Caregiver Crossing

Each of the 5.6 million Americans with dementia has one or more caregivers struggling to make meaning while watching their loved one’s personality vanish. The caregiver is sure to be changed―not only by the myriad tasks and responsibilities, but by the soul-searching questions: Dare, I hope? Who’s to blame? What do I do with my anger? Where’s God in this? These questions of doubt, guilt, intimacy,...

Elderly guardianship, also known as elderly conservatorship, is a legal relationship created when a court appoints an individual to care for an elderly person who is no longer able to care for himself or herself. The appointed guardian has certain duties and responsibilities to the elderly person. Unfortunately, an elderly person may become unable to care for himself or herself. This could include...

Research studies show that prolonged isolation of individuals leads to depression and anxiety. The anxiety and depression increase exponentially as people enter the senior age group. To combat the epidemic of depression and anxiety among seniors, in May of 2021, the Shepherd’s Center of Hamilton County launched a Counseling Program with the goals of decreasing symptoms from mental health issues, i...

They are in our air, in our water, in our soils, and in our food supply: Toxins and chemical pollutants are everywhere -- including in our bodies. So, how do we eat with health in mind while living on a planet many say is poisoned beyond repair? Today we welcome back Dr. Julie Gatza, founder of the Florida Wellness Institute – you may remember her from our Poop 101 episode – to offer advice o...

If you are a "typical" caregiver, then you are strapped for time and under way too much stress. You don’t need a study to know that many caregivers feel financial, physical, and emotional fallout from their role.  What you need is a way to remove some of that stress – and many caregivers are turning to mindfulness and meditation to help relax the body and calm the mind. Effective techniques i...

Family caregivers play a crucial role in the successful healthcare transitions of the loved ones. They are uniquely capable of monitoring their loved one’s progress and spotting red-flags early on; they can also provide valuable information to physician regarding disease progression, environmental changes, and other key details. Caregivers should be treated as partners in the medical care of their...

Family caregivers play a crucial role in the successful healthcare transitions of the loved ones. They are uniquely capable of monitoring their loved one’s progress and spotting red-flags early on; they can also provide valuable information to physician regarding disease progression, environmental changes, and other key details. Caregivers should be treated as partners in the medical care of their...

More than 21 million people provide unpaid care for millions of people living with dementia in the U.S. With input from caregivers, researchers from Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University, the University of Wisconsin, and Purdue University are developing and testing Helping the Helpers, a user-centered, evidence-based app to support dementia caregivers as they help manage medications -- very of...

A recent study by the Alzheimer’s Society found that over half (56%) of people surveyed are put off seeking a dementia diagnosis for up to a year or more. According to the WHO 55 million people live with dementia worldwide and there are nearly 10 million new cases each year. The leading dementia charities are warning that a lack of diagnosis is denying many of these people the chance of getting th...

Heat-related deaths and illness are preventable yet annually many people succumb to extreme heat. Historically, from 1979-2003, excessive heat exposure caused 8,015 deaths in the United States. During this period, more people in this country died from extreme heat than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined. In 2001, 300 deaths were caused by excessive heat exposur...

Poop happens — to everyone. Although it's natural to flush and hit the sink without a second glance, peeking at what's in the toilet bowl can benefit your health. And chances are, there's a lot you never knew, or thought to ask, about your number two. It is what's left after your digestive system absorbs all the nutrients and fluid from your food and drinks. As such, observing the shape, texture,...

Stigma around dementia encompasses any negative attitude or discriminatory behavior against people living with dementia, just based on having the disease. When a disease is as prevalent as dementia, yet still poorly understood, it's easy for false beliefs to spread. Left unchallenged, these beliefs perpetuate stigmatizing attitudes against people living with dementia, reducing their quality of lif...

Caregiving is one of the most important and reward rolls you can have in life, but the strain (left unmanaged) can take a heavy toll. If you are a caregiving spouse between the ages of 66 and 96 and are experiencing mental or emotional strain, you have a risk of dying that is 63 percent higher than that of people your age who are not caregivers. The combination of loss, prolonged stress, the physi...

