THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDICATION COMPLIANCE

    Few, if any, caregiver tasks is more important than helping your loved one maintain a prescribed medication regimen. Here's why that's so and how you can help. And for a free by-email medication-reminder service, click here.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • PATIENT KNOWS BEST

    When offering support to a person in need of care, remember this: It's not about you! Two breast cancer survivors offer some other helpful advice for caregivers.

  • OH, THOSE BREAST FRIENDS

    Cancer-fighting women create a group to support each other--and charities to support so many others.

  • 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

  • DON'T BURN OUT!

    Suzanne Mintz, co-founder and president of the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) and author of A Family Caregiver Speaks Up, likens the caregiver who is about to suffer burnout to a tea kettle. "When all the heat and steam build up inside and you hear the kettle whistling," she says, "it is like a scream for help." Caregiving is demanding and difficult work—both physically and emotionally—and it can take a toll so great that many caregivers...Click here to read more

  • 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.

  • THE THREE STAGES OF CAREGIVING

    A practical guide to caregiver preparedness

  • WEDNESDAY'S CHILD

    It’s not easy to simultaneously be a good parent and a good caregiver. But difficult as it may be for you as an adult, just imagine how it must be for your children to handle this major change in your family’s life. Here's how to help them--and help yourself.

 

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