Caregivers are sought for a study that just involves checking out a website — give a little bit of your time here!

Dementia family caregivers are invited to participate in a study by Clinical Tools, Inc. and funded by the National Institute on Aging about an educational and support website on dementia and caregiving.

Participants do not need to live with the person with dementia. The only requirement is that participants assist with the person’s care in some way or help make decisions about care and have access to the Internet.

Participation involves completing a few surveys and then viewing a new website about dementia, then completing more surveys after a few weeks have passed. The survey questions ask about your experiences and feelings about being a caregiver and your opinions about the website.

To learn more about the project, visit clinicaltools.com.

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One Hand on the Doorknob

October 16, 2010

An NPR segment profiled a doctor who is afflicted with MS. She is still able to consult and teach medical students, teaching them about compassion and the art of listening.

One of her mantras is:

Place your hand on the patient, not on the door knob.

She was referring to the habit of rushed doctors who hover at the door, with one hand on the doorknob. They are visibly impatient with the patient, and do not take the time to hear what the patient is saying or connect to the patient. The patient desperately wants to know that she is more than just a name on a chart, and ends up feeling frustrated and neglected.

I know I spend too much time wavering at the door, one foot on the threshold as I half-listen to my Loved One while I mentally run through my To Do list.

A prayer…

Give me patience Lord
To Take the time to Listen
To Touch
To Connect
Reaffirming that We All Matter in this World
We are Here with Them on This Journey — Don’t Let me do it with Half a Heart!

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Gratitudes

October 14, 2010

Gratitudes: A pile of dead weeds covering my yard after a strenuous ho-ing session. Share and Inspire:

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Sensory Gardens for Dementia Patients

January 11, 2010

I”m always on the lookout for gardens designed for the elderly, ailing or dementia-bound. I recently found an example that was on display at the 2008 Chelsea  Flower Show in London. Created by Cleve West, the garden was sponsored by Bupa, a large U.K. health provider that runs nursing homes. The design was created for [...]

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The Practice of Listening

December 4, 2009

Listen as though your life depended on it. It does. – The Art of Pilgrimage Listening has become a skill to practice, rehearse and commit to. Much like the art of meditation and contemplation, listening does not come easily. I’m talking about true listening, where one person does not engage in lecturing, patronizing or power [...]

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The Art of the Community

November 12, 2009

Caregivers often have to form ad-hoc communities — or support circles — around them. We assemble these communities out of relatives, friends, prayer groups, health care and social workers. Everyone contributes what they can — and become a means of support and inspiration for us. I’ve thought a lot about communities lately — and why [...]

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Oct. 10 is World Hospice and Palliative Care Day

October 9, 2009

What is World Hospice and Palliative Care Day? Honor the caregivers who work in the field of hospices and palliative care on Oct. 10. The day’s theme is: “Discovering your voice”. As the organizers explain: All around the world, there are people who need hospice and palliative care who cannot access it. One of the [...]

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Fellow Caregiving Blogs

October 6, 2009

I’ve found a wealth of other caregivers on the Internet. These sister caregivers (and brothers, too) rely on each other for advice, consolation and venting. I’d like to give a shoutout to my brethren of caregivers on the Internet…and point you to some of their bright corners of wisdom! I’m a big fan of blogs [...]

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Art and Alzheimer’s

September 17, 2009

USA Today mentioned today how several Phoenix arts organizations have banded together to bring the arts to dementia families. The news caught my eye because I live in the Phoenix area. Here, the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute joined with the Phoenix Symphony, the Phoenix Art Museum, and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art two years ago, [...]

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Is it MomJunk? Or MomTreasure?

August 26, 2009

I recently posted an entry on Blogher about dealing with moving an Elder…and what you do with all that stuff! Check it out. Share and Inspire:

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