Retirement is an exciting proposition. No more early morning wake-up calls or long days plowing through a stressful workload. We’ve all dreamt of having the free time to do as we wish. Unfortunately, that sweet dream can sour quickly. All that free time can turn into long, unproductive days, weeks, and years that can be rife with boredom and uncertainty. Even empty nesting can have this effect.&nb...

Structured family caregiving is one way for states to handle the needs of an aging population that’s growing rapidly and living longer. It is a government program that empowers caregivers to care for seniors and those with disabilities who wish to remain at home, or in the home of an approved caregiver, rather than become institutionalized into a nursing home.  Indiana launched its pilot proj...

June 26th – this coming Monday – marks the anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court case, Obergefell v Hodges, which made same-sex marriage legal in all 50 US states. Some may know – and some may not – that the man that filed the lawsuit, Jim Obergefell, was a same-sex caregiver who was denied the right to legally marry his love and partner before he passed from ALS in 2013.   We would...

There are a lot of things to look forward to as we age, and they don’t get nearly enough attention. That’s why today’s episode is dedicated to celebrating the perks of aging! Tina and Terri dive into discussion about what they’re looking forward to and what perks they’re already enjoying.     Email Tina: tina@joyshouse.org    Learn more about Joy’s House:  www.joyshou...

One of the keys to caring for our aging loved ones is understanding the things that worry them. Older adults may not feel comfortable raising these concerns with others, especially the younger members of their family. Therefore, it is important that friends, family, and caregivers have enough awareness to thoughtfully open the conversation, and work collaboratively to address these common concerns...

Most older adults will consider the option of downsizing, moving to a smaller home, and selling off unneeded assets. While this process can offer benefits to seniors and to their families in the long term, the process can be stressful. Mental, emotional, physical, and legal overwhelm are not uncommon. If you find that you or your loved one, has gotten bogged down by unknowns around downsizing, you...

There are various types of senior housing and levels of care to consider when searching the right senior living arrangement for you or your loved one. These are key details, as are costs, culture, cleanliness, and location. It’s a lot to navigate, which is why we’ve brought in an expert. Dave Holder is owner and Senior Living Advisor at Assisted Living Locators, a no cost service to seniors and th...

Caregiving can become so central to our lives and identities that it can be difficult to image life after. How do we transition when our loved one moves out of the home? How do we transition once they’ve passed on? Where do we find support and purpose? How do we navigate grief? Here to share her personal story, we have Jane Bentley, a former Joy’s House caregiver and dear friend.   Email Tina...

Oral health is incredibly important to overall health. Normally the body's natural defenses and good oral health care, such as daily brushing and flossing, keep bacteria under control. However, without proper oral hygiene, bacteria can reach levels that might lead to oral infections, such as tooth decay and gum disease. Clinical studies have linked periodontal disease to stroke, diabetes, Alzheime...

The CDC reports that 1 in 4 adults over the age of 65 fall each year. While anyone at any age can have a fall, physical changes, health conditions, and the medications used to treat those conditions, make falls my likely as we age. Likewise, the consequences of a fall become more severe as we age. That’s why its so important to learn how to effectively manage fall risks, improve strength, balance,...

Today, we are excited to welcome back Anna Howard, JD. Anna is a Partner and Managing Attorney at Severns and Howard, and elder law and estate planning firm located in Carmel, Indiana. Anna was on the show about a year ago, and she had so much good information we couldn’t pack it all into one episode. One important topic that we didn’t get to in our last interview (linked below) was the topic of p...

The population of the United States is aging. Today, there are more than 46 million older adults aged 65 and older living in the U.S.; by 2050, that number is expected to grow to almost 90 million. Between 2020 and 2030 alone, the time the last of the baby boom cohorts reach age 65, the number of older adults is projected to increase by almost 18 million. As the number of seniors in our community...