Being a family caregiver can be incredibly fulfilling, but it can also be challenging, stressful, and demanding. It is crucial to take care of yourself as a caregiver, as you cannot provide the best care for your loved one if you neglect your own physical, emotional, and mental needs. Here are five ways to take care of yourself as a family caregiver:

1. Make time for yourself: It is essential to have time for yourself as a caregiver. Set aside time each day to do something that you enjoy, whether it's reading a book, taking a walk, or practicing yoga. Utilize respite care services to take some time off from your caregiving duties, allowing you to recharge and relax.
   
2. Establish a support system: You do not need to go through caregiving alone. Reach out to friends, family, or a support group. These individuals can provide you with emotional support, offer advice and resources, and be a listening ear when you need to vent or express your feelings.
3. Prioritize your health: Caregiving can be physically and emotionally exhausting. Follow a healthy diet, get enough rest, and exercise regularly. Incorporating self-care activities into your daily routine can help reduce stress and improve your overall well-being.
4. Set boundaries: It is vital to set limits on what you can and cannot do as a caregiver. Establish boundaries with your loved one and family members, communicate your needs and limitations, and say no when needed. This can help prevent burnout and allow you to maintain a healthy balance between your caregiving responsibilities and personal life.
5. Stay organized: Keeping track of appointments, medications, and other caregiving responsibilities can be overwhelming. Create a schedule and a to-do list, use a calendar and a reminder app, and delegate tasks to other family members or professionals when possible.

Caregiving can be a rewarding but also challenging experience. Taking care of yourself as a caregiver is essential to provide the best care for your loved one. By making time for yourself, establishing a support system, prioritizing your health, setting boundaries, and staying organized, you can reduce stress and prevent burnout, allowing you to be the best caregiver possible.

Hot weather can pose serious health risks to older adults, especially those with pre-existing medical conditions. Here are five important safety tips that can help keep senior citizens healthy during hot weather:

1. Stay Hydrated: It is essential to stay hydrated during periods of high heat. Older adults should drink plenty of water and avoid beverages that contain caffeine or alcohol, as these can cause dehydration. Your body will lose water through sweating, so it is necessary to replenish it.
2. Dress Appropriately: Wear lightweight, light-colored, and loose-fitting clothing that allows your skin to breathe. You can also wear sunscreen, a hat or an umbrella to protect your skin from the sun.
3. Stay Indoors: Avoid unnecessary outdoor activities during the hottest parts of the day and spend time in an air-conditioned area. If you don't have an air-conditioner at home, visit a shopping center or library that has air conditioning.
4. Keep Your Home Cool: Create a cool environment in your home by using blinds, curtains, or shades to block out sunlight. You can also use a fan or air-conditioner to circulate cool air and reduce indoor heat.
5. Watch for Signs of Heat-Related Illness: Keep an eye out for signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke, such as dizziness, rapid heartbeat, headache, fainting, or nausea. If you feel unwell, seek medical attention immediately.

Jot weather can have a severe impact on older adults' health, so it is necessary to take appropriate measures to stay safe. Follow the previously mentioned tips to avoid heat-related illnesses and maintain good health during the summer months. Remember to stay hydrated, dress appropriately, avoid outdoor activities during the hottest parts of the day, keep your home cool, and be vigilant for signs of heat-related illness. These steps can help you stay healthy and comfortable during the summer months.

Check the links below for more ways to beat the heat.

As our loved ones age, it can become necessary to find a caregiver to help them with daily tasks or medical needs. The process of choosing the right caregiver for an aging parent can be challenging, and it's important to carefully consider all the options before making a decision.

One option is to hire a professional caregiver or home health aide. These individuals are trained and experienced in providing care for seniors, and they can provide valuable assistance with tasks such as bathing, dressing, and medication management. Professional caregivers can work full-time or part-time, depending on your needs and budget.

Another option is to enlist the help of family members or friends. This can be a more cost-effective solution than hiring a professional caregiver, and it can provide your aging parent with the emotional support and companionship they need. However, it's important to ensure that family caregivers are compensated and have the necessary skills and abilities to provide safe and effective care.

You may also want to consider an adult daycare program. These programs provide a safe and social environment for seniors during the day, while allowing their family members to work or attend to other responsibilities. Adult daycare programs offer a range of activities and services, including meals, medication management, and counseling services.

Finally, you may want to consider assisted living facilities or nursing homes. These facilities provide 24-hour care and support for seniors who can no longer live independently. They offer a wide range of services and amenities, and can provide a safe and supportive environment for aging parents.

