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.

November 9, 2022 | 9:00 AM - 9:45 AM PST | Online
 
November is National Family Caregivers Month.
 
Caregiving can feel at times like a thankless job. This November, we celebrate those who lovingly take on extra everyday tasks for those who may not be able to do so for themselves. Whether it's bathing; cleaning; cooking; shopping; or comforting family or the friends we consider family, caregivers need our support too. These individuals often dedicate much of their free time caring for others. This workshop will take a closer look at resources available to those who give that extra care, as well as offer tips for self-care, advocacy, and ways to de-stress.
 
Virtual Presentation via Zoom
Audience: Caregivers and Friends & Family of Caregivers
Duration: 45 Minutes
Hosted by: Glenn Ellis, MPH, CHCE
 
To register for this event, click the button below.

October 25, 2022 | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PST | Online
 
The complicated nature of mental illnesses can make relationships challenging, and caregiver stress — the emotional and physical stress of caregiving — is common. Learn strategies to set boundaries, respond to difficult behavior, and manage your own stress in this one-hour webinar with a licensed therapist.
 
About the instructor: Jaymi Dormaier is a Licensed Master Social Worker with ten years of experience in the mental health field. In Jaymi's career as a social worker and therapist she has worked with diverse populations focusing on anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, foster care, adoption, homelessness, and addiction. She is passionate about helping others live a life they love.
 
To register, click the button below.

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.
  

September 14, 2022 through November 2, 2022 | 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM PST | Online - FREE
 
The Dementia Information Series is a comprehensive 8-week series on Wednesday evenings is designed for families who are caring for a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer's disease. You can understand the disease, learn how it affects your relative, how to access support in the home and community, how to cope, and how to communicate.
 
Register as early as possible to reserve a spot for this popular education event.
 
To register for this event, click the button below.

Caregivers Count 12th Annual Conference
 
Saturdays, September 10 - October 1, 2022, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM PDT | Online
 
The 12th Annual Caregivers Count Conference is tailored specifically for family or informal caregivers who are caring for older adults.
 
The conference will be held for four consecutive weeks, September 10, 17, 24, and October 1. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from informative speakers as well as senior service agencies to learn about supportive services.
 
This year’s conference format will be streamed live via Zoom.
 
Sessions will also be recorded so that caregivers can refer back to them after the conference.
 
EVENT TOPICS:
 
September 10, 2022: Keynote: A Holistic Approach to Self-Care ( Jenn Chan, Senior Shower Project)
 
September 17, 2022: Strategies for Dementia Caregiving (Tami Anastasia, Dementia Caregiver Educator & Trainer)
 
September 24, 2022: Introduction to Long-Term Care (Vanessa Souza, Alzheimer's Association)
 
October 1, 2022: Fall Prevention & Home Safety (Santa Clara County Fire Department; Jenn Schachner, Lecturer @ San Jose State University)
 
To register for this event, click the button below.

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.

September 13, 2022 | 9:45 AM - 11:30 AM PST | Online
 
This webinar hosted by the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio will discuss incontinence products in the context of caregiving. It will be presented by Janet Firestone, National Account Executive Medicaid, Principle Business Enterprises/ Tranquility Products.
 
To RSVP and obtain access instructions, call Jennifer Forshey at (419) 725-6983, or email her by clicking on the red button below
 
To register for this event, click the button below.

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. 

September 8, 2022 | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PST | Online
 
Understanding why people experience things differently can help to ease tension & increase acceptance. Discuss the caregiving experience, the stages of emotional response, and learn how to respond and cope in this one-hour seminar with a licensed therapist.
 
Fine print: Certificates of attendance are provided at no cost. CEUs are not provided. Everyone who registers will receive the webinar recording & resource info 24 hours after the live event.
 
About the instructor: Jaymi Dormaier is a Licensed Master Social Worker with ten years of experience in the mental health field. In Jaymi's career as a social worker and therapist she has worked with diverse populations focusing on anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, foster care, adoption, homelessness, and addiction. She is passionate about helping others live a life they love.
 
To register for this event, click the button below.

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.