2020 was quite a year! It was a year of unknowns, a year of learning and adapting, and a year of reality checks. Many of us thought the pandemic would last a few months, maybe a year – and here we are, four months into...
A chat about the connection between pets and caregiving with our caregiver Linda....
Lori has been a caregiver for With A Little Help for nine and a half years. After working as a massage therapist for 23 years and an acupuncturist for six years, some of the physical aspects of those jobs had taken a toll on her....
For Heather, caregiving has always been part of her personality. She previously worked with emotionally disturbed teens and also assisted those in need through a domestic violence hotline – in addition to also working in schools as an instructional aide for children with disabilities. It's...
When asked what called her to become a caregiver, without hesitation Darsheen said, “It’s something that I have been doing since I was a little girl. It’s just something that is instilled in me”. From a very young age, Darsheen was taught to care for,...
If you are in the position of needing to find care for your loved one, it can be overwhelming to know what questions to ask. Here is a list of questions that you should keep in mind when selecting the right care. Use the questions below...
In the first part of this blog series, I shared my story of Edein and how overwhelmed I was when I first started caring for her. Looking back to the beginning, I can empathize with where you are at right now with the responsibility of...
Home Care vs. Home Health: Part 1 - Why In-Home Care is Essential, Shawn's Story I remember it was a Thursday when we met with the lawyer and signed all the paperwork for me to become the Co-Power of Health for a dear friend of mine,...
Andrew Cohen, of Coho Accounting, provides care for his mother. His biggest challenge was preparing emotionally for her journey into dementia. A bright, resourceful and independent spirit, his mother learned she had Parkinson's 12 1/2 years ago but kept it in abeyance for 9 years during which Andrew was able to prepare himself for Parkinson's inevitable physical progressions. Not all Parkinson's patients develop dementia but when Andrew's mother started experiencing symptoms it put added stress on their ability to negotiate her care and, at times, strained their communication. Where does he turn for support? "I try to remember the good times," Andrew told me. He also receives important guidance from a dear friend who is a hospice nurse and talks to friends about their own family caregiving situations...his "ad hoc support group." Most remarkably, he founded his business, Coho Accounting, as a result of his experience with his mother's need for fiduciary support. He works now with client families going through situations similar to his own. What has he learned? Three main things: Really listen. Don't disagree with your mother (or with anyone experiencing dementia). Be willing to have difficult and honest conversations.