....and let's remember the former Caregivers in our midst

We've opened up our Family Wellness Workshops to our former Caregivers with the idea that now is the time for them to finally be able to reflect on their experiences and then possibly mentor the new folks going down that similar path. Grieving the loss of this life altering lifestyle and celebrating the richness that is Caregiving is now open to anyone who has been there and done that.

Lawyers on the team......article and video

Find out what Dorothy and Toto learned in Oz. Sometimes the world is just too hostile and complicated to go it alone. A lawyer on your team may be just the thing that every Caregiver needs.

Caregiver Access for you newbie Caregivers

If you are just starting down the Caregiver road we that know you are probably busy getting everything in order. At Caregiver Access we might be able to help you with that. We've put together a few short videos to help you organize your thoughts and when you need it there's more information on the site.

What's Stronger than a Living Will?

Read this great article from AARP and find out why many seriously ill patients are talking to their doctors about the MOLST program in New York.

Caregiver Access the website is live

Join us in celebrating the launch of www.caregiveraccess.org. It's where you'll find resources, programs, information and support for Family and Informal Caregivers. At Caregiver Access we believe that when families have support from their community their Caregiving gets easier. We believe that when Caregivers are equipped with the information they need to know they can rest secure in the knowledge that they are giving their best. We also believe that when Caregivers feel loved and appreciated by those around them it helps to strengthen their hearts for the journey ahead. We want Caregivers to always feel loved and appreciated and welcomed to our family at Caregiver Access.

Caregivers in the research lab

I watched DVD's on stress last week just before the storm hit. Good timing! Living without electricity for 5 days gave me time to think about those shows. One was by National Geographic called "Stress: Portrait of a Killer". Towards the end of the show they showed a group of mom's of kids with various disabilities. After studying this group, scientists found that the moms produced more of the good kind of cell repair enzymes during and after their support group. This is good news for all of us who thought it might be a good idea for Caregivers to come out and share their experiences and get the support they need.

The other show was "The New Medicine" with Dana Reeves before she passed. These scientists at Ohio State University also studied Caregivers but this time it was Caregivers of someone with Alzheimer's. They found that when the Caregivers don't get the support they need they are so stressed that it took 9 days longer to heal a small wound.

The moral of the story.......come out, come out, where ever you are! Share, laugh, cry, and learn new ways to cope. There are Family Wellness Workshops all over Westchester, NY. Check the calendar at HVHC.org for one near you.

No two Caregivers are exactly alike, so how can they have so much in common?

I've just spent the last two days making my rounds. I bring my Family Wellness Workshops to assisted living homes, hospitals and active senior residences. I'm always amazed at the variety of stories I hear from the Family Caregivers who attend my workshops.
One daughter described leaving her son and grandchildren and commuting from the southwest of the USA all the way across country to be with her dad whenever she can. Another daughter was local and came to the home every day during the week to take her mom shopping, driving, and to her various appointments.
It wouldn't seem that these two daughters had much in common but once they started talking it became clear that they did. Both of them loved their only surviving parent very much. Both of them worried about the future aging of their loved ones and whether they could handle the gradual decline that was in their future. Both of them felt guilty that they weren't handling things properly or doing enough for their loved one. Both of them had siblings who were making things worse by not helping out, being critical and disagreeing with important decisions that needed to be made.
Family Caregivers have very different situations that they are dealing with but when they get a chance to compare notes they can see how much they are actually alike.