The Gift of Listening
A friend of mine told me a story recently that I thought would be great to share. It shows that sometimes the best gift we can give someone is our undivided attention. I had a doctor’s appointment the other day that I just have to tell you about!Of course, I was in a rush. It…
When Should My Parents Stop Driving?
Yikes! The conversation about handing over the keys is never a welcome one, no matter what the age. From the first day you hit the road solo at 16 years old, there’s nothing else that can really give you the same sense of freedom and independence. That’s why it’s so hard to decide when older…
5 Ways to Help When You’re Dealing with End of Life
Dealing with end of life is an extremely emotional season — especially when you are a caregiver to the family member who is expected to pass. The Nursing Team loves working with clients in all seasons of life, but considers it a special privilege to help families during this unique time. In our experience, these…
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Could Netflix’s “I Care A Lot” Really Happen?
For anyone who is a regular Netflix junkie, you’ve probably watched, or at least seen the trailer for the movie “I Care A Lot”. So, it begs the question: Could Netflix’s “I Care A Lot” Really Happen? In this eerie tale, a devilish legally-appointed guardian, played by Rosamund Pike, takes advantage of vulnerable and family-less…
Is Therapeutic Lying for dementia patients wrong?
If you are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, you have probably wondered “Is Therapeutic Lying for dementia patients” wrong? I am one of five children and I thank my parents for raising me to be honest, sincere, compassionate and always do the right thing. That’s why this particular approach was hard to wrap…
Do I Need Long Term Care Insurance?
The short answer is …it depends. But let’s dig into the long answer about long term care insurance. (LTC) By the time you add up health insurance, car insurance, homeowner’s insurance — and let’s not forget taxes—of course nobody really wants to think about (much less fork over the money for) optional “long term care insurance.”…
Power of Attorney for Aging Parents
“Do I need to have Power of Attorney for aging parents?” In short, yes. Having a Power of Attorney (POA) is kind of like having a will— while it’s not legally required, having one in place will make loved ones lives much easier should something happen that renders the holder incapable of making decisions for…
Our Book Recommendations for Alzheimer Caregivers
The Nursing Team owner, Kathleen Chastain is an avid reader, so we asked her to share her book recommendations for Alzheimer caregivers. They’re definitely worth checking out. “Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant” by Roz ChastWhen I was neck deep in taking care of my Mom who was at that point in the earlier…
Reflections on 2020
Have you written your reflections on 2020? Whenever we encounter a season of life that has been particularly challenging, we like to reflect on what we’ve learned and make sure it has a positive ripple effect on our lives moving forward. So what have we learned? A lot. Lesson #1: There’s no perfect time to…
The Power of Pet Therapy!
Admittedly, we are dog lovers at The Nursing Team and highly believe in the power of Pet Therapy. It’s borderline spiritual — the way a calm dog can snuggle up next to you and melt your worries away, make you feel loved and simply be that “best friend” when you need one most. Pet therapy…
Consider Post-Surgery Home Care Help
When most people think of home care, they think of aging seniors needing assistance with daily tasks but they don’t often consider post-surgery home care help. Home care is also essential in supporting ANYONE after an invasive surgery. There are countless post-surgical situations where home care could provide much needed assistance and relief to patients…
Top Questions to Ask A Home Care Agency
Inviting someone into your home to care for yourself or a loved one, whether they are visiting a house or an assisted living center, is a very big decision, so it’s important to ask the right questions when interviewing a home care agency. Use this as a helpful guide in your discussion. 1. How are…
10 Holiday Traditions to Start With Grandparents
When we think of holiday traditions, we typically think of the immediate family….mom, dad and kids, but here are 10 holiday traditions to start with grandparents. Including grandparents in traditions, especially with their grandkids has a two-fold affect. First, it makes the grandparents feel special and valued during the holiday season — a time when…
What does grandpa want for Christmas?
Yea, that sounds strange doesn’t it? Nobody ever asks “What does Grandpa (or grandma) want for Christmas?” The holidays have evolved into a magical season focused mainly on gift giving, party throwing and decorating — oh….and the occasional reminder to keep Christ in Christmas. As we all crowd shopping centers and surf Amazon, checking the…
The Blessing of Caregiving
What is “the blessing of caregiving?” The first thought of any normal, busy human would be that, as a caregiver, WE are the blessing to our recipient, whether he/she is a client, spouse, family member, neighbor or friend. But the true blessing… the one that often gets overlooked is the gift the caregiver receives in…
Fun Activities To Do With Seniors
Sometimes it hard to think of a fun activities to do with seniors. It may seem like you have nothing in common and, limited mobility can make it even more difficult. Here are some ideas but you’ll need to use your judgement. Every situation is different and every senior has their abilities and limitations, but…
Taking Over Your Parents’ Finances: The Do’s and Don’ts
Taking over your parents’ finances is one of the most important responsibilities family caregivers can be faced with. And unless you’re a certified CPA, it can be overwhelming, too. While we all think of evil-minded phone solicitors being the culprit of senior financial issues, sometimes it is simply their own inability to maintain this task…
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Are you suspecting dementia?
It can be frustrating when our body doesn’t move like it used to as we age. Getting up from the couch may take a little more momentum, or it may take a few more minutes to straighten all the way up in the morning. And let’s not even talk about walking on gravel without shoes!…
The Importance of the Grandparent Connection
As we all get older we tend to reflect on how “things used to be” and how different life is for kids today. One of the big changes is the slow decrease in the grandparent connection. Up through the 60’s and 70’s grandparents played a significant part in the raising of families simply by just…being…
Keeping Aging Parents Safe at Home
Keeping aging parents safe at home could encompass many different topics such as physically safe, emotionally safe and financially safe. Unfortunately, it seems the elderly are most vulnerable to email and phone scammers and we can’t tell you how much that ruffles our feathers when we hear about things like that. But for this post,…
Home Care vs. Home Health Care
When I first ventured into the role of caregiver with my own mother, I had a lot of questions. One of the first things I wanted to know more about was home care vs. home health care. In a nutshell, home care is any in-home assistance that is non-medical, while home health care is in-home…
Are You Suffering from Caregiver Burnout?
Did you know that family caregivers are at risk for higher emotional, mental, and physical health issues? Here are 5 key signs.
How to Suggest Home Care to Aging Parents
Suggesting a home care service to aging parents is perhaps one of the most difficult conversations you can have with them.
