In an interview with my father, Paul Weidlinger, toward the end of his life, he told me how he...
Category: Baby Boom Generation
Born between 1946 to 1964, many in the Baby Boom Generation is aging out of the typical role of sandwich generation caregiving. Those caring for disabled children and siblings are planning to make sure they’ll always be taken care of. The number of baby boomers providing eldercare and spousal care is increasing. Some divorced baby boomers are providing care to exes. Many baby boomers are living with their own disabilities, chronic illnesses, and planning for aging.
Is a vacation for a caregiver even possible? Yes — here’s your new way to ‘travel’
Three hospitals. Four rehab centers and nursing homes. And 24/7 private home care in between. That...
A Gift? I’d Return My Mom’s Alzheimer’s If I Could
Though not technically estranged, our relationship was tenuous at best, stitched together only by...
Managing the Guilt that Arises From Caregiving
Guilt is an emotion that so many caregivers experience. It is one of the major challenges...
Death on her own terms
Debra wanted her affairs to be in order. Her small home was quiet, save for the beeps and...
Transport World: Have chart, will travel
Sue Smith is the host of Homerun on CBC Radio One. In December, her mother was diagnosed with...
Wheelchair Blues
You’d think I’d have gotten used to it after four years, ten neurosurgical operations,...
Turns out Mum still has a lot to teach us
Sue Smith, the host of CBC Montreal's Homerun, recently returned to work after an extended absence...
Lifestyle guru B. Smith has Alzheimer’s. Her husband has a girlfriend. Her fans aren’t having it.
20 years ago, when B. Smith was on TV, on the cover of magazines and books, when she had...
How I became a health care advocate
I was a successful health care lobbyist and grant writer before I lost my job from my law...
Cliche? Get out of this rut. It’s mine!
"I never thought I would be doing this. I didn't know it would be THIS hard." I've heard these...
This quiet hour
I need to wash my hair And take a shower But here I sit Enjoying this quiet hour I need to put up...
When you have a serious hereditary disease, who has a right to know?
Genetic diagnosis is getting ever more sophisticated. But as doctors uncover diseases that are...
The Other Girl
Not near as sexy as it sounds. The ability to identify my sister and I by name left Mom a long...
The most challenging job I’ve had to do
My toughest job with the most responsibility is as my husband’s caregiver. It’s not what I signed...
#WeAllCare
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAfEvHQ5ZNc Three amazing women share their caregiving stories....
Helping a Loved One With Memory Issues Convey Accurate Information to Their Doctor
In the last few days 2 people have come to me for advice about an aging parent with memory issues...
“I hate you every day.”
You know, as you do. This week I dropped Mom off at her Wednesday afternoon respite. She was not...
Late-Life Love
If late-life love cannot make us invulnerable to everyday misfortunes, what conceivable purpose...
I Need to Have a Life
When you become a caregiver, the care recipient’s needs become part of your life. If you’re not...
Unlocked And Loaded: Families Confront Dementia And Guns
With a bullet in her gut, her voice choked with pain, Dee Hill pleaded with the 911 dispatcher for...
A Caregiver’s Lament
It's here again. That strangled feeling. That desire to shake Mom off me. To push her away. To...
Caregivers are Always Learning: Part of Our Days, Part of Our Lives
I’m not a nurse, but some days I feel like I’m earning a nursing degree on the job. Becoming my...
How Does Your Caregiving Role Impact Your Relationship With Your Significant Other?
Many times when you become a caregiver you have a set of expectations regarding the tasks you will...