Caregiver Stories
We want to hear your story!
Why? Because your story matters.
Have you ever heard a story and thought, “Someone else has been through that too? I thought it was just me!”
Every story shared is a chance to help someone else. Share your journey with us and make a difference today.
A Caregiver’s Journey Through Solitude
In our last post, we explored the complex differences between being alone, feeling lonely, and experiencing the lonesomeness of a changing relationship. Today, we are focusing on the next crucial step: how to practically protect your time and emotional health by...
Nancy Wills Story of Devoted Care
Caregiving isn’t just a series of tasks; for many of us, it is a family legacy. My mother, Edna, spent her entire life caring for my father, a man who served in the military for 22 years. She stood by him through his service and his health struggles, providing years...
Caregiver Nancy and her Mother Edna
My mother Edna, has severe arthritis which can make it very painful to walk, shower and perform daily activities. She is a widower of her husband that was a military man for 22 years. She did not get any compensation for taking care of him. When he passed in 2019, her...
Navigating Inpatient and Rehab Care: Personal Journeys, Professional Wisdom
https://youtu.be/JO_u6QeN68I?si=QbuUDpglY4WZ1z4u Navigating the world of inpatient and rehab care can feel like a daunting task, especially when you are balancing the roles of a professional and a family caregiver. In a recent session of the caregiver teleconnection,...
What Caregiving Keeps Teaching Me
What I am Learning from My Husband Every day, I learn something new about my husband, myself, and this growing sub-culture of family caregivers. In the past 18 months, my husband has had L1–L5 spinal fusion surgery. Along with his Parkinson’s disease, caregiving feels...
Caregiver Story – Christi W
My Story – Christi W. Eight years ago, when my mother was 68, she had a stroke. I was 41 at the time. She lost all movement on the left side of her body, but within a couple of weeks, she regained some movement in her left arm and foot. I was adopted and am an only...
Lessons Learned: Medication Management in Rehab Facilities
If your loved one is being discharged to a short-term rehab facility, don’t assume medications will flow smoothly from hospital to rehab. This article takes a closer look at how medication management was handled in short-term rehab settings in my local area (northeast...
Dementia and Pain Management: A Personal Story
By Donna Schemp My father was screaming in the nursing home. The staff had tried changing any number of his medications, but nothing stopped his agitation until the physician ordered Vicodin, a strong painkiller. I called the physician and asked him to assess what...
Can Your Care Receiver Do More For Themselves?
Is it time for your care receiver to do more for themselves, which also helps you? Can you avoid doing it all? Disclaimer: Every situation is different. The person you care for may have physical and/or cognitive illnesses that limit them from "activities of daily...
Judy’s Story: The Healthcare System Failed Us
My husband went in for cervical laminectomy and fusion surgery on 5/14/2024. He was perfectly fine and working 10 hours a day up until the day of surgery. Unfortunately, he was injured in the procedure, resulting in an incomplete spinal cord injury. Our lives have...