Choosing a caregiver for an aging parent can be a difficult decision, but there are many options to consider. These include hiring a professional caregiver, enlisting the help of family members or friends, considering an adult daycare program, or looking into assisted living facilities or nursing homes. It's important to carefully evaluate each option and choose the one that best meets the needs of your aging parent and your family.

Click the buttons below for resources and more information.

Life blindsided our family in the fall of 2018 when my wife, Pat, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that quickly progressed to stage IV. After a torturous 17-month journey of tests, chemotherapy, ER visits, surgeries, extended hospital stays, and clinical trials, Pat went to her heavenly home. But the chaos pancreatic cancer tried to create could not steal our joy of life, kill our faith or destroy our hope for the future.
My bride of over 35 years blessed us with three terrific children. They, in turn, have blessed us with seven grandchildren, ranging in age from 9 to 1 year old. Close geographic proximity and strong relationships allowed us to help care for our six oldest grandchildren together before cancer took Pat’s life in 2020. It is one of the greatest blessings we have ever had. Our grandchildren truly stole our hearts.
I learned a few key lessons from caring for our grandkids that helped me care for my beautiful spouse. Now, I am absolutely not implying to ever treat an adult like a child. Adults who need assistance in daily life deserve respect, dignity and the ability to maintain some type of independence. They have feelings, thoughts and opinions that must always be considered. However, beginning-of-life and end-of-life care share some characteristics.

It’s not easy being a caregiver for a sick or elderly parent or relative. Nor is it cheap.
Family caregivers provide an estimated $470 billion worth of free care to loved ones, according to the Wall Street Journal, and spend an average 26% of their personal income on caregiving expenses.
A third of caregivers use their own personal savings to pay the bills. Twelve percent take out loans or borrow from others.
It’s such a financially perilous situation that AARP’s own caregiving expert, Amy Goyer, filed for bankruptcy protection in 2019 as a result of attending to the needs of her ailing parents.
She simply ran out of cash after more than a decade looking after her mother, who had a stroke, and her father, who had Alzheimer’s.

Caregivers are often advised to seek help to lessen the caregiving workload. For many individuals, the natural place to turn for such help is family. Family Caregiver Alliance’s Holding a Family Meeting fact sheet provides information on how to approach the subject, advice on creating an agenda, lists key points to consider discussing, and explains potential conflicts that may arise.

If you do not see an aging friend or relative often, changes in his or her health may seem dramatic. In contrast, the primary caregiver might not notice such changes or realize that more help, medical treatment, or supervision is needed. Or, the primary caregiver might not want to accept the fact that the health of his or her spouse or parent is failing. 
 
As a caregiver, you can provide support by helping an aging friend or relative get the care they need.
 
To learn more, click the button below.

The University of Washington Dementia Palliative Education Network and the WA State Dementia Action Collaborative have created a new free toolkit for family/friend care partners of people living with dementia. 
 
The goal of this toolkit is to: 

• Explain how to form a working partnership with healthcare providers
• Show hot to organize, streamline tasks, and communicate about the care needs of the person living with dementia 
• Reduce chances of avoidable care transitions 

 
The toolkit includes:

• Easy-to-navigate narrated presentation
• Video scenario demonstrations 
• Care, medication, and appointment log sheets 

 
For more information about the toolkit, click here. To view the flyer, click the button below.

Three in four adults more than 65 years of age have two or more chronic conditions that can limit day-to-day functioning. If an older adult is not able to grocery shop or cook meals, these tasks fall on the caregiver. In 2015, 76% of caregivers helped their loved one with grocery shopping and 61% helped with cooking meals. As a result, the caregiver’s dietary habits will impact their loved one’s diet. In other words, if the caregiver eats poorly (non-nutritious foods), so will their loved one, typically resulting in poorer health.
Click the button below to learn more from Oklahoma State University's Extension Program...

Family caregivers, long the backbone of the country’s long-term care system, are increasingly tapping public and private resources to get paid for caring for loved ones.
 
During the pandemic, Sheila D. Johnson, 55 years old, of Richmond, Va., couldn’t get skilled nurses to help with her brother, Kevin McCain, who is paralyzed and lives with her. She had to quit her job to take care of him.
 
“I still needed to work and have income so I decided I might as well try to get paid,” says Ms. Johnson, who began researching and found a Medicaid program that would allow her to earn income for providing care.

