New Book for Caregivers of Elderly Parents

Caring for elderly parents is a major life challenge that can bring with it much stress. Gloria G. Barsamian, a social worker for 28 years, wrote a new book on the topic -  Sustenance and Hope for Caregivers of Elderly Parents.

Currently, around 34 million Americans are part of the sandwich generation. They provide care for their kids and their elderly parents at the same time.

Barsamian gives some advice on how to prepare yourself for the challenge. In her previous work, the author helped many families cope with catastrophic illness, so she’s specially qualified to offer insight into the social issue.

Talk About the Issue Before
Barsamian suggests that you find out what your parents want their care to be like. She notes that it’s important to have the conversation before the urgency arrives.

Get the Right Help
The author recommends determining if a home setting is appropriate. Perhaps your loved one can remain in their own home, but assisted living/nursing home care could be required.

Don’t Go It Alone
Barsamian urges you to reach out to extended family and friends for help. Take shifts and divvy up responsibilities. Try to create a whole circle of caregivers to ease the burden.

Understand the Finances
The cost of caring for a parent can escalate rapidly. Barsamian suggests researching what options and resources are available within your family and outside help.

Care for the Caregiver
The author recommends taking time to care for yourself too. You should pay attention to your mental and physical health.

Sustenance and Hope for Caregivers of Elderly Parents is available from several national retailers and online at amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

(Book cover image: Praeger)

Crafting Around the Web

Because there’s always room for one more project, one more inspiring article or one more new piece of fiber artwork…

• Do you want to try drafting your own dress pattern?  Here’s a fantastic tutorial for a pretty, summery dress from Craftster.
• More DIY feminine fun, this time from Instructables with a how-to on turning a plain t-shirt into a sexy top.

• Do you love the look of handmade buttons, but aren’t quite sure where to start?  Here’s a how-to using embroidery floss and old key protectors from Etsy Labs.
• Temari is the Japanese art of making decorative yarn or thread-wrapped balls.  Temari.com takes the guess work out of the planning and gives lots of useful tips for getting started.
• Rice bags are so comforting, whether you chill them or heat them up.  Make It and Love It has an easy how-to for making a pretty, and useful rice bag – with handles.
• Geek crafts!

Happy Crafting!

image: C Findlay-Harder

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

Pap tests don’t detect ovarian cancer. I say that first because it’s so very important.

There’s no routine test for detecting ovarian cancer. That’s why it’s up to women to pay a lot of attention to changes in their bodies. Early detection increases the survival rate, but only 19% of ovarian cancer is discovered early.

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, sponsored by the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. Protect yourself by knowing the symptoms and talking with your doctor about concerns.

Symptoms of ovarian cancer are difficult to detect in the early stages. However, there are some potential signals that something’s up:

• Bloating
• Feeling full quickly when eating
• Need to urinate urgently or often
• Pelvic or abdominal pain
• Fatigue
• Pain during sex
• Menstrual changes
• Constipation
• Upset stomach
• Back pain

If you experience any of these symptoms persistently for two weeks or more, contact your doctor. A transvaginal ultrasound can reveal if your ovaries are healthy. A blood test called CA-125 is also used as a tumor marker. A rectovaginal exam can make it easier for your doctor to feel ovaries. It’s often performed during yearly check-ups.

Find out more about ovarian cancer risks and treatment:

• Oral Contraceptives Reduce Long-Term Risk of Ovarian Cancer at the National Cancer Institute
• Ovarian Cancer Treatment and Drugs at MayoClinic
• Ovarian Cancer National Alliance Support Community at inspire.com

(Image via stock.xchng)

England Offers Flu Drugs by Phone

Amid rising H1N1 cases in England, the National Flu Service was launched this week. The service allows people suffering from flu symptoms to receive drugs over the phone and via the internet — without seeing a doctor.

According to BBC, the National Flu Service website received 2,600 hits a second in the first few hours it became available. However, pregnant women, people with underlying health conditions and anyone under one will still be referred to a doctor.

The service will be manned by 1,500 people at a call center. The workers will use a checklist to determine if flu drugs are needed. Visitors to the flu website would fill out the checklist online.

To access the service, those in England should phone 0800 1 513 100 or visit www.direct.gov.uk/pandemicflu.

Do you believe that a phone and Internet service is a good way to handle a flu pandemic? Do you think that drugs will go to people who don’t actually need them?

(Image via stock.xchng)

The Reason San Francisco has Cable Cars

Location: One of the seven hills
Destination: San Francisco
Country: United States
Year Taken: 2008

Photographer: Adriana Sbardellati
Blog: Flickr Photos

People often mentioned the seven hills of San Francisco — Telegraph Hill, Nob Hill, Twin Peaks, Rincon Hill, Russian Hill, Mount Sutro and Mount Davidson.  Actually the city has 44 named hills.  The tallest, Mount Davidson, stands 925 feet high (282 m), and the shortest is  Rincon Hill at 100 feet (31 m).

In 1873, the first San Francisco streetcar line was opened on Clay Street.  The grip, or operator grasped a handle that gripped an underground cable pulling the street car up and down the hill.

