AlzheimersNotes.com 
         You’re caring for your parent or spouse, perhaps a friend, because you care for them, because no one else is handy, because you feel responsible.  However, often you weary of the demands of the caregiving task, especially when you have to juggle other aspects of your life.
Do you feel, even subconsciously, like a doormat?
Check out this article, Don’t Be a Doormat, at WebMD Daily and receive some tips on saying “No”…not in an uncaring or callous way, but in a diplomatic, firm, yet loving way that helps keep you from burning out.
For many women [and men], saying “No” doesn’t …read more

November is not only National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month but also National Family Caregiver’s Month. So in support of this, I’ve compiled a list of a few useful sites for those committed to the care of someone with Alzheimer’s Disease.
AlzOnline: Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Online – provides quality caregiver education, information, and support via audio/video classes and written articles as well as an online message board.
Family Caregiver Alliance – provides support, education, and information for caregivers. Has useful fact sheets (in Spanish and Chinese as well as English), telecaregiving workshops, and newsletters.
The Alzheimer’s Spouse – a place for spouses to discuss …read more

According to a new article at AARP “…caregivers stand at particular risk for a host of mental and physical illnesses, many of which have roots in stress, exhaustion, and self-neglect.” The article, entitled ‘Caring for the Caregiver’, looks at the current situation facing over 20 million caregiving households in America.
The article is only one part of the comprehensive collection of caregiving information that can be found on the AARP site. Their online guide to caregiving features numerous informative articles, a caregiving message board, newsletter, and online seminars.

“It’s so difficult to find someone to talk to who understands,” an Alzheimer’s caregiver commented to me. 
So she was seeking others in the same situation to chat with, share experiences with, and receive encouragement.  Caregivers also often find that other family members don’t want to be involved when a father or mother develops this disease.  So you don’t have them to talk with either.
When my mom and aunt were first afflicted, I didn’t have the Internet.  Blogs, chat groups, and e-mail groups didn’t exist.  Even though friends tried to understand, for some reason, it made them uncomfortable to deal with this …read more