I dealt first with my wife’s Alzheimer’s as a 24/7 caregiver at home, and now as a part-time caregiver and full-time advocate since her placement in the dementia wing of an assisted living...
Intervention: How eating and drinking can save your skin
By
Martie Moore
Jan 14, 2015
Graduating with a nursing degree in hand, I was ready to bring my new knowledge and skills to the bedside. Thirty years later, I am amazed at how much I still have to learn and apply to my practice. In...
A caregiver named Sammy
By
Martie Moore
Jul 02, 2021
It is not an unusual story. A 90-year-old man suddenly is having trouble breathing, his heart is enlarged, and his kidneys are slowing down in their functioning. A care conference is called and the family,...
Gender adjustments for Alzheimer’s caregivers
By
Allan S. Vann, Ed.D
Jan 10, 2014
For quite some time, I was the only male in my Alzheimer’s disease spousal support group. I quickly discovered that I could not resolve some problems for my wife, Clare, in the same way as some women...
Census data reveal a new, masculine trend in eldercare
By
Nina Dunn
Aug 08, 2011
It is a well-known fact that our nation is aging rapidly. However, a recently released census brief, “Age and Sex Composition: 2010,” revealed remarkable findings. The study found that in the...
I was a better nurse when …
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
May 06, 2014
It’s Nurses Day — a day we celebrate all it means to be a nurse. This day gets me into deep thinking. Particularly about the core of a nurse and how sometimes — even if we don’t want it...
Making moments count
By
Martie Moore
Dec 21, 2016
As a professional caregiver, you see, hear and experience the story of the lives before you, and not just the shell of an aging body. Your actions do not make the evening news, but they should.
Volunteering opened my eyes to the plight of our LTC system
By
Colleen McConnaha
Dec 06, 2021
Several weeks ago, I began volunteering as a care assistant at a nursing home that is part of the system my husband works for. It has been a rewarding, eye-opening, and somewhat concerning experience that...