Today there are three cable car lines running through San Francisco – Powell-Hyde, Powell-Mason and California Street. The first two are mostly used by tourists, while the California Street line is primarily a commuter line.

Besides the turn-of-the-century cable cars, San Francisco still uses electric streetcars that were built in the late 1940s

A ride on a San Francisco cable car costs $3.00, each way.

To submit your photo to Travel Photo Daily, please add your destination or travel photos to the Travel Photo Daily Flickr group.

Image – Flickr – photo

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The Picturesque Golden Gate Bridge

Location: Golden Gate Bridge
Destination: San Francisco, California
Country: United States
Year Taken: 2005

Photographer: Jon Rochetti
Blog: The DC Traveler

One of the most photographed structures in America is the picturesque Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

What makes a golden gate bridge so photographic is the ability for photographers to take photos from many different angles, in all kinds of lighting and weather conditions, from sunny and clear,to completely fogged in and misty.

It’s rare to see the bridge with blue cloudless skies, but when it happens, it’s a great time to take a photograph.

To submit your photo to Travel Photo Daily, please add your destination or travel photos to the Travel Photo Daily Flickr group.

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Seattle’s Skyline and Space Needle

Location: The skyline
Destination: Seattle, Washington
Country: United States
Year Taken: 2008

Photographer: Mary Jo Manzanares
Blog: The Seattle Traveler

Built built for the World’s Fair in 1962, the landmark Space Needle is the prominent building of Seattle’s skyline.  The needle, the tallest building west of the Mississippi River when it was built, offers visitors an observation deck and restaurant, all at heights over 500 feet.

The needle was designed as a combination of two ideas, first a flying saucer and the second, a balloon on a string.

After 36 years without a serious power-washing, this past fall, the entire 605-foot high exterior of the Space Needle was cleaned.

To submit your photo to Travel Photo Daily, please add your destination or travel photos to the Travel Photo Daily Flickr group.

Image – Flickr – Space Needle

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Baltimore’s Old Power Plant

Location: Pier 4, Inner Harbor
Destination: Baltimore, Maryland
Country: United States
Year Taken: 2009

Photographer: Jon Rochetti
Blog: The DC Traveler

Located at Pier 4, in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, the Old Power Plant, now called Power Plant Live! houses multiple restaurants and nightclubs, including a Hard Rock Cafe, and the first ESPN Zone.

Built in the year 1900, to provide power to the United Railways & Electric Co., the Pratt Street Power Plant, or the Pier Four Power Plant provided power to a citywide rail transportation system.

It it was also a central steam plant, for local power company. The generating system became obsolete in the plant was retired, until World War II, when demand for electricity increased, and the plan was put back on line.

After the war, it closed and housed several unsuccessful business ventures, including an indoor Six Flags theme park for four years.

Today, the massive industrial structure with its Neo-Classical details and four smokestacks is a visual landmark of the Inner Harbor and Baltimore’s skyline.

To submit your photo to Travel Photo Daily, please add your destination or travel photos to the Travel Photo Daily Flickr group.

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Finding Caregiver Support Groups

Another form of parenting consists of caring for one’s parents or elderly relatives. You’ve gone from being parented to parenting that older person.   Most caregivers go into this stage of life without adequate preparation or support.

Finding caregiver support groups in your area, or online, can be a challenge.  Here are a few suggestions.

Check out the following places in your community to see if they have a support group or know of any:

• Home health agencies
• Senior Center
• Local Hospital
• Local Nursing homes
• State Alzheimer’s Association
• State Department of the Elderly or Family Services
• Others caring for elderly parents or spouses

If there is nothing in your community, the groups meet when you’re at work, or you live too far from an organized community, you might want to check out online support groups.  Also, by reading blogs about Alzheimer’s caregiving and leaving comments that the blogger and other readers might answer, you’ll feel more connected with the caregiver community and not so alone.

What suggestions do you have? Are there particular caregiver groups/organizations you find particularly helpful.

Which Way to the Beach…?

Location: Gulf Breeze Parkway
Destination: Pensacola Beach, Florida
Country: United States
Year Taken: 2008

Photographer: Jessica Whittle
Blog: Flickr Photos

This 1960s era neon sign and swordfish points the way (Turn Right) to Pensacola Beach along the Florida Gulf.  Visitors must cross two bridges to get to the beach, so this sign was erected to guide tourists who often missed the beach.

In the Spanish first discovered Pensacola Harbor in 1539. The first permanent settlement was established just 20 years later, no on the site of the Pensacola Naval air station.

The sign was heavily damaged during Hurricane Ivan in 2004, which also destroyed over 650 homes in the area.

The area also boasts a couple novelty styled homes. One being a Jetson’s-like flying saucer pod shaped Futuro house, designed by Matti Suuronen.  The second is the concrete Dome of a Home, a dome-shaped bunker-like home designed to withstand just about any hurricane.

To submit your photo to Travel Photo Daily, please add your destination or travel photos to the Travel Photo Daily Flickr group.

Image – Flickr – photo

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