"Delirium is a sudden change in your alertness and thinking. People with delirium typically become confused and have trouble paying attention."

Healthline's Chitra Badii continues, "Delirium is an abrupt change to your mental state. It makes it difficult to think, remember, focus, and more. Some people with delirium become drowsy and quiet, while others can become agitated."

Badii expands her article to cover:

• Types
  
• Causes
• Risk factors
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Outlook

The guide walks through four steps to fighting elder financial abuse: prevent, recognize, record, and report. It lists red flags to watch for, shares some common scenarios, and includes resources you can use to help your loved one.
Click below to download the new Spanish version or the English version of the guide for free.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 

• Refrigerated or frozen foods may not be safe to eat after the loss of power.
• During power outages, keep your fridge and freezer doors closed as much as possible to keep the cold in.
• Throw out perishable food in your refrigerator (meat, fish, cut fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk and any leftovers) after 4 hours without power. A freezer can stay cold for up to 48 hours, but any frozen perishable foods should be thrown away if they thawed. Never taste food to determine if it is safe to eat. When in doubt, throw it out.
• Turn off and unplug all unnecessary electrical equipment. Unplugging your medical devices, appliances, computers and other sensitive electronics can protect them from damage when the power returns.
• If you use a generator during the public safety power shutoff, never use it inside your home, basement or garage.
• Run your generator more than 20 feet from any window, door or vent. Generators can produce carbon monoxide. When carbon monoxide builds up in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces, it can be lethal to people and animals.
• When using a generator, use a battery-powered or battery backup CO detector in your home, especially in sleeping areas.

Click the button below for more information from the CDC.

Smoke levels can change rapidly depending on weather. Check current conditions on the Oregon Smoke Information Blog (oregonsmoke.org).
Remember that cloth, dust and surgical masks do NOT protect from the harmful particles in smoke.
N95 or P100 respirators approved by NIOSH may offer protection, but they must be properly fitted and worn. They won’t work for everyone, especially children.
Here's how you can protect yourself and your family when smoke levels are high:

• Stay inside if possible.
• Follow your breathing plan if you have one. Wildfires and pollution contain small particles that can make asthma and other chronic diseases worse.
• Make sure you have enough medication and monitor your health. Call your health care provider if your asthma gets worse or you’re exposed to smoke.
• If you can, create a cleaner air space.
  • Keep windows and doors closed.
  • Avoid strenuous outdoor activity.
  • If available, use high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in indoor ventilation systems or portable air purifiers.
  • You can also create a DIY box fan filter.
    
• If you are unable to create a cleaner air space, many communities open cleaner air spaces during severe smoke events. In partnership with local officials and organizations, 211Info maintains a list of public cleaner air spaces. You can learn more about cleaner air spaces:
  
• Dial 2-1-1 or 1-866-698-6155- available 24 hours a day.
  • Text your zip code to 898211 (TXT211) – available M-F from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
  • Check www.211info.org

• Click the button below for more information on protecting your health during wildfires.
  

A new film promises to open the conversation about family caregiving in America by focusing on a topic traditionally spoken of in whispers: mental health.
In the documentary "Hidden Wounds," writer and director Richard Lui introduces viewers to three families, including his own, to reveal the tightrope family caregivers walk, balancing their daily lives with caregiving duties.

Rachel Nagler, 39, has worked part time since she was 22, but she will never be financially independent, according to her father. She is legally blind with a seizure disorder and mild cognitive impairment, the result of birth trauma.
For her parents, Sam and Debra Nagler of Concord, Mass., planning for retirement required them to focus on Rachel's future as well as their own. 

Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination. Symptoms usually begin gradually and worsen over time. Common symptoms include:

• Tremor in hands, arms, legs, jaw, or head
• Muscle stiffness, where muscle remains contracted for a long time
• Slowness of movement
• Impaired balance and coordination, sometimes leading to falls

 
While the exact cause of the disease remains unknown, many researchers believe that Parkinson’s results from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. There is no cure for Parkinson’s, but there are medicines, surgical treatments, and other therapies that can relieve some of the symptoms associated with the disease.
 
To learn more about Parkinson's disease, click the button below.

Oslo neurosurgeon Christer Mjåset, vice president of the Norwegian Medical Association, suggests 4 questions that we should pose to our doctors the next time they recommend a medication, procedure, test, treatment or surgery.

• Is this really necessary?
• What are the risks?
• Are there other options?
  
• What happens if I don’t do anything?