July 5, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille
Contrary to popular belief, PTSD doesn’t just occur after experiencing life-threatening danger. PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) can arise after any traumatic event or experience. It may surprise you to learn that providing care for a family member is one of the main causes of PTSD: a condition known as caregiver PTSD. However, it’s common for the condition to go unnoticed and untreated. This is because the person receiving care is usually the primary focus of both healthcare providers and the family at large. (more…)
June 20, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille
Everyone knows the feeling of not being able to get out of bed in the morning. But for seniors with chronic fatigue, that feeling is intensified a hundred times over. As one chronic fatigue sufferer describes it, “I feel like I have a drained battery pretty much all of the time. It’s sort of like being a wrung-out dish rag.”
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June 14, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille
During COVID, isolation wasn’t just the norm. It was a necessity. Older adults were especially vulnerable, so extra precautions were taken to keep them safe. Solitary lifestyles adopted out of necessity became the new norm for a number of older adults who have yet to get back to senior socialization.
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June 5, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille
When providing help for seniors with dementia, it is important to keep in mind that you ARE capable, you ARE making a positive impact, and you ARE doing an excellent job! And while you are self-affirming, there are several additional “Rs” that can help both you and the person in your care; six of them, to be exact.
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May 29, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille
Losing a loved one is heart wrenching, and the last thing you want to do is complete a list of to-dos. The pain and loss alone are overwhelming enough. Taking the time to work through your grief is extremely important. Yet there are, unfortunately, a number of tasks that have to be taken care of at different intervals following the person’s passing.
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May 15, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille
You’ve been helping Mom since she was diagnosed with dementia. You have been working through a number of the challenging symptoms. Yet one day, she looks at you and calls you by a different name – that of her friend or cousin or younger brother. Do you correct her, reminding her that you are her son? Should you let it slide, pretending you didn’t notice the mistake? Or, should you just roll with it, accepting the new identity she has given you?
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May 3, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille
If a senior you love undergoes a surgical procedure or hospitalization, their doctor may suggest that the senior stay in an assisted living facility before going back home. This is usually a short period of time of intensive therapy to promote recovery and healing. However, the notion of moving into an assisted living facility or nursing home even for a matter of weeks or months can be extremely difficult to accept.
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April 19, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille
It takes creative thinking, a knack for rolling with the punches, and a generous amount of lighthearted fun to offer healthy and effective dementia care. It stands to reason then that a spontaneous activity like improvisation is a great way to connect and engage with someone struggling with cognitive challenges. Not only does it allow you to pivot and embrace unexpected plot twists, but it helps you to learn more about the person in your care. (more…)
April 11, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille
Starting the day with a rejuvenating shower and ending it with a warm bubble bath are daily pleasures for many of us. But it really is possible to have too much of a good thing when it comes to bathing habits for older adults. You might want to rethink that daily bath or shower for seniors, for several reasons: (more…)
April 3, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille
A vital characteristic in any effective caregiver is being empathetic. The ability to put yourself in another person’s shoes allows you to better meet their needs. But there is one particular type of empathy that you need to understand as a caregiver in order to protect your own health and wellbeing: emotional empathy. (more…)
