Enrich Your Caregiving Journey

Caregivers have unique needs as they provide support and care for their loved ones. At the Heart of the Matter ultimately enables caregivers to look at ways to better care for themselves and enhance their wellness while providing care for a loved one. At the Heart of the Matter affords the caregiver an opportunity to personalize his or her caregiving journey based on their individual needs. Special features included: Famous quotes: offering inspiration and hope to ease the turbulence often experienced during the complex matter of providing care for a sick or disabled loved one. Points to ponder: caregivers are guided through the spiritual journey as they are prompted to address questions at the end of each chapter. Assessments: to take a closer look at spiritual strengths, find out what best interests individual caregivers and what strategies individuals feel most comfortable with when it comes to assisting a loved one or client. Poems and interesting stories: each chapter begins with a short story or poem, which sets the tone for the spiritual journey and offers food for thought. Concise chapters: many caregivers do not have much free time. The chapters in this book are concise so even caregivers with limited time have the opportunity to focus on how to continue to support a loved one while practicing the art of self-care.

Are you already on the caregiving journey with aging parents? Or perhaps you are wondering—and worrying about—what care your parents may need as they get older? You are not alone! No matter where you are on your caregiving journey, You, Your Parent, and Your Caregiving Journey: Strategies, Resources, and Inspiration to Guide the Way will provide you with a new, more positive way to think about your parents’ aging process. And it will give you tools, practical strategies, and inspiration that you can use at every stage in the journey. You, Your Parent, and Your Caregiving Journey guides you through five important “Waypoints” of caregiving, offering information, skills, and proven strategies on how to: • Understand aging in a new way, one that enhances the quality of your parent’s latter years; • Have the conversations and do the preparations that will make your journey easier; • Assess and ensure your parent’s safety; • Make decisions with your parent about the best living options; • Deal with the changes associated with dementia; and • Stay healthy and happy throughout your caregiving journey. This book will help you be a more effective, more compassionate, and less stressed caregiver. Even more, it will help you see that your caregiving journey will be worth the taking. “One of the best books on caregiving that I’ve seen” –Teresa DeAnni, MA, Boulder County Area Agency on Aging “A must-read for those who are looking for companionship and support through this journey” –Karen Fingerman, PhD, Research Director, Center on Aging and Population Sciences A portion of the proceeds from this book will go to organizations that support caregivers.

Our Journey of Love, 5 Steps to Navigate Your Caregiving Journey shares the lessons, tips & tricks learned over the past thirty years in roles of caregiving. Sue Ryan's journey began with her feeling like she was on an emotional roller coaster-often blindfolded-and not knowing what to expect next. She didn't know anything about the disease or caregiving. She constantly felt overwhelmed. She felt like she was missing something. Sue was disappointed in herself because she felt like she should be able to do more for the person receiving the specialized care she was providing. She was exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally. She lost who she was in giving care. She was only surviving. She didn't like the disease. She didn't like what it was doing to her care receiver, to her, and to those around them. She didn't like how she felt, so she began to learn. Now, instead of feeling helpless and overwhelmed, she feels balanced, filled with hope and love. Our Journey of Love: 5 Steps to Navigate Your Caregiving Journey, is written to help everyone in roles of care support positively navigate their journey, the journey of their care receiver, and the journeys of those who support them. Through the massive acceptance and radical presence learned along this journey, Sue embraces each insight with an open mind. She's learned the value of self-care and how using it creates a better experience for her care receiver and for her. She gives you guidance about what she's learned in many areas including identifying caregiving roles with clarity, making it easier to handle frustrations (including friends stepping away), creating more positive experiences for you and your care receiver, reducing stress and eliminating overwhelm, having the hard conversations we would rather not have. Our Journey of Love: 5 Steps to Navigate Your Caregiving Journey, is written in the first person to clearly reflect sharing Sue' story, not to tell you what you need to do. You are invited to consider what Sue has learned, both what has and what has not worked for her.

"Words of Care" is a series of essays and writings, designed as quick bites of information and affirmation, for the busy caregiver. As an expert in the field, and former caregiver herself, Margery Pabst works with corporations, medical institutions, and caregiver support associations, to guide and counsel caregivers on the challenges they face."Words of Care" is a coming together of author Pabst's expertise as a caregiver and author. Having penned four books, including co-authoring "Enrich Your Caregiving Journey", Pabst has been writing of the topic of caregiving for several years. Those experiences helped mold "Words of Care". Designed as short reads, maybe 10 minutes, on a variety of topics, Words of Care allows the reader to find an entry that fits their moment, and get advice, an exercise, or just an affirmation, about what they are doing.Divided into five chapters, "Words of Care" tackles areas, that through years of experience, research and work, Pabst has found define the caregiving process...and the range of emotions and obstacles caregivers go through.*Caregiver Assessment ~ How are you, the caregiver, doing in this often trying role?*Asking For Help ~ How do you manage the demands by reaching out to others?*Dealing With Your Emotions ~ Are you in touch with how you feel about your role?*Managing Family Dynamics ~ How involved is everyone? How is the family doing?*Supporting Professional Caregivers ~ As doctors, nurses, therapists... how do you manage the emotions of your caregiving experience?

