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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Saturday
Mar172012

HIGH ANXIETY INDEED

I love reading about idiotic politicians from other lands - it actually makes America's leaders seem just slightly less annoying.

With the exception of Rod Blagojevich, of course. Now that the former governor is in prison serving 14 years for corruption, maybe he'll finally wipe that big what-me-worry Alfred E. Neuman smile off his face.

 

This guy left for the slammer as if he was strolling down the Red Carpet at the Golden Globes, shaking hands, greeting well-wishers, posing for photos and giving media interviews. Although he once thought he was an untouchable big shot and tried to sell a senator's seat for big bucks, now he'll be making 12 cents an hour doing menial jobs in the Big House. Be sure to make that toilet shine, Ronnie, and we'll see ya in a decade or so.

He was not nearly as humble as an Egyptian lawmaker who resigned from parliament and was expelled from his party after he was caught lying about the fact that he had a nose job. His party represents a strict form of Islam that "forbids cosmetic surgery as meddling in God's work." In other words, you better stick with what the Big Guy gave you and you better like it. But this politician didn't and, when he appeared in public with heavy bandages on his face, his cohorts got suspicious that he didn't sustain injuries from a carjacking and a beating, as he claimed. If he is found guilty of lying, he could be imprisoned on charges of "creating anxiety among the public" and "worrying public officials."

Can you imagine if every American politician who made citizens anxious was put behind bars? Talk about prison overcrowding! Ron Blagojevich (go ahead, say it out loud - it's fun!) would have to fight for a bunk with so many of his old pals crowding onto the pen.

So remember, if you are in office, don't give your constituents a snow job - we can tell when you're fibbing and when you've had work done, just by looking at you with our sharp, artificially-raised, non-wrinkled eyes.

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