Department of Public Health Survey on Health Needs for People with Disabilities

Posted on May 20, 2013

This landed in my inbox. It took about 5 minutes to fill it out. Due date is May 31. Here are the details: Help influence health care in Massachusetts! The Health and Disability Program, part of Office of Health Equity at the MA Department of Public Health (DPH) is conducting a health...

Caregiver Holiday Wish List

Posted on December 21, 2011

My favorite columnist, Michelle Singletary (The Color of Money) has done it again. She always has something spot on and practical to say. This week she cuts to the chase when it comes to caregivers - they are tired. They don't want bling or stuff that will end up on a shelf....

Thrown into the Deep End

Posted on May 18, 2010

Did you see Michelle Singletary’s column this weekend in the Boston Globe? I like her column, The Color of Money. She writes in a straight-forward, honest manner, with guidance targeted at “regular folks” like myself. This weekend she wrote about essentially being thrown into the deep end of the...

More Reasons to Write up a Caregiver Contract

Posted on November 13, 2009

I've been writing a lot about caregiver contracts lately. That's because they represent the ideal solution for so many families. Many children become part-time or even full-time caregivers for their aging parents. Sometimes a child needs to be paid for this - usually that is the only way she can afford to leave her...

Paying Your Children to Care for You? Put it in Writing.

Posted on August 30, 2009

As they need more help with daily tasks, many parents prefer to have their kids helping them rather than hiring an aide. And many children want to be helping their parents, if only they could afford to quit their job. One solution is for the parent to hire the child. I discuss...

Always Keep Time & Expense Records When Helping Another

Posted on August 6, 2009

So many children, nieces and nephews, and good neighbors pitch in to do heavy lifting for an aging or disabled family member or friend. You may be running errands, cleaning out a basement, doing weekly grocery trips. We do these things on a volunteer basis, usually receiving just reimbursement for purchases made. And...

Caregiver: Care for Yourself, Too

Posted on June 1, 2009

Caregiver burnout is a dangerous side-effect of dedicating your time and energies to the care of a loved one. All the physical activity, combined with the worry, isolation, and frustration, make for a dangerous recipe. Families frequently come to me when Mom got sick from the exhaustion of caring for Dad. Another common scenario...

HBO’s The Alzheimer’s Project: Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am?

Posted on May 19, 2009

This weekend I watched the film on grandchildren caring for grandparents with Alzheimer’s. I was floored by the patience and persistence these kids displayed. One theme that the film highlighted with “staying in the moment.” This is something we all did as kids (remember focusing on a ladybug crawling up a blade...

HBO’s The Alzheimer’s Project: Caregivers

Posted on May 18, 2009

This weekend I watched the film Caregivers (don’t you just love On Demand?). One theme that jumped out was the isolation that caregivers suffer. Several of the film’s stars (I think that’s a good name for them) talked about how very quietly the invitations to events and gatherings stopped. Not only does...

Is Your Home Care Agency Appropriate for Alzheimer’s Care?

Posted on February 25, 2009

We are lucky on the South Shore to have so many agencies supporting seniors who continue to live at home. Among these are home care agencies, which are the companies that provide home health aides and companions. If you are considering a home care agency to care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, look...