Longterm Care, Part 1: Aging in Place
It’s what most of us wish for: to age in place in our homes. But the reality is that staying in our home or in the home of a family-member is unrealistic without around the clock care and that care is unattainable for most of us. According to HealthyAging.org, more than 80% of people will need assistance with some Activities of Daily Living (ADL) as they age. These activities include hygiene, such as bathing, oral health, as well as dressing, eating, mobility and maintaining continence – being able to get to a bathroom, get off and on a toilet safely and cleaning one’s self after using the toilet.
Ageism in Healthcare
We should consider it a blessing if we are able to grow old before we die. There is no shame in being old and continuing to live on this earth and to share the resources, richness, and rights of a living being in our communities. Neglecting our elder population and putting them away out of sight will not stop us from getting old or dying any more than talking about aging and death will cause them. If we can begin to address our fear of death, the terror of or mortality, we can come to love our lives, ourselves, our bodies and everyone else’s, too.
Motivation for Monday
Not gonna lie, I’ve been feeling a bit unmotivated and frustrated the past week. Between bad weather and deathiversaries, I’ve been in my feelings and a bit morose. But the sun came out today, I had an excellent productive meeting, and I have filled my calendar this week with exciting networking opportunities and caregiving. I’m […]
Decade of Healthy Aging
Yesterday, I talked about all the reasons we need to be concerned about our rapidly aging population. Today, I’ll explain how the United Nations is asking all of us in the public and private sectors to come together to create better living conditions for our aging society this decade. The hard truth is that unless […]
Why should you care about eldercare?
It’s time we all start to pay attention to the way our society’s needs and culture will and is shifting. Offering alternatives to those of us who have aging family members was a driving force in my decision to become a departure doula and to offer elder care. Our healthcare system, especially after COVID, cannot handle the increased need, consumption, of our aging population today, and it’s only going to get more difficult in the coming decades. While changes and policies need to address our overwhelmed, overly complicated and inadequate healthcare system, we should also begin to look to non-medical professionals to help fill many of the gaps in the system.
Last public words of Maurice Sendak
This is so beautiful. I watched it several times. And think I will rewatch it daily. “We all know how loving ends.” “Live your life. Live your life. Live your life.” Maurice Sendak
Laughter and Love
Laughter heals. Act like a kid today and laugh at yourself. When was the last time you got in touch with your inner child and let them out to play? Your body can’t produce stress hormones if you’re laughing.
Taphophile Tuesday
I spent some time with one of my oldest friends last week. She’s a true taphophile and supplied many of the pics on my website. You should check them out. We almost always make a trip to a cemetery when we’re together. Our first trip was to beautiful Cave Hill in Louisville last fall. What […]
Wednesday Wisdom
Take a lesson from peonies. Be beautiful, bold and showy. Bring joy to everyone around you, because we’re not here for long. Isnt’ that what makes us, and life, beautiful?
National Volunteer Week
Looking for a way to make a difference as a volunteer? Consider your local hospice. Medicare requires hospice providers to fulfill 5% of their total patient hours with some sort of volunteer activities.
