Suzanne Mintz on NPR tomorrow (1/30/08)

I just got this message from NFCA:

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Dear NFCA Members and Friends

Tomorrow (Wednesday, January 30) please listen to National Public Radio's Fresh Air with Terry Gross. Terry will be interviewing Suzanne Mintz, president and co-founder of the National Family Caregivers Association about family caregivers in America today, her personal experiences as a family caregiver and her new book, A Family Caregiver Speaks Up: It doesn't have to be this hard. This Peabody Award program is one of public radio's most popular programs. Each week, nearly 4.5 million people listen to the show's intimate conversations broadcast on more than 450 National Public Radio (NPR) stations across the country, as well as in Europe on the World Radio Network.

Please check your local National Public Radio listings to find out when Fresh Air is scheduled to run in your area. You can also listen to the program live, on line tomorrow after 2 p.m. ET here: http://m1e.net/c?48248349-FN1TgLupCUHTc%403069901-vjt6gEEaVNulo. The interview with Suzanne will then be archived on the web site for you to listen at any time by looking up the January 30, 2008 program.

We are excited that this program coincides with the beginning of NFCA's 15th Anniversary celebration. During the program, Suzanne Mintz speaks up for family caregivers which is what we are encouraging all family caregivers to do this year. It is our hope that after listening to this program you will be inspired to Speak Up for:
· Your own needs as a family caregiver
· The needs of your loved one
· The rights of all family caregivers
To learn more about NFCA, the new book and how family caregivers can become part of NFCA's Family Caregiver Community for FREE please visit http://m1e.net/c?48248349-IgXL9hSTpKGkk%403069902-F9AfznIFZ9eLw today.

Don't forget, tune in to NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross and Suzanne Mintz TOMORROW or find it on line at http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=13.

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I'll be listening!

Liz

A Less-Stressed Holiday

OK...I admit it...I have done NO Christmas shopping...none...zip...nada....
My Christmas card boxes are neatly stacked....in the closet...
My catalogs have been recycled.....

This year, I just can't deal....it seems to me that the holidays just appeared out of nowhere! Didn't we just pass July 4th!!!

My regular job has been really busy, which I'm eternally grateful for, but between that and caring for Maman who is failing, I just feel as if Christmas just came TOO fast!

Anyway, I just found a link which might help.
If you're in the same boat I am, check out the Strength for Caring site for ideas.

Strength for Caring Holiday Ideas

At this point I can use all the help I can get!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!

Liz

Family Caregivers on NBC's Today Show!

Hi All!
I hope you all had as peaceful a Thanksgiving as possible!
The media is starting to take notice (about time! ;-) of the work that Family Caregivers do!
Last Wdnesday (right before Thanksgiving) Suzanne Mintz, President of NFCA was interviewed, along with Family Caregiver to his wife, Rick King.

Check out the video below!


He cared for his wife till the end

Have a great day!

Liz

Next Phase

Well...we reached another phase this weekend.
We got Maman a hospital bed. Yep.
I had frankly resisted this for a while, but we were offered one from my sister-in-law who had bought it for my father-in-law before he passed away.
It's actually a great bed, and Maman likes it, so that's good.
It goes up and down. the head and knees both come up, and it has rails...everything you need to keep your 90 year old mother from trying to get out of bed on her own! ;-)

Take care!

Liz

Pacing yourself

So...have you ever had someone say to you:
"You really need to take time for yourself"
Yeah, right....well, they're right!
I know, I know...it's hard enough being a caregiver without taking the extra time to carve out time for yourself...but it's worth it.
I'm actually taking a day & going away with my husband tonight.
Yep, it's only a day, but even THAT is a break.

There's NO WAY to pace your self with caregiving.
Pacing yourself implies that you know where/when the end of the race is.
As caregivers we don't know when it will end.
For some it's a sprint, for others (like yours truly!) it's a marathon.

But finding even a few minutes...hey even if you have to lock yourself in the bathroom! ;-)...to be by yourself or with someone you like spending time with, it's worth it....OK, the bathroom analogy can be taken a few ways from here...I'll leave it to you! ;-)

oh...and yeah, my "52 Fun Feats for Caregivers" e-book is chock full of great ideas! ;-)

Really....don't try & "pace yourself" just do something nice for yourself...your caregiving duties will be there when you get back!

Peace!

Liz

NFCA on YouTube!

Suzanne Mintz, the President of NFCA has a great video on YouTube, check it out!

If you can't see the video here, go to:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ncjR_uHxbDc

Enjoy!

Liz

...and the fun continues....

WOW..it has been a while since I posted...I'm sorry about that!...but Caregiving gets in the way of blogging!
As an update....PT went REALLY well...I'm actually in better shape than I was before I bulged-out my disks. I was given some great exercises to do by my Physical Therapist..and What a Concept! I'm actually keeping up with them!

But things with Mom have been a challenge...
In Monday May 14th she decided to try & get out of bed by herself ....not a smart move considering she's paralysed on her right side and is 1 week from turning 90.... Result? Free ambulance ride to the ER....after 4 hours of waiting (ONLY four hours!)...X-rays show a non-displaced fracture of her right shoulder....and she was sent home! I love our health care system....she's in a sling for the next 4 weeks....Orthopedist was seen...had to have a CAT scan done to confirm the x-rays (they were confirmed!)....rails now on her bed...Thank goodness for small favors in that it's her disabled side so she still has use of her "good" left arm.....

Bottom line: transferring is even more of a challenge with this...well...actually EVERYTHING is more of a challenge with this!

The lesson...remember that with Caregiving, things can change in an instant.

I was interviewed for the next issue of TAKE CARE!, the National Family Caregiver's Association newsletter (free to Family Caregivers by the way! go to http://www.thefamilycaregiver.org to sign up for it) and I had just told the reporter that with caregiving, you always have to plan ahead, but then be ready to have those plans change!....Fun, huh! ;-)

Anyway, I plan on getting back to updating on a more regular basis...but then again...plans can always change!....

Hang in there!

Liz