Calvin's day begins before 5 A.M. He knows another exhausting day lies ahead. He allows himself only enough time to have a cup of coffee and read the paper before lying back down by his wife's side until 6 A.M. when the daily routine begins again; toileting, showering, dressing, wheelchair transfers, laundry, meal preparation, housekeeping, correspondence, paperwork, yard work, personal care.

Soon its time for a doctor appointment; more wheelchair transfers, a trip to the pharmacy, grocery shopping, and then, finally, a return home to continue the care routine. No time to rest during the day. Bedtime planning takes an hour so he begins by 9 P.M. Calvin is physically and emotionally

When hiring a professional in-home caregiver, there are a couple of ways in which they can be selected, either from an agency which specializes in screening and placing professional caregivers, or by doing the research, interviewing, screening, and hiring all on your own. Keep in mind that if you hire a professional caregiver on your own, you will be entirely responsible for paying certain types of taxes that may be new to you, as well as having to know which taxes your new employee should be paying as well.

Traveling long distances with a person in the early stage of dementia may still be quite enjoyable. As dementia advances, however, traveling becomes unpredictable as the person becomes more confused. Plan ahead for a trip by gathering important documents: insurance cards, passports, your physician's phone number, refills on medications and a copy of medical records in case the person with dementia needs to see a physician while away. Make sure you keep track of all the documents and medications. Packing them in carry-on bags so they will not get lost en route

Each year, there are over 100,000 deaths as a result of medication errors. There are also over 150,000 deaths as a result of drug interactions. Most of these occur in seniors because they are either taking a lot of medications or do not closely look at what they are taking and tend to "just follow orders".

These statistics are not very widely made available. In fact, you will probably never see medication errors or drug reaction listed as a cause of death on a death certificate. While this is not an

Taking care of an aging parent can cause fatigue, stress, even depression. But you can find help -- if you know where to look.

Ten years ago, Margo Aparicio rescued her widowed mother, Genevieve, from near death because of a neglectful aide. Although she did it out of love, Aparicio never imagined the toll caregiving would take on her health and emotions.

Genevieve suffered not only from diabetes, incontinence, and dementia but also

April 8, 9, 2010, I'll be speaking at Owensboro Community and Technical College in Owensboro , Kentucky. My book, Mothering Mother is their Spring Common Reading Room book recommended for their entire college to read. They're embracing the message-that when a community cares about caregiving, it makes a big difference.

Caregiving is a community affair. It impacts our society as well as our families. Meeting the needs of one elder can often take a two dozen people-doctors and nurses,

Maybe you're not the one doing the day-to-day caregiving-maybe you're the spouse, the one who would get "best supporting" if there were an Oscar or some other shiny statue given for "Best Caregiving Award."

Being the sidekick behind or rather beside the caregiver is a VERY important and crucial role. I know because I'm not sure I could have done what I did-care for my mom who had Alzheimers, Parkinson's, heart disease and lived with us-if it hadn't been for my other caregiving half.

You have begun a very important journey. The information in this Guide will assist you in finding your way through the challenges and opportunities of caregiving.

There are about 15 million caregivers in the United States caring for someone over 50.(1) In addition, there are millions of families made-up of grandparents raising their grandchildren and the number continues to grow. Family caregivers provide at least two-thirds of all home care services in the US.

Taking care of an aging parent can cause fatigue, stress, even depression. But you can find help if you know where to look.

Ten years ago, Margo Aparicio rescued her widowed mother, Genevieve, from near death because of a neglectful aide. Although she did it out of love, Aparicio never imagined the toll caregiving would take on her health and emotions.

Genevieve suffered not only from diabetes, incontinence, and dementia but also

What makes a Great Caregiver?

The Mary Steibel CAREGiver of the Year Award inspires CAREGivers to strive for excellence. It creates a sense of pride in the fact that the Home Instead Senior Care franchise network recognizes, appreciates and rewards their hard work, dedication and