The Knee Bone's Connected To ...
tsb

Such a face! Daddy Bones@ age 12, gracing the book's cover.

 

 How to Keep Your Sanity Intact When a Loved One Needs a Nursing Home  

It’s estimated that more than 50 million people provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend during any given year.

Studies show that extremely stressed caregivers can age or die prematurely. 

“Bette Davis said ‘old age is no place for sissies,’ but caring for an older loved one isn’t for the feint of heart, either,” says Bones. “I loved my dad and we were very close, but the strain of ‘putting’ him in a nursing home was so overwhelming for all of us that I felt like I was on the edge of a nervous breakdown.”

Becoming aware of some of the don’ts” of long-term care can make daily life easier for nursing home residents and for their family caretakers,” she notes.

Bones offers some key examples from her Nursing Home Checklist:

· Ask clergy, family, and friends - especially those in the health care field - to recommend outstanding nursing homes.

· When touring a nursing home, ask other visitors for frank feedback about the facility. Don’t just inspect the “sample” room, look into residents’ rooms to check for cleanliness.

· Assure your loved one that you will be their ongoing advocate.

· Visit your loved one often and at varying times of the day - and night. This alerts all of the caregivers that you are keeping an eye on your loved one.

· Get to know the staff, especially your loved one’s immediate caregivers.

· Thank the employees for the thankless job that they do.

· Put your loved one’s name on all their belongings, including clothes and personal products. Never leave money or valuables in their room.

· Place a quilt, photos and other small touches to create a “homey” room.

· Put a brief bio and picture of your loved one at the entrance of their room to “introduce” them to staff and visitors.

. Bring old photos when you visit your loved one - it will give you something to look at if conversation lags.

. Bring different edible treats to spice-up the resident's menu.

 

 


 

 

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Monday
Sep142009

Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes...

DateMonday, September 14, 2009 at 06:54PM

At least we didn't see anyone crying this time.

During our last venture to Atlantic City, we spotted two people crying. One women was talking into a pay phone, bawling her eyes out, the other one was walking through the casino sobbing. You don't see folks blubbering while they're bowling or at an amusement park or other forms of recreation. But somehow, at a casino, seeing people randomly boohoo is not  unexpected.

The casinos are a hoot and a people-watching feast. But we only visit AC about once a year, so it's not like we are experts by any means. We try roulette, but mostly we feed the slots like all of the other amateurs. This visit, however, my 20-something niece was with us and she introduced us to craps. I learned that it takes the concentration of a NASA scientist and the multi-tasking skills of an octomom to decipher the intricacies of craps. I can't get the image of my lovely young niece, looking all fresh and blonde and adorable, bellying up to the craps table like a pro among a throng of focused male players. You go, girl!

At the end of the day, did we win? Some of us broke even, some of us lost a few bucks and some of us (ok, ME) may as well have taken their hard-earned freelance writing dollars and flung them out along the Garden State Parkway. We have the luck of the Irish, which means no luck at all and by all means, we should keep our day jobs.

So, no, we didn't see any tears during this adventure, unless you count the drops that formed in my eyes when I checked my empty wallet on the long ride home. See ya next year, AC! And if baby really needs a new pair of shoes, maybe we'll even try Vegas...

AuthorDiane Bones | Comment2 Comments |

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