Family caregivers make many sacrifices to support their loved ones. While provincial health coverage covers most medical expenses and some of us have supplemental coverage, there are still many additional expenses that we end up being responsible for covering on our...
The Caregiver Space Facebook account has received numerous violation notices, accusing us of lying about where we're operating from, spreading misinformation, encouraging violence and suicide, and making threats. This is, unfortunately, a fact of life when platforms...
Scarleteen has a fantastic collection of articles on sex and disability. While I typically only share resources about care work or directed to the person whose role is primarily as the caregiver, there are so few quality resources discussing this topic that it feels...
So many people in the groups are facing caregiving situations where it's impossible for them to do what's required to meet the needs of the people in their lives. Accepting that we can't do it all isn't an option when the lives of people we love hang in the balance....
At The Caregiver Space we work really hard to support each other. We have our online support groups so you can connect with each other. But what about when you want to talk to someone now and no one's online? [Tweet "Need to talk NOW? Here's where to get support"]...
Do you want a hotline to call so you can have someone to talk you through your caregiving situation? There's no one global hotline for family care workers. There are several help lines for caregivers in different regions around the world. UK Carers UK offers...
Willpower is overrated. When people talk about changing their behavior, they often place a lot of hope on simply not doing the thing they want to stop doing. It's not very effective and there are other ways to change your behavior that are much more pleasant....
One of the things I hear all the time is that people's friends and family just don't understand what they're going through as a caregiver. I also am told all the time how "only another caregiver can understand." The sad fact is, a lot of other caregivers don't...
Is someone you care about cutting themselves? This guide to supporting someone who’s engaged in non-suicidal self harm helps you understand their behavior, how to support them, and how to support yourself.
Providing support to a critically ill, disabled, or frail family member goes far beyond providing emotional support. Often it comes with significant financial sacrifices. Many people wonder if there is a way to get paid to be a caregiver to a family member. The answer...
I picked up Kelly McGonigal's The Upside of Stress assuming I would skim it for a few interesting ideas, but probably not finish it. This was based on having seen her TEDx talk, which I watched as a participant in a TEDx Circle. The idea of framing stress as a healthy...
So often the duties of caregiving fall on a single family member, even when there are other people who are equally responsible for providing care. Sure, it can make sense for one person to serve as the point person when dealing with complicated medical and financial...
I'd just finished Muriel Gillick's Old and Sick in America, an eye-opening 'narrative tour' of the US eldercare system and its recent history, when her latest book, The Caregiver's Encyclopedia landed on my desk. Gillick understand the eldercare system as well as...
One of the easiest ways to keep marginalized people at home is to prevent them from accessing bathrooms. Removing washrooms from public parks and beaches keeps non-residents out. Ensuring that only paying customers can legally pee is an easy way to get rid of people...
Dr. James Gordon can attest that anyone who works in healthcare comes to work with many caregivers. His focus has been on developing mind-body medicine to use self-care to make recovery from trauma and depression accessible to all. Since the release of the DSM III,...
It can be rough to navigate the maze of enforced holiday cheer. Especially if you have a complicated relationship with your family or are having a difficult time managing and can't handle the thought of more responsibilities on top of that. Because that's what...
There are a lot of articles out there telling you how to talk to your family about death as if it's a complicated thing to do that requires special care and attention. It doesn't. I wonder about the personal lives of the people who write advice about setting up a...
Americans have a very particular understanding of history. So many history books are catalogs of military actions. Cultural histories focus on the market economy and the lives of famous. Which is perhaps why we have so little understanding of what the lives of our...
Can you be grateful while demanding more? Is it possible to admire and acknowledge the dedication and passion of someone's work while believing it's a distraction from real progress? Can someone's work be both absolutely vital and movement in the wrong direction? Last...
I hate when people ask me what I do. You know what I mean, when someone at a party turns to you and asks 'so what do you do?' and they're just asking to pass time. Or maybe they're deciding if I'd be a useful LinkedIn connection or maybe this is a first date that's...
Perhaps you have also reached the point where you involuntarily twitch when someone reminds you to put your own oxygen mask on first. Do you also feel a little flash of anger when you are subject to this caregiving cliche? This admonishment never comes with an offer...
How do you show that you care when a friend’s grieving the loss of a loved one? I share thoughtful ways to demonstrate support, regardless of distance and budget, from our community of current and former family caregivers.
What makes caregiving so overwhelming? One factor is just how complex caregiving is. This incredible complexity can be a barrier to making changes to improve your situation, since how can you decide where to focus your energy and build support if you can't see your...
Donna Thompson and Zachary White have been busy working on their upcoming book, due out in June, The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation From Loved One to Caregiver. The book is available to pre-order now. They teamed up with animation artists Eric...