From the desk of Rosemary Laird, MD
Founder of Navigating Aging Needs
Back to the Basics!
I love the times of celebration, but I now find myself relishing the idea of life getting back to a somewhat normal schedule again as we head into the new year. It is a good time to focus on those fundamental areas where our loved ones might need some extra help.
You Year. New You!
It’s a tradition in the new year that many people make resolutions, but I’d like to recommend that you try something new this year: Try to start several “micro-habits.”
Let's Count Our Blessings!
Counting blessings may seem counterintuitive, given all you and your loved one have been going through this year and the uncertainty of the future. But surely, we are all blessed with this miracle of life, family, and community, which Alzheimer’s impacts, but cannot destroy.
Navigating Holiday Travel
In today’s America, with families spread out all over the country, holiday celebrations can be challenging as you and your loved one may have to travel to join the celebration. But with the right planning and precautions, you can navigate these journeys with a "happy holidays" outcome. Here are some steps to consider.
Take Care of Yourself!
The holiday season can be a heartwarming time of joy with the gathering of friends and family. But it’s not without its challenges: One guest is a vegan and so has dietary restrictions; another brings a toddler who wanders underfoot; another guest needs transportation to the airport. And so on. We adapt and accommodate these challenges because they are labors of love. Remember, however: While during this holiday season you will no doubt do much for others ― you absolutely need to do something for yourself, too!
Managing the Stress of the Holidays
Holidays are traditionally a spirited, happy time, but they can be challenging for caregivers, their loved ones, and their families and friends. There are ways to help maintain the enjoyment of the holiday time, however, and let everyone focus on the family ― even if someone in that family has Alzheimer’s Disease.
Get Ready for Nicole!
As another hurricane bears down on Florida, please take a few moments to learn about the risks and take steps to protect yourself.
It’s National Family Caregiver Month!
As the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website states, “Celebrated every November, National Family Caregivers Month (NFCM) is a time to recognize and honor family caregivers across the country.” Here are some ways you can embrace your role as a family caregiver.
The Challenge of Intimacy
It is a bittersweet irony of Alzheimer’s that the more the disease takes away from our loved ones, the more intimacy is required to care for them. As the disease progresses, our loved ones lose more of their independence for even the most basic needs, and require us to step in to help them, often in ways we never had previously.
Embracing Change
As we head into the Autumn season, we are immersed in a world that is changing all around us. The days are shorter, the air cooler, and farther north the levels of chlorophyll shut down in the leaves of trees, exposing brilliant hues of yellow, red and gold. Though these signs signal that winter is on its way, there is no escaping the beauty it inspires in us. It is a reminder that there is beauty, too, in the stages of the caregiving journey you are on with your loved one, and that we all can find strength, and beauty, in a world of constant change. Here are some tips for making the most of it.
Take Time to Celebrate!
Caregivers must learn to reinvent themselves continually, and adapt the challenges facing them on a daily basis. But you also have to take the time, and make the effort, to celebrate the small accomplishments that occur for you and your loved one daily.
The Road to Recovery
As the aftermath of Ian leaves us all a little soggy and suffering from “Hurricane Brain,” as one of our Navigators calls it, it’s time to explore how we can best turn to some “recovery” practices to get ourselves back. As elite athletes will tell you, the “recovery” part of training is just as important as the training itself. It gives the body a chance to rebuild, make new connections, and grow stronger.
Get Ready for Ian!
As hurricane Ian bears down on Florida, please take a few moments to learn about the risks and take steps to protect yourself.
Managing “Bad” Behaviors
Among the biggest challenges of caregiving for someone with Alzheimer’s are the behavioral changes that result from the disease. Your loved one can sometimes appear to be a different person from the one you’ve known for so long, including having bouts of feeling fatigued, depressed, paranoid or anxious. Oftentimes these “bad” behaviors are in fact attempts by your loved one to communicate some sort of unmet need, confusion about what is going on, or a physical issue such as pain.
Thanks, Partner!
This coming Thursday marks the Autumnal Equinox, the point where the tilt of the earth’s axis is parallel to its orbit around the sun. It seems like such a short while ago that I was writing in this newsletter about the Spring Equinox! Time feels like it has moved so quickly since we started our partnership with many of you. Over the past six months we have learned a lot from you about how to improve our NAN offerings and services to meet your needs. Here’s a sampling of the most sought-after content on the website over the past half year
Finding the Joy
In my many years of working with caregivers, I have seen first-hand how agonizing your day-to-day struggles can sometimes be. You may at times feel overwhelmed, overcome with stress, or experience a profound sense of grief for all that is lost to this disease. So my words of advice today may seem counter-intuitive: Find time to seek out joy. As challenging as our lives may be at times, being a caregiver for your loved one can give a life purpose, meaning — and even joy.
Back to School Days
The Labor Day Holiday always reminds me of new beginnings. After all, it’s the unofficial end of summer, and schools all over the country are beginning classes again. Though most of us are no longer going back to school, it’s still the case that the key to caregiving success is love, patience — and lifelong learning! That’s because you have a big job to do, and the more you learn about your loved one’s disease and how to handle it, the more prepared you will be — and less stressed!
Take a Break!
As a caregiver for a patient with Alzheimer’s, taking time for yourself may be hard to accomplish. Still, we at NAN for Caregivers believe that caregivers need to care for themselves, too, and we encourage you to find a way to take a break, if only for a few hours or a day. One way to find a bit of time for yourself is to think about asking a friend or relative to fill in for you for a short time while you attend to other commitments. Another way to get a break is through working with a variety of services that provide hourly or daily care.
Be Prepared!
In periods of quiet, we can take advantage of the calm and prepare for the storms ahead. The same is true for Alzheimer’s Disease: To be sure, there will be stormy times to come with this challenging disease, and so it is best to use the quiet time to help prepare.
We Hear You!
Based on your great input, we've created some new offerings on NANforCaregivers.com that include tips for dealing with sleep disturbances, suggestions for activities for people with hampered vision, and recommended local services that may be able to help you with a variety of tasks.