Bad storms ripped through the other night.  It's a dreaded time.  How can you get mom to the basement when she is non weight bearing?  And then there's the issue of panic.  There's one emotion she can't handle and that's fear. Seeing the storm rolling in, we put her...

We were at the fitness center, parked in the lot and mom was sleeping. "Mom, you want to go to the next state over?" "Ok." Back to sleep she went.  And down the road I went. Several hours later we arrived and naturally mom needed to use the bathroom.  She really likes...

Today was not a stellar day in the thinking world.  I was mildly frustrated with some things and I was reminded of previous frustrating times.  Big no no.  If you let yourself go down the road of  recalling hardship you will lose your compassion and patience.  It...

Decline is acceptable for many people, but I choose not to accept it.  There is a stage, end stage, where it is understandable.  But not now.  Not when the body is working, it's just the brain isn't. This week we've been dealing with that unacceptable decline--more...

One thing about caregiving and working with someone who is recovering from dementia is the confusion.  It's so frustrating for our loved ones that we don't understand what they're trying to say.  It gets tiring for us to also be treated like we are just clueless. ...

That's all.

When the brain takes a hit, so does it's ability to conceptualize.  When that  happens the only thing a person sees is what is real. This past week I've several times told mom during a couch-to-chair transfer to "move back."  For me that clearly means move backward in...

Raw.  It's why I named this blog "Raw."  Because caregivers are often in this state. I woke up irritated at those who say, "I know how you feel.  I know what it's like." No, you don't. When you, dear other person, were taking care of somebody their physical and mental...

Tonight I sit here watching my mother sleep as she is freshly out of surgery.  Her incision is so long I couldn't fit it into the frame of the picture.  Her surgery so extensive that I could hardly explain it.  A journey ahead that we know all too well, and yet not at...

As caregivers, emotional energy is in short supply.  At the same time there are many friends who love us and want to help.  Some of them help in good ways, and others, not so much.  Before it gets bad, here are some lessons I learned.  From the beginning you will need...

When we first realized my loved one had lewy body dementia, I scoured the internet with one question:  Is it Reversible?  I searched the internet far and wide and the only things I read literally made me scream into the air, "No! No!  No!"  I read of no hope...

So tonight my loved and I played Dominos.  It's touch and go whether it's doable or not and tonight it was more go.  She was confused by the rules but still was able to play.  Frustration built up to the point where she wanted to quite.  This was not a successful game...

Different issues such as strokes, obesity and neurological disorders mean that safely transferring loved ones is a challenge and a priority.  There are two main focuses on transfers:  1)  Preventing injury to the love one through a fall or otherwise, 2) Preventing an...