Blog

Our journeys begin with our stories and our stories create the landscape of our lives. Join us as we share our personal stories with you, and become a part of the conversation by sharing your challenges and insights with others.

Helping Your Loved One with Rehab!

Posted February 21st, 2012 by Cindy Laverty

Often your loved one will have to go to rehab after a hospital stay. This happens for a number of reasons: possibly he/she needs to have IV treatments; rehab from a hip or knee replacement; needs to build strength due to extreme weakness; or because your loved one just isn’t quite well enough to go home. If this happens, there are things you can do as a family to help the healing process. If you missed my first video on this subject, go to my blog from February 20, 2012 and watch. Today I’m focusing on what you CAN do when your loved one is in rehab. Below the video you will find a list of items you might consider bringing to the rehab facility.

You don’t have to bring all of these items. They are only suggestions.

A couple of pairs of pajamas or nightgowns
Lightweight robe
Slippers with rubber sole and a back. (No slip-ons)
Several pair of underwear
Cozy socks for bed (The rehab facility provides socks but they aren’t very cozy.)
A soft blanket from home (be sure to label)
Bring pillows from home. (Be sure to keep track of them.)
Soft pillow cases
Favorite photos
Favorite music and a CD player to listen
Favorite DVD’s and Portable DVD player
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Electric razor
Deodorant
Facecloths – (most likely not available)
Face and body lotion
Chapstick or something for lips
Comb/Brush
Dry shampoo
Hearing aids and extra batteries
Small bills or change in case your loved one wants to purchase something not provided
Cell phone and charger
Address Book or Phone List
Dentures
Prescription glasses
Consider bringing in favorite food if a special diet has not been ordered

Share the care:

Tough Decisions = Tough Conversations

Posted February 20th, 2012 by Cindy Laverty

Scenario: Your elderly loved one is in the hospital and has been diagnosed with a chronic condition. Due to the fact that he/she did not move around a lot during the hospital stay, the muscles have atrophied or weakened. It’s normal, right? Inevitably your loved one is going to go home…or is he? This is where it gets confusing and difficult. Your loved one wants to go home, but the doctors and hospital staff are telling you that a rehab facility is the next destination. So…what do you do?

You must have a conversation with the doctor first to learn all the reasons why going to a rehab facility is absolutely necessary. Watch this video because I’m going to tell you exactly what to do.

Share the care:

How to Make the Ultimate Healthy Yummy Smoothie!

Posted February 18th, 2012 by Cindy Laverty

Do you pull your hair out trying to get your loved one to eat something that is actually healthy? It’s a problem isn’t it? After awhile I realized that it didn’t matter if breakfast was served at dinner or lunch was served at breakfast. What mattered was nutrition. And truthfully, I only cared that one meal a day packed a nutritional punch.

Here’s the exact smoothie that I made for Bob and he loved it! I also make this for my mom most mornings and have peace of mind knowing she’s getting a major dose of nutrients!

*You need to purchase a blender if you don’t already own one.

Here’s what you do:

Add frozen organic peaches and pineapple to the blender.(Use frozen so you don’t have to dilute your smoothie with ice.) Next add ½ of a banana (filled with potassium). Squeeze the juice of ½ lemon. (Make sure to omit the seeds.)

Add 1 scoop of Brown Rice Protein Powder. (It’s easily digestible. You can also use Pea Protein Powder. Whey is harder on the digestive system. (See above for my favorite brand. I use Vanilla flavor.)

Next add some high-quality organic Greek Yogurt. (about ½ cup). I use Fage. (see photo.) Add about 1 cup (depending upon the thickness you prefer) of Almond Milk to the blender. (If allergic to nuts, then don’t use this. Use Rice Milk (plain or vanilla).

Throw in some ground flax seeds (high in Omega 3’s). The ones I use are pictured above. If you want to add an extra punch of nutrients, add a Persian cucumber, celery stalk and maybe some Italian parsley. (Not everyone will like the greenish color of the smoothie, but you won’t be able to taste the veggies. I promise! If your loved one is on Coumadin, then green stuff is out.)

Now blend for about 30-45 seconds. This single smoothie is full of nutrients. Serve in small amounts as it is filling. It’s a great snack as well.

Here’s to good health. By the way….this also really good for YOU – the CAREGIVER!

Share the care:

Caregiving & Football

Posted February 6th, 2012 by Cindy Laverty

Yesterday I was watching the Super Bowl and at some point in the game I was struck by the similarities between football and caregiving. Now don’t think I’ve lost my mind. I was rooting for the Patriots, but it wasn’t their day. It was evident if you watched the game that Eli Manning, quarterback for the Giants, had a much stronger team supporting him during the Super Bowl. This is not to say that Tom Brady didn’t have an outstanding team, only that on Sunday, February 5, 2012, he didn’t get the kind of support he needed. I watched him dodging tackles and doing everything to avoid getting sacked. It’s hard to lead the team when you are running for your life. It’s hard to keep your wits about you. Tom Brady is very skilled at keeping his wits about him, but even he has challenging days and this year’s Superbowl was one of those days.

Caregiving and football are similar. When you are caregiver, you are the leader of the team. The success or failure of this journey rests on your shoulders; and it’s a heavy responsibility. Your team consists of the person needing care, doctors, nurses, accountants, lawyers, family members, outside forces, a home to keep in tact, prescription medicine, dietary needs, organization, insurance claims, and any surprises that might present themselves to you along the way. It’s a very complicated team and it doesn’t always operate as a unified force; in fact usually, it doesn’t. So imagine what happens when someone tries to do caregiving ALONE – with no team in place; with no family support; with no outside help; without communicating with doctors; without asking for help. Imagine what that is like. I’m betting most people reading this can very well imagine, because most people have never set up a TEAM!

Here’s the thing: it’s not easy to get a good team in place; let alone a great team. It takes time, energy, persistence, clarity, a willingness to lead and an ability to bend and change as needed. It requires you to not take “no” for an answer. It requires you to say “I love you” when you are the most frustrated. It demands that you hold up in the face of adversity. It calls upon you when you think you have nothing left, but you find out you do. It requires that you be the ultimate leader. Setting up your support team when you are a caregiver will save your health, your emotional strength and your physical stamina. It will save your life. I know, because I tried to do caregiving alone and I almost lost my life. And then I put a team in place and I worked with my team and I trusted that my team would be there for me and in effect, I won the Super Bowl…my Super Bowl, but we won. We all won. Our season lasted for six years, 365 days a year, 24/7 care and we didn’t have an off season. We showed up and we played every day. We showed up and we did our best every day. We showed up because we worked cooperatively as a team. We didn’t have to be perfect; we just had to show up and do our best. And when our season ended we knew that we had played our hearts out; given it our all; gave the best we had to give to someone who needed our help and we felt like winners in our own Super Bowl of caregiving.

Caregiving is easier when you have a TEAM and yes, caregiving IS a lot like football.

Share the care: