by Shayla Morag | Feb 09, 2018 | Caregiving, Safety, The Red Bike Way
I remember the day like it was yesterday. I had thought I had made my home safe from potential falls by removing all floor rugs, using flat metal joiners (when installing laminate flooring instead of the ones provided by the supplier), putting up chair railings, and installing grab bars. This fall involved my Mom slipping on a blanket she was holding in her arms. It had never crossed my mind that this was a possibility. Having a fractured hip (after already having two hip replacements) was obviously very painful for Mom. She couldn’t walk for a few months which involved changes with medications (resulting in severe hallucinations), and a major change with our regular routine. I was told by medical professionals that she would probably never walk again.
Having access to home physiotherapy was such a help as my Mom was able to get up and start exercising. We had the goal of wanting to drive around to see the Christmas lights which meant walking to the car. The saving grace was Mom’s daily task of taking our little dog for a ride on her walker around the house every day. He loved sitting on her walker and the focus was on ‘his” needs instead of the reality that Mom needed to stretch her legs. We did enjoy the Christmas lights by the way! ??
by Shayla Morag | Jan 26, 2018 | Caregiving, Handy Tips
I am a white board fanatic. When I cared for Mom in my home, I had a big white board in the kitchen which was updated every morning with the day and date, plus one in Mom’s sitting room for upcoming events. Encouraging independence with pills for example works well. Every morning, I passed my Mom’s blister pack to her in the kitchen and she would look at the white board to see the day and select her pills on her own. For my full-time job (since I worked from home), I had a number of chores (i.e. deposits, deliveries, mailings) and Mom would accompany me in the car as my “assistant” and keep track of the list of things to do. On trips, I carried a small white board with us for support with key messages (i.e. we are going to the store) so that Mom could refer to it anytime she wished.
by Shayla Morag | Jan 24, 2018 | Caregiving, Quote
“There are only four kinds of people in the world – those who have been caregivers, those who are caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers. ” ~ Rosalynn Carter
by Shayla Morag | Jan 24, 2018 | Caregiving, The Red Bike Way
During the journey of caregiving, it’s very easy to lose balance: balance with work, family demands, and self care. I have found myself sometimes wobbly with keeping life in balance. It is always comforting to know that you are not alone when it comes to the struggle of maintaining a balanced life. Oprah is in agreement. “I’ve learned that you can’t have everything and do everything at the same time.”
Being a “giver” as a caregiver…
It is easy to get into this pattern. A caregiver is a “giver” by default but there are those of us who are a “giver” in every part of our lives. We give and give and at the end of the day we wonder why there is nothing left. Caregiver burnout is very common for “givers” who give too much. It is a delicate balance. Check out this link to become aware of the symptoms of burnout before it is too late.
