Eldercare Success

Did you know that as many as 1 in 4 people who have Parkinson’s Disease are misdiagnosed?  Even worse, those with the disease may have seen a doctor three or more times before receiving an accurate diagnosis.  Too often it’s diagnosed as Alzheimer’s in older patients.  We all need to be aware of this, for ourselves and those around us.  In this episode, our guest expert, Dr. Mi...

Finding good aides, or a health care agency isn’t easy.  In this episode, I disclose some key points to make your caregiving life easier, especially when it comes to hiring aides as well as knowing when and how to let them go -- even if they’re with an agency. While I’m at it, I recommend that everyone in your family and all those caring for your parents learn CPR .  Below is a link to w...

Many of us as caregivers often feel isolated and alone.  When this happens it may be tough to overcome, even when surrounded by those who care about us and want to help.  It’s tough enough to deal with this ourselves. It’s even tougher when we try to shield others from that sense of emptiness, we sometimes feel or let them think they’re being ignored or abandoned by us.  Loneliness...

What happens when your mom or dad thinks their jewels have been stolen? It’s frightening when one of your parents believes that a wedding ring, piece of jewelry, or something precious was stolen.   Unfortunately, some of our loved ones, with fading memories, will sometimes accidentally toss away or accidentally lose a family heirloom or keepsake.  Hands and fingers can shrink with a...

What are Death Panels ? Are they real?   Decisions to provide, or not provide life-saving care to an elderly patient, while not specifically publicly called “Death Panels,” happen far more often than many realize.  I’ve had a number of discussions with healthcare professionals who have shared how and when such decisions on who they try to save, and who they choose not to. These decisions...

This episode is about how to get your parents, or a frail spouse, to give up driving .  This is a sticky subject for many families and such conversations often erupt in anger.  Trust between you and your parents can wind up strained and your own frustrations and doubts pushed to the limits. Some families resort to lies, big and little ones, to get their parents to stop driving.  How...

How do you know if you’re heading into a Burnout?  Some professionals say there are three stages leading to burnout.  Here, you’ll learn there are really 12 stages.  Each shows we’ve sunk a little deeper toward the bottom.  Surprisingly, knowing whether you’ve reached your limit might not be obvious. Learn how to identify if you’re facing burnout and when it’s too late to get o...

“Final Wishes” conversations don’t always have to be difficult.  Some people believe such discussions create “bad mojo” or push the inevitable forward.  However, they can be somewhat fun, especially if turned into a travel-type game.  In this episode of Summer Shorts , I dive into some easy ways for you and your loved ones to lay things out for when that time comes. Sharing you...

Do people with dementia see the color white?  The other day a professional caregiver friend of mine told me that those with dementia have difficulty with the color white.  Although skeptical, this statement piqued my interest. However, with some research, I found out more about this, and although there’s some truth there, it isn’t exactly correct.  Over time changes occur in the bra...

Have you ever worried about taking a road trip with a loved one suffering from dementia?  If so, this show is for you! You don’t have to restrict outings with them just to doctor visits.  Always staying in can be tough on you and even more so for those you’re caring for.  Trust me on this one!  This episode’s tips come from one of our listeners: Polly.  She shares her stor...

Protein Drinks. Here's how to make your own, that taste better, and costs less! In this episode, we discuss how to make a home blended protein drink that tastes better and costs less to make than those big brand-name protein meal replacement drinks.  Its protein content is also higher and there’s less processed sugar (unless you add another sugar-based ingredient). The cool thing with this is...

Caregiver burnout is real. It’s something to be taken very seriously. It can cause you physical harm.  In this episode, my guest, Cait Donovan, and I discuss burnout.  She has a ton of information to share that will help all of us who are responsible for the welfare of someone.  Burnout doesn’t only happen to family caregivers; it happens to those in the profession of healthcare and...

What happens when you find out that your lonely, long single parent suddenly has a new, (perhaps secret) love interest?  Far too many times, questionable characters who don’t have the best intentions, steal the hearts, and destroy the lives of vulnerable seniors, in ways that can’t be repaired – financially, emotionally, and yes, even medically.   It’s so sad that we must be both vi...

How do you fight what you think is an outrageous bill ? How common are medical billing errors ? How do you stop out-of-network charges ?  How can you avoid getting an unexpectedly large medical bill ?    What’s the No Surprises Act and how does it help us? Why should you g et a price upfront , for a procedure that you, or someone in your family, needs?  Believe it or not, medic...

"If you lead a good life, you’ll never really die ."  Native First Nations Saying.   If you care for someone you love long enough, chances are you’ll be there as they go through the process of dying. All cultures, communities, and tribes have their rituals for helping those through their final breath, including how to treat the remains and placate spirits after passing.  This is the...

How do you know when someone’s lying to you?  What about when they’re hiding something from you?  It’s one thing if that person is a friend, co-worker, or even enemy. It could be much worse if it’s a medical professional unwilling to deliver bad news to you, or the one you’re caring for.  Where do you start to uncover the truth? Start by watching faces.   Many good doctors, aid...

The funeral business is a business- something important to keep in mind.  In this second episode, my friend Paulette Hamel, and I dig (pun intended) further into the funeral industry and highlight some key issues you should know, right now.  There’s so much that we hold in until the final farewell, the wake and/or funeral, and the following celebration of life (for those who chose to do...

Those final days right before your last breath aren’t the time to plan or hope that you’ll be sent off to the great beyond with special fanfare.  You can, however, get that, and more, such as being set adrift at sea in a beautiful handmade paper flower box (environmentally friendly, of course).   If you want to spend eternity with the fishes, you can even become part of a coral reef...

Medicare can be a confusing to anyone.  When we need to help our parents out, many trip up along the way.  Worse, the more we age the more we seem to trust. Such trust often leads well-intentioned folks to switch policies because their older TV actor “friend” said they’ll save a “boat load of cash” by using the policy they know and trust.  Switches get made and many believe they’ve...

Are there lighter sides to being a caregiver?  How can humor ease tension and boost your mood?  Could a sense of humor be an essential part of being a good caregiver?  What happens when a celebrated comedy sitcom writer, once known for her hotpants in Hollywood jumps into the world of caregiving for her parents?  You’ll find it hard to believe what Susan Silver shares in our ne...

Host:  Nancy May , Author How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  Expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for an aging parent or family member, even from over 1200 miles away, or more. For a Free File-of-Life to www.howtosurvive911.com . Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success . Gues...

Host:   Nancy May, Author How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  Expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for an aging parent or family member, even from over 1200 miles away, or more. For a Free File-of-Life to www.howtosurvive911.com . Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success . Gues...

Episode Overview: In this episode, my guest Sue Brayne and I address new ways to think, behave, live more consciously, and help others right to their very last breaths.  We dive into different ways that near death/out-of-body experiences may change our quality of life and help us to better understand and cherish our own mortality. We discuss how to make caring for someone we love a bit more c...

Show Host:  Nancy May, Author How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  Expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for an aging parent or family member, even from over 1200 miles away, or more. For a Free File-of-Life to www.howtosurvive911.com . Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success ....

Show Host:   Nancy May , Author How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  Expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for an aging parent or family member, even from over 1200 miles away, or more. For a Free File-of-Life to www.howtosurvive911.com Guest:   Yale School of Medicine, Joan Monin, Ph. D ., Associate Professor of Public Health, So...