I’ve been receiving comments at former blogs  regarding caregiving, Alzheimer’s and quilts.  I now write these at b5’s  Blisstree and would like to share the information received from readers.  I hope you’ll find it interesting and informative.
To my post, Design a Touch Quilt for Alzheimer’s Patients, one of my readers pointed me to Eva’s Loving Touch Lap Quilts.  Here we learn about the Alzheimer’s patient’s need for tactile or sensory stimulation and comfort. 
This reminds me how much my aunt seemed to need the sensation of something comforting to rub her hands over as she sat in her rocking chair.  My mother, in …read more

The post I wrote about resources for Alzheimer’s caregivers, Thursday Thirteen – 13 Blogs About Alzheimer’s,  resulted in numerous comments and caregivers sharing information.
They even provided some more blogs for caregivers.
If you’re looking for information and just a place to get together with other caregivers, for comfort and encouragement, perhaps you’d like to check out these blogs.  Also, you may find tips on making life more enjoyable for the person with Alzheimer’s.
If you have any more resources, do share them with us.  Caregivers need all the encouragement and support they can find during their journey with their Alzheimer’s patient.

“There’s a new style of martial arts training sweeping the nation amongst older adults called ‘Cane-Fu Fighting’, “ says Derrick at Elder-Guru.

If you’re concerned about your elderly parents, physically challenged parents, or those who may be targets for attacks, robberies, and physical abuse, check out the possibility of them taking a cane-fu fighting class.  (You may want to take it along with them!)
This is physical defense using a cane.  The cane-fu classes also are good sources of exercise and many senior centers are offering them.
Check out the post about cane-fun fighting at Elder Guru for more information (click on link …read more

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 …read more

Many parents are caring for children still at home while becoming responsible for their parents. They’re that “generation between” or the “sandwich generation,” who are parenting in two directions.
When I cared for Mother and Auntie,  I had my dad and my uncle who needed assistance, too.  Father and Uncle Al had physical problems but not dementia or Alzheimer’s.  Mother remained my responsibility for eight years after the others passed away.
My daughter was grown and caring for her children.  So, even though I helped with grandchildren, I didn’t have full responsibility, as many of you do with younger children at home.
The …read more

One of my readers commented on my post, Parenting More Than Our Children, that few things prepare us for the role reversal of caring for our parents.  Often we’re caring for our own children, too.
I agree.  I wasn’t prepared, and it seems so strange at first. However, I learned to enjoy Mother and Auntie as they journeyed through their Alzheimer’s world. There were frustrations, disappointments, but rewards, too. My daughter and her children’s lives are richer, as well, by caring for these ladies. The memories are often bittersweet, but this was a stage in their lives that I hoped we made easier for …read more

Througout our lifetime, we often end up caring for, or “parenting,” more than our children. I became the caretaker for my mom and my aunt.  I helped care for my dad and my uncle.  I assisted with my mother-in-law.
We don’t think, when we’re raising our children that we may become caregivers for those who once cared for us.  We don’t make plans for this and it often hits unawares.
Auntie became my responsibility after my mom could no longer care for her.  She lived with my parents for more than a year when another relative couldn’t cope with Auntie’s Alzheimer’s …read more

If someone you love is living with cancer, they may end up needing help or care from others. It may be a short-term thing as they go through treatment, or it may be longer term if their illness isn’t curable. While it may seem natural for you to step and offer to help, there are some things that you should take into consideration before committing yourself. This is important for both your sake and for the person you will be caring for.
The type of information that you need is practical, such as knowing the insurance policy, how to care for …read more