Back Again

Hi Everyone,

Sorry for the hiatus. I’ve been busy as the Alzheimer’s expert for the webmd Alzheimer’s Community, www.webmd.com, answering some questions on www.sharecare.com and finishing up my new book, Support for Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregivers: The Unsung Heroes.

Meanwhile, Thanksgiving is around the bend, and holidays can be a good way to connect with your loved ones who have memory problems. Sometimes those recollections of Thanksgiving in the past crop up.  The very aroma of a turkey in the oven or the table setting itself may trigger some unexpected comments.

It may be hard for caregivers to recognize things to be grateful for yet studies show that even if you can find one thing a week to appreciate, that attitude of gratitude improves your own physical and emotional well-being.

I will even follow my own advice,

Judy

Alzheimer’s and Caregivers

Hi Everyone,

In response to one of my posts, the question arose as to whether this blog is for caregivers of Alzheimer’s and related dementias or is it for those afflicted with the disease. Primarily, this is for caregivers. However, I find that many of the suggestions and feelings I relay apply for anyone with or affected by this disease. So many of the feelings that caregiver’s experience are also experienced with those who have Alzheimer’s. The blog may be enlightening for either group of people. We need to better understand the experience of everyone affected by this illness.

All are welcome.

Another site where I am the Alzheimer’s Expert may be found on www.webmdcom. on the Alzheimer’s community that includes everyone, with postings and discussions arising from caregivers and those with Alzheimer’s. I also answer questions as the Alzheimer’s Expert for www.sharecare.com.

Hope to hear fron some of you on these sites as well.

I’m with you,

Judy

New Year’s Resolution # 1: Be kind to YOU.

Hi Everyone,

Now that the hype is subsiding, the decorations removed, the sugary yummies eaten, we face how to take care of ourselves in this New Year. I find it so difficult to do.  It’s so hard to put myself first when a loved one’s needs supercede my own. It’s hard for me to say STOP. Go out for that brisk walk.Yet the more I learn the more I realize that those walks are not a simple indulgence but actually the number one antidote to the negative effects of stress on brain cells. By getting out and walking, we are taking an active role in restoring our neurons. Ask for some help so that you can do this for yourself.

And I’ll stop making excuses about why I cannot take the time to take care of myself.

I’m with you,

Judy

The Holidays – Not Always So Happy

Hi Everyone,

You would think that Christmas is the happiest time for all yet this plainly is not so.  Christmas is at best a time of great stress, whether it is from battling the crowds at stores, feeling excited or sad, or unable to get out in the first place. It reminds us of past holiday celebrations when our loved ones were healthy and well. It reminds of us when being part of the excitement was easy compared to being a caregiver now. 

The internet helps those stay-at-home shoppers.  But then there’s the financial part, whether buying  in person or on line.

Perhaps this is another opportunity to refer to our ‘gratitude’ list or add to it. Doing so may help relieve some of the tension and remind us all that this is the season to be grateful for what we have while being aware of how things keep changing.

Perhaps we should ask for the gift of relieving us by helping out.  Perhaps we should ask for the gift of stopping by to visit us, bringing some good coffee or a a snack.

As our loved ones keep living in the moment, so do we need to live in the moment and appreicate all that we have.

I’m with you,

Judy

Caregiver Holiday Blues

Hi Everyone,

Well, we survived Thanksgiving, and now we plunge into the rest of the holiday season.

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself feeling the caregiver blues as well as joy. The excitement of the holidays is a stressor for everyone and may precipitate some agitation in someone who doesn’t really remember, making it even harder on you. You may feel sad as you recall past celebrations with a loved one, and what future celebrations may look like.

Many people don’t talk about the downside of the holidays, but you have plenty of company. If we allow the negative feelings to surface along with the positive, the holidays will be a better experience for you.

Colorful lights appear every day, and the stores are filled with Christmas music and gay decorations. What a hype to buy, buy, buy. The holidays are so much more than that. If your loved one is at home, perhaps he can participate by assisting as you hang up a wreath, or she could  help bake holiday cookies.

Just allow yourself to feel – and know that we are all with you.

Judy

 

 

Caregiving and Gratitude

Hi Everyone,

Gratitude is healthy. According to the latest research that was reported in the N.Y. Times, Tuesday, November 22, 2011, gratitude has many emotional and physiological benefits. From better health to better sleep, from less anxiety to more satisfaction, people feel better when they feel gratitude. As little as once a month, when people jotted down 5 things to be grateful for, they felt more optimistic, happier, and had fewer physical problems than those who didn’t keep a journal. As caregivers, it’s really important for us to find the time to start a ‘gratitude’ list. With Thanksgiving this week, now is a good time to begin. Here’s my list. I am grateful for:

1. My physical and emotional health.
2. Having people I love and who love me in my life.
3. Friends.
4. The sunshine and clean air here in Northern California.
5. The ability to write and communicate with people.

I could go on but limiting it to 5 makes it doable for me. I hope it’s doable for you.

I’m with you,

Judy

What to be thankful for

Hi Everyone,

Sometimes it’s hard to identify what to be thankful for when you feel worn out. Yet Thanksgiving is around the bend, and it is a day to celebrate what we do have, not what is missing. Thinking about it before the holiday may make it easier to honor on Thanksgiving day. One way to do this is to make a gratitude list. Yes. On a day that is going well, when you feel good about yourself, jot down all the things you are grateful for. I make mental lists of my own whenever I feel good and it helps me appreciate all that I have. In the coming days, I’ll share some of the items on my list with you.

I’m with you,
Judy