Allison Powell

I live off of food from Trader Joe's. I spend my life in a cubicle, a la Office Space. I'm kind of obsessed with the internet. Confession: I take care of people but don't identify as a caregiver.
#WeAllCare

#WeAllCare

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAfEvHQ5ZNc Three amazing women share their caregiving stories. Join the conversation: http://www.caringacrossamerica.com & sign the #WeAllCare pledge: http://www.caringacrossamerica.com/pl.... Brought to you by Caring Across...

The perfect gift for every caregiver

The perfect gift for every caregiver

How do you say thank you to the person who goes above and beyond? Honestly, there's no way to express thanks for what they do through a gift. The best way to thank a caregiver is with your time and appreciation. Deliver a meal (or a bunch of frozen meals!) Pick things...

The dangerous topic of appreciation

The dangerous topic of appreciation

Does the person who you caregive for appreciate what you do? It's a dangerous question to ask, isn't it? But we're asking it anyway. Perhaps they appreciate us, but they aren't good at expressing it or we aren't good at accepting it. Or perhaps they really do feel...

Who we’re taking care of

Who we’re taking care of

Caregiving effects everyone. Our community members are taking care of many different people with many different conditions and ability levels. Who are you taking care of? My son. He just turned 18 last week. Autistic. Nonverbal, not toilet trained. He's 6'5 and 180...

What we’re overthinking

What we’re overthinking

As caregivers, we find ourselves simultaneously impossibly busy and spending lots of time waiting around. We're exhausted, but then we're up all night staring at the ceiling. What's keeping you up these days? All the work that needs to be done to the house. I'm in...

How caregivers cope with stress

How caregivers cope with stress

Coping with stress is a constant challenge for caregivers. Coping mechanisms that are actually realistic for caregivers is a pretty frequent topic of conversation. Here are some of the suggestions that came up recently. Small treats After the day I had, tonight it was...

Home modification tips and tricks

Home modification tips and tricks

We asked the community if they'd modified their home in order to better accommodate the person they cared for. The most common additions were: Shower bars Grip tape on stairs Bed rails Shower seat Stair lift Elevated toilet seat Video baby monitor Wireless doorbell...

Where can you find caregiver support?

Where can you find caregiver support?

We asked our community members what the best source of caregiver support they've found is. While we could all use more support, here's what's helpful. Facebook I am the lone wolf taking care of her now. I feel just left to completely be in a silent world.can't get out...

Lifting patients, safely

Lifting patients, safely

Caregivers are at risk for back injuries. That's a fact. People who've never done it might imagine caregiving is holding hands, making soup, and saying reassuring things. If only! Caregiving can be incredibly physically demanding. Getting someone in and out of bed...

How I keep going

How I keep going

Resilience. Tenacity. Strength. Toughness. Whatever you want to call it, caregivers need it. It's that thing about your personality where shit is exploding all around you and you just roll with it. Roll up your sleeves and get to it, every day, no matter what. Inner...

All caregivers deserve support

All caregivers deserve support

I've been watching our Facebook page get taken over by a bunch of school yard bullies over the past few months. It's a pretty confusing thing to see for a support group. Living in Florida, I've gotten an up close and personal view of Trump lighting people up. It's...

Selling the family home in a down market

Selling the family home in a down market

Here's a tough situation quite a few caregivers find themselves in: being responsible for selling a home that's not in great shape. What do you do when no one seems interested in buying and you can't afford to keep it? Q My sister and I inherited the house we grew up...

Podcasts to help you get to sleep

Podcasts to help you get to sleep

Getting to sleep when you're dealing with the stress and anxiety of caregiving -- and anticipating your next interruption -- is no easy feat. Luckily, there are podcasts to help you slip back into slumber. Here are a few I've tried and found helpful. Sleep With Me: A...

The bath time struggle

The bath time struggle

It's a pretty common problem: the person you're caring for is refusing to bathe. Here's advice from other caregivers on how to keep everyone clean, safe, and happy. What's normal to them We have to remember that more than likely "back in the day" your father did not...

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