An Invincible Summer Within “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer" — Albert Camus As we approach the winter and holiday season, I brace myself for the added holiday pressures but especially for what has become a key time for infection prevention protocols.  Memories of the last five years are fresh and vivid for many of us. It can be a challenge to embrace the happy holiday “spirit” — so I try to take bits of time to pause, breathe and make a conscious effort to generate some gratitude from within. This morning a favorite upbeat tune brought the true spirit of giving that the holidays are meant to inspire: Give a Little Bit by Supertramp.  Rediscovering the Spirit of Giving The spirit of giving is part of the American culture that I grew up with, and with 1 in 10…

“Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.” – Marcus Aurelius, 121–180 CE Remembering Glen Campbell’s Legacy We recently enjoyed a music program featuring the story and songs of Glen Campbell. He was a wonderful musician and songwriter who touched us with his songs, and later in life continued to make heartfelt music as he lived with Alzheimer’s. We are so fortunate to benefit from the gift of song that Glen Campbell left us — his inspired songs like Rhinestone Cowboy, Southern Nights, Gentle on My Mind, and his amazing farewell work, Ghost on a Canvas. Music That Connects and Heals Another gifted musician is creating music sessions for our residents that she develops with their input and life experiences — Jennarose Johnson. Recently, Jennarose centered one of her sessions around Glen Campbell’s story and songs. During her program, we felt the inspiration and power…

"If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." — Wayne Dyer A Summer with Buster This summer we became dog sitters for a soft, cuddly labradoodle named Buster. We took him everywhere— to work with our residents, to basketball games with our grandson, and on hikes in our lovely county parks. I was keen to see how our residents interacted with him. He was a hit! I personally experienced the calming influence of this super sweet dog as I watched a tough basketball match that our grandson played in — a scenario that often causes me to feel anxious. And yet I did not fall into my usual pattern of doubt and worry, but rather felt completely at ease. Just the dog’s presence next to me seemed to bump my brain waves into a relaxed yet alert state. I became aware of how…

The Power of Personal Narratives in History I’ve been lucky to work in the field of oral history and witness the power of storytelling and its potential to provide insightful historical context. The point of oral history is to record a person‘s life experience and how they later reflect on that experience. Their choice of words, pauses in their dialogue, and the way they prioritize the events they experienced — all of that provides context to that period in history. The reflection process in itself becomes a part of the historical record. Oral histories add to a society’s understanding of the past in meaningful ways and enrich what would otherwise be a mostly academic process of determining and documenting facts — or rather, the facts as they were understood by historians at the time of publication. The power of our imagination when listening to stories from the past can help…

The Growing Demand for Guidance I often talk with family members who are seeking placement for a loved one who requires 24/7 care due to cognitive impairment or physical frailty. When I say “often,” I’m actually understating it—the calls are increasing rapidly. Families are desperate for clear, trustworthy information about licensed settings and care options. Big Business, Little Oversight Large corporate placement agencies like Caring.com and A Place for Mom dominate the online search space. Smaller agencies exist too, and some are more locally connected—but whether large or small, these businesses are masters of marketing. They rely on aggressive SEO strategies to drive traffic to their websites. The problem? Most agents never step foot in the facilities they recommend. Yet they still collect substantial commissions from the facilities—commissions that are rarely disclosed to families and are subject to no government oversight or accountability. Resources That Actually Help I truly wish…

Facing the Overwhelm of Dementia Care Facing the challenges of dementia care can feel downright overwhelming.  My blog has become an outlet to support both an inner and outer dialogue about dementia care that has helped me through some tough days, and I hope helps others. So, chin up buttercup! We can make it together with knowledge, skills, self-care and community.  This month’s focus is on reducing stress by learning how to be in a hurry but not rushed. Caregivers from all settings deal with stress, and especially when assisting a loved one with dementia. We can find ourselves trying to do too much and then hurried during care. Which, of course, will backfire by triggering the brain’s fight or flight response of the loved one in our care. Now, uh oh. What do we do?  "Be Quick, But Don't Hurry" One of the greatest basketball coaches of all time, John…

Understanding Powerlessness As we navigate through our daily care routines we sometimes experience residents reacting in unexpected ways that can be confusing. That confusion calls for curiosity on our part. We can ask ourselves, and them, what could be the underlying reason for declining care — “No, I don’t need a shower!” The Emotional Impact of Needing Care A loved one who needs assistance for daily activities may feel helpless, anxious, and/or depressed. These feelings of powerlessness can be profound and create barriers to many aspects of care. This can include medication assistance, bathing and grooming, and participation in social activities. How can we help reduce these feelings of powerlessness and create a sense of strength and belonging? Building Confidence Through Tools and Preparation Our approach means so much! And developing a variety of tools in our caregiver tool kit can give us the confidence we need to create a…

A favorite song from my law school days came on Sirius XM radio yesterday and brought back fond memories: You Get What You Give by The New Radicals (1998). The sentiment “you get what you give” was certainly true for me during my night school experience at Golden Gate University School of Law—put in the focus and effort needed (even when I didn’t feel like it), and you will pass your exams. Don’t, and you’ll quickly learn you won’t be returning next semester. Setting the Tone in Caregiving The song has an upbeat rhythm and fun melody, yet it shares a deep insight into the consequences of our choices, especially during difficult times. As caregivers for people living with Alzheimer’s, we can set an upbeat tone—or not. We have that choice. They do not. Setting an upbeat done in a licensed care home, or any home, requires intention. The foundation…

Intentional and Nurturing Self Care: We Need to Create Our Own Entourage! “It’s like a sandwich with two pieces of bread and the good stuff is on the inside. But I can’t get through the pieces of bread.” — A resident’s description of what it feels like when having problems remembering words. Caring for people living with brain change is an honor — full of life lessons and heart work. If I had followed my earlier ideas of practicing law, I would be a very different person. Not sure how, but I am confident this path has shaped me more than any other. I continue to be awe-struck by its many challenges, including the risk of caregiver burnout. Give me a magic wand, though, and I would create a concierge service for caregivers composed of the best in their field, including a dietician, home chef, personal trainer, and spiritual life…

Therapy pets without a doubt can improve mood and facilitate social interaction for people living with dementia. Pets can also have a calming effect, help with dementia-related behavioral problems, increase physical activity, and add a loving dimension to a care community.  Interestingly, and sort of oddly, when I searched for online resources about therapy pets and Alzheimer’s I found many articles about robotic animals for people living with dementia. Having raised and trained three amazing therapy cats over the past 14 years I clearly feel a bias towards real animals for pets. They, however, require much care and effort, and that could be a major barrier to many who are already struggling with caring for their loved one as it is. And so we have choices for our loved ones— some with intricate mechanical movements and some who will need a real litter box. When I began working with elders…