Barb's Daily Dose

Why I Became a Nurse

I'm reading Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.  It's a brilliant book with shiny pearls of life's wisdom tucked within innocuous paragraphs and chapters like gems waiting to be discovered  There was one passage that made me gasp.  I thought that Dr. Verghese had been reading my mind when I read his description of why someone would want to care for others.

Talking to the Elderly

As I have lived with the elderly, I've become much more interested in how they think. I came across this article from Reuters on how older adults and the elderly are different when it comes  talk therapy or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy when treating anxiety and depression.

Your Secret Weapon in Caregiving: BOTT Therapy

In case you're not familiar with BOTT therapy, it's a brand new type of therapy that has been around for centuries, only under a much different name.

BOTT therapy stands for what I and millions of Americans lovingly refer to as:  Biting Of The Tongue Therapy.

After living for the last 6 months with 2 very nice elderly people, I've had to employ this type of therapy repeatedly. Now admittedly, I've lost a lot of blood in the process, but it's a small price to pay for harmony in the household.

A Blessing in Disguise

Today's Guest Writer is Susan Alfano,

Editor of Nurse Barb's Daily Dose

It’s hard to lose a parent when they die.  Old or young – what does it matter – they still brought you into the world and made you who you are. 

For most of us it takes a while to process – it just doesn’t  seem to make any sense.

Cookie Visits the Nursing Home

It was a lovely Saturday afternoon.  I had just finished 3 loads of laundry, done some grocery shopping, put dinner in the crock pot and worked on a lecture. With the mantra to Put my Own Oxygen Mask on First repeating in my head, I got into my workout clothes and headed to the Y for a work out. My husband had our dog, Cookie with him at the nursing home visiting his Dad.  

3 Time-Management Tactics That Can Add Hours to Your Day

Our Featured Guest Writer Today is Paula Spencer Scott, Senior Editor at Caring.com

Caregivers have no shortage of things to do each day. How do you get it all done -- without burning the candle at both ends, so that you sacrifice sleep? You need a battle plan.

Here are some tips from time-management experts that work well for caregivers:

Senior Moments, Elder Tantrums

Would someone please tell me when it was that our parents suddenly turned into toddlers?  Seriously, one minute they are reasonable adults who can make their own decisions and the next, they're having an outburst because you gently reminded them that they might want to use their cane for the 3rd trip that week to a doctor's appointment.  

Elder Care Consultation

As many of you know, my 94 and 85 year old in-laws, Felix and Edna have moved in with us for the winter. It’s been an on-going adjustment, which in some ways has been like bringing home a new baby. There’s always something new and unexpected that crops up.  I know that many of you are also in the same “sandwich” generation, with teens or 20 somethings at home while also caring for elderly relatives.  I’ve decided to make mine an “Oreo Cookie Sandwich” and have some fun.  You can read about our fun plane ride here.

What I Wish I'd Known About Caregiving Priorities

Today's Featured Guest Writer is Neil Bernstein, Senior Editor at Caring.com

What I Wish I'd Known About Caregiving Priorities:  Caring.com Expert/Geriatric Psychologist David Solie. The author of How to Say It to Seniors:  Closing the Communication Gap With Our Elders Talks About Discovering that Parents Want Comfort and Companionship from Their Children, not Management.

With all his expertise in helping seniors navigate their final years, you might think David Solie would have sailed through his years of care giving for his mother without any regrets. In fact, Solie -- a geriatric psychologist, the author of How to Say It to Seniors: Closing the Communication Gap With Our Elders, and a member of Caring.com's advisory board -- admits that, at times, he went overboard trying to "manage" her care.

1 Million Suicide Attempts

According to a survey done by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration about 8.4 million Americans had suicidal thoughts in the past year and 2.2 million made plans to kill themselves. One million people attempted suicide.  These numbers are staggering and yet point to the fact that a significant number of Americans are depressed and anxious,  with reports ranging from 8-25%.

We also know that many people are living with or caring for family members who are seriously depressed or mentally ill, which also creates more depression and anxiety.  On top of that many people are stressed from caretaking elderly relatives which also puts them at risk for depression.