I get lots of advice to seek help with all of this, and guess what? I do get help! I recognized early on that trying to do this all by myself was a surefire recipe for rapid burnout, so when I had offers of help, I accepted them. Caring for Heather is not a burden; Read More
Tag: reality of dementia
Using tech in dementia care
I’m a self-admitted tech nerd. I’ve been an early adopter since the very first PCs were available, and I love buying new stuff—from action cameras to Apple products or oddball geeky items that catch my attention. So naturally, I’ve adopted some tech to help with the dementia caregiving job. GPS tracking with Life360 When this Read More
Micro-Frustrations: A Daily Reality
Beyond the big daily challenges, there are also the micro-frustrations. I’m usually pretty good about staying calm and maintaining an even keel, but this morning I “lost it.” In my world, that means I experienced a burst of angry frustration that I mostly kept to myself. After returning from the McDonald’s drive-through, where we got Read More
Code Brown mornings – how a quiet morning can unexpectedly change to full throttle caregiving
Oh, how I cherish those mornings when I can quietly slip downstairs, savour a cup of coffee, and catch up on my iPad in peace. This morning started just like that, a blissful 45 minutes of solitude and relaxation. But then, I heard the familiar sound of footsteps on the floorboards. Heather was up, wandering Read More
RIP Heather’s Glasses
What now? She often leaves her glasses on the bed… I believed it was harmless enough but this is what I saw this morning. This is where the Backup Glasses came in. Note to self: Always keep one or two previous pairs in a drawer… you do that too right? This leaves me thinking, what Read More
The Great Slowing Down of Life
Do you remember those days when time seemed boundless, when you could dictate your schedule and pursue your passions without hesitation? The luxury of leisurely mornings, the thrill of diving into hobbies and projects—it all feels like a distant memory for most of us. Once filled with busy and fun activities and personal pursuits, life Read More
Challenges – the current state of affairs at just under three years
It seems like a good idea to spell out to you exactly how Heather is functioning in day-to-day life. I see so many Alzheimer’s and dementia webpages and guides that talk about coping mechanisms and tools that caregivers can use to help their people. Things like simple calendars with big dates, phones with just numbers Read More
