What is the one thing that caregivers should keep in mind? Yes, I am back with one more one thing, The one thing that caregivers should keep in mind is that you will mess up. I’ve written about this before. You do something, and you will mess up. There are minor failures, moderate failures, and sometimes you just have a giant crash-and-burn failure. You aren’t … Continue reading And I’m back with one more thing….

Hi all… Yes, you read correctly. Sex. We’ve been doing dementia caregiver support groups. And we’ve been talking about sex. But we want to learn more. I asked one of our interns, Olivia, to do a deep dive and learn about different perspectives on dementia sex. There’s not enough out there, and it’s such a multi-faceted topic. Issues with consent. Challenges with privacy in assisted … Continue reading Sex, Dementia, and a Favor

I’m back again with the one thing caregivers should know (except, yeah, this is the 3rd one thing). But here goes… The One Thing… …the one thing caregivers should keep in mind… …is that you can’t fix dementia. It sounds simple, right. Dementia is not something you can cure. It is, by definition, progressive. As a caregiver, you can’t stop the progress. I know some … Continue reading Oh, and another thing…

This is a continuation from last week…. What is the one thing that dementia caregivers should always keep in mind? Of course, it’s the 2nd one thing, so it’s more than one thing. But hang with me here. The one thing that caregivers should always keep in mind is to have an exit plan. Yes, an exit plan. I mean this in a few different … Continue reading And a 2nd One Thing

I was asked a final question as I ended a presentation. It was this: What is one thing that all caregivers should always keep in mind? I didn’t have a clear and concise answer….because I couldn’t come up with one thing. So here we go. Over the next few weeks, I will focus on a different one thing each week. Obviously, I know that defeats … Continue reading The One Thing

One thing about being at the Dementia Simulation House…we hear a lot of stories from caregivers. I am fortunate to have a job that allows me to learn each day. I thought I’d share a few interesting things I’ve heard recently. I often get this question…. “Is this normal for someone with dementia?” I haven’t figured out a great way to respond to this question. … Continue reading Is This Normal?

I’m not writing a blog this week. I guess I kind of am because you are reading this. But my brain is tired. I talk a lot about mental energy and mental fatigue among those living with dementia. Someone with dementia has limited mental energy, and they should get to decide how to spend it. My favorite analogy is mental energy pennies. I talk about … Continue reading I’m Not Writing A Blog This Week

A friend of mine who has a husband with dementia asked me a question yesterday…. How do I continue to be a loving wife? Her husband can no longer hold a conversation. Sometimes he thinks she is his daughter. He’s living in a facility. She’s backing off a bit on her visits–only going once a day. She’s in great physical shape and even plays pickleball. … Continue reading But How Do I Continue to Be a Loving Wife?

Hey Caregivers– I think the world of you, and I have so much confidence in your ability to give care, but let me say this. You are going to mess this up. Yeah, I said what I said. You won’t be a failure at caregiving but you are going to fail. You will say the wrong thing. You will make the wrong choice. You will … Continue reading You Are Going To Mess This Up

I am a real-life person. I live in Cedar Falls, Iowa. I have a husband, three cats, and two dogs. One of my dogs just started wearing a belly band…he’s 17. I teach about four classes a week at an indoor cycling studio. If you come to my class, you’ll realize quickly that I’m not known for giving adequate recovery between intervals. I am a … Continue reading Move Along