Our world is currently experiencing a global Caregiving Crisis. If you, like so many others, are increasingly concerned about your loved one's needs as they age, then ask yourself the following questions: How does your loved one see their life playing out? Where do they want to live as they age (in their own home vs. assisted living)? What kind of health do they aspire to be in? What kinds of activities do they want to engage in? If and when your loved one can no longer live independently, what is their preference (i.e., paid in-home help, assisted living or nursing facility)? Is their preference realistic considering their financial situation, and if not, what are the feasible alternatives? The Caregiving Journey goes far beyond the basics of wills and logistical funeral plans-basics many people have in place (especially where children are involved). Rather, you'll be guided and supported to create a well-thought-out plan for those three, five or even 10 or more years when your loved one needs your help because they can no longer live on their own. With the inspiration, practical steps, support, and tools provided inside these pages, you'll be well-equipped to guide your family members and loved ones to the end of their lives with love, ease and grace.Bringing together her 30+ years as a professional market analyst and her personal experience as a live-in caregiver for her mom, author Debbie Howard has integrated her experiences-along with the journeys of over 200 other caregivers-into this book to help you choose your best way forward. Learn more at www.theCaregivingJourney.com.

Navigate the dementia care maze: Address unique challenges, manage emotional stress, and rediscover joyful moments in your caregiving journey! The exhaustion of caregiving for someone with dementia can transform your path into a winding trail, each step feeling like carefully traversing a dense thicket, where unexpected challenges lurk, demanding resilience and patience at every turn. The struggle is often intensified by the limited time you have for yourself and the sorrow you experience witnessing the transformation of your loved one. So what's the secret? Is it possible to overcome the hurdles of caregiving for someone with dementia while not losing yourself in the process? Yes, and this book is here to help. It is a roadmap to a future where you can find joy in daily care, enhance communication with your loved one with dementia and strengthen your bond with your loved ones. Inside, you'll discover: ● The 6 proven steps in the C.A.R.E.S.S. method, enabling you to find joy in caring for your loved one with dementia while also taking care of yourself. ● Common misconceptions about dementia...so you know what's true and what's fiction and you can best provide for your loved one. ● 14 effective strategies to improve communication with someone who has dementia including many examples to demonstrate the principles of the 10 Absolutes, helping you to forge a stronger relationship with ease of care. ● The DICE tool and other essential strategies so you can enjoy more peaceful days. ● What the twin pillars of caregiving are, and how to maximize both to up your caregiving game, reduce stress, and enrich your caregiving journey. ● How to understand legal matters so you can plan for your loved one's future while also preserving your rights. ● Self-care strategies to keep you in peak condition - After all, you have to take care of yourself before you can care for others effectively! Filled with real-life examples and narratives! And so much more! Given your tight schedule and limited spare time, you may feel skeptical about whether you can incorporate the strategies in this book into your already busy life. However, this book is crafted with this concern in mind. It will equip you with effective strategies to overcome the hurdles of your caregiving journey, making it a rewarding and joyful experience for both you and your loved one. Don't lose yourself in your caregiving journey. Discover how to provide the best care while also prioritizing your well-being.

Caregiving can be enormously challenging, terrifically rewarding, and potentially draining. Caregivers often wonder how they will navigate the tumultuous waters of caregiving and not lose themselves completely. The Mindful Caregiver highlights two major approaches to help transform the journey: adopting a practice of mindfulness, which helps caregivers become more self-aware and fully present with the person with whom they are caring, and honoring “the spirit-side” of caregiving which offers new ways of connecting to one another. These approaches take into account not just the needs of the care recipient, but also the needs of the caregiver and other people in his/her life. Remembering to care for oneself when someone else is in great need can be difficult, but with the suggestions and tips in this book, any caregiver can cultivate routines and practices that benefit everyone. Solutions that caregivers can use in their day to day routines are provided, so caregivers who use them can feel more empowered and hopeful. Using real stories throughout, Nancy Kriseman offers self-care exercises and addresses a wide variety of subjects such as setting realistic expectations, making the best possible decisions, advocating effectively, and evaluating available resources and services. The Mindful Caregiver provides inspiration, encouragement, and guidance for finding ease in the caregiving journey. By emphasizing both mindfulness and the spiritual dimension, caregivers can reap the gifts of caregiving, appreciate the special moments, and find strength during the challenging times.

No one wants to relegate our wisdom-rich elders to the demeaning borders of our society. Still, the idea of caring for our elders in their own homes can sometimes become overwhelming, especially without proper guidance from those who have been there. In a thoughtful guidebook tailored for just this purpose, seasoned caregiver Jane Edwards offers philosophical reflections, poignant stories, and practical advice that will help anyone respect, empower, and treat elders as complete beings with the right to live their lives as independently as possible. Edwards, who possesses forty-five years of experience in caring for elders, shares wisdom accompanied by touching real-life stories that support her desire to ensure that those who wish to can remain in their homes in their later years. Through concise advice presented from the perspective of an outside caregiver, Edwards provides gentle guidance regarding many delicate topics that include navigating family dynamics, creating end-of-life plans, and meeting emotional and spiritual needs. Included is a list of family resources followed by a compilation of real-life stories that provide a glimpse into the challenges, joys, and fun that accompany caring for an elder. Caring for Caring shares advice, stories, and reflections from a caregiver who has made it her lifes mission to help elders remain as independentand cherishedas possible.