Caregiver Activities for the Week

Monday: Today I want you to think about the major stressors in your life and write them down. After making a list of what stresses you, look over it and think about what it is you can do to help minimize your stress. Many times we create stress ourselves, so we can eliminate it ourselves as well.

Tuesday: Too often as a caregiver we are so concerned about the person's well being we are caring for that we begin to stop taking care of ourselves. Do something for yourself today. This can be making a nice healthy meal for yourself today instead of eating out, taking your time getting ready and not rushing, exercising, etc.

Wednesday: Today I want you to think of an activity that would be fun for you and your loved one to do together.

Thursday: Wayne Sotile said, "There will be enough time to do it all but not all at once." Take a few minutes to think about this quote and write down how it makes you feel and take a few minutes to prioritize and decide what you can accomplish today.

Friday: Today I want you to think of a time when you were frustrated and what you did to calm yourself down. Write down what it was and next time you are feeling frustrated do that activity to calm yourself down. This could be counting to ten, taking deep breaths, talking to a friend, etc.

Saturday: Go outside today and enjoy nature.

Sunday: Write out your activities and errands you need to get done next week.

Travel Destinations for seniors on a budget

Does your loved want to go on a vacation? Are they on a tight budget? Below are a few destination ideas for the senior on a budget. You can even make it a trip for both of you, a change of scenery is always nice and refreshing.



· Branson, Missouri: Branson is primarily known for their theme park, Silver Dollar City, but there are a lot more activities to do that are senior friendly and inexpensive.
o Go enjoy the scenery and the water at Table Rock Lake
o Take a tour of Table Rock Lake by taking a Ride the Ducks tour. This is a 70 minute boat ride for $19 (discounted rate for seniors).
o There are free tours at the Stone Hill Winery. Tours start every 15 minutes and last for about an hour. The Stone Hill Winery is wheelchair accessible.
o There are many different shopping outlets to walk around and do a little shopping

· New Orleans, Louisiana: New Orleans isn’t just for Mardi Gras. New Orleans’s French heritage makes it a very interesting and fascinating place.
o Musee Conti Wax Museum depicts the history of New Orleans and the Louisiana territory. Cost is only $6.25 (discounted rate for seniors)
o The Cabildo is a historic landmark that has exhibits open for tours. Admission is $5 (senior discount rate).
o If the water world is something you enjoy stop by the Aquarium of the Americas.

· Las Vegas, Nevada: Las Vegas is not just for gamblers and party goers, there are a multitude of other activities to do in this city.
o There is a lot of places to shop if that’s what you enjoy doing. One of the famous streets to walk along is Freemont Street.
o There are golf courses such as Badlands Golf Course for the golf lovers in your life.
o Some of the most entertaining things to do in Las Vegas are free. For example watching the fountains at the Bellagio and just walking around and people watching.

Caregiver Activities for the Week

Here is your new set of caregiver activities to try!

Monday: Today write down your favorite thing you have experienced during the time you have been a caregiver. This could be something you have discovered about yourself or just a happy memory you have shared with your loved one.

Tuesday: Eleanor Roosevelt said, " You gain strength, experience and confidence by every experience where you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you cannot do." Write down your first reaction when you read this quote.

Wednesday: Write down a list of things that are difficult for you to take care of as a caregiver. Review your list and see if there are other people that can assist you with them or if you can let go of any of the things on your list.

Thursday: Do something that relaxes you like go for a swim, read, or just take a walk.

Friday: Next time someone tells you to let them know if they can help don't ignore them. Think of something they can do that would relieve some of your stress and ask them. After all they did offer to help so why not take them up on it.

Saturday: Do an activity today that you used to do on the weekends but haven't made the time to do lately. If you had lunch with your friends on the weekend or liked to go to the movies or get your hair done, go do that! Arrange for someone to come and stay with your loved one for a few hours giving you some time to yourself. It will make you feel a lot better.

Sunday: Sit down and write down your schedule for the next week. Organizing your activities and having a specific plan set can be a great stress reducer. Don't forget to schedule a little time for yourself!

As always you can move these activities around to work best with your schedule.

Are meds hurting your loved ones? by Jolynn Officer

Today I want to talk a little bit about polypharmacy and how to make sure that your loved one doesn't suffer the effects of it.

The Department of Health and Human Services designates polypharmacy as the principal medication safety issue for seniors. What’s polypharmacy? It is typically defined as the concurrent use of 5 drugs by the same person. Polypharmacy contributes to confusion, falls, incontinence, urinary retention and malaise. These symptoms may cause physicians to prescribe yet another medication. 75% of adverse drug reactions that require hospitalization are due to inadequate monitoring, inappropriate prescribing of medications and lack of patient education and compliance. Seniors are at greater risk because of normal physiological changes such as decreased renal and hepatic function that can change the way meds are processed. Potential for adverse reaction is 6% when 2 medications are taken, 50% with 5 medications and 100% with 8 medications. Multiple medications increase the possibility of drug-drug –disease interactions

So how to help your medication work for you and not against you: If you have several doctors make sure each know all the medications you are taking. Keep a list of all your medications and update every few months. Make sure a trusted friend or relative also has a list of your meds. Use the same pharmacy for all medications. Use your pharmacist as a resource and jot down questions you may have related to your medications. If your pharmacy does not council you when you fill a new prescription, change pharmacies. And lastly, always go over every medication with your physician at each visit. If your have any unusual symptoms, no matter how slight be sure and notify your physician as soon as possible.
.

Weekly Caregiver Activities

Now that you have your journal and have done your first entry let's get to the next activity. Each week I will post a week's worth of activities for you to do. You can do as many or as few as you want, and can change the order to fit your schedule if necessary.

Tuesday- Do something today that you love to do, but have not had as much time to do lately. This can be going on a walk, reading a book, etc. Afterward take a few moments to write about how you feel.

Wednesday-Write down what you have learned about yourself during your caregiver experience. This can be positive or negative.

Thursday-Mary Poole said, "He who laughs, lasts." So take some time to experience something today that makes you laugh.

Friday- Call a friend today that you have not gotten to talk to much lately.

Saturday- Go outside and take a walk. Enjoy the sun.

Sunday- Take five minutes and just write down what you are feeling at that moment. Putting your feelings on paper is a nice release.


I hope these small exercises reduce any stress you may be experiencing.

Caregiver Activity of the Day

I have talked a little bit about caregiver burnout, and how necessary it is to make time for yourself. I want to talk more about what activities you can do for a few minutes each day to relieve some stress. Writing is a great activity that does not take long at all to do.

One thing I urge you to do today is go out and buy a journal or a notebook. Your first acitivity to do in your new journal is write down what your feelings are today. Expressing your feelings on paper is a very healthy exercise. Writing down your feelings can help you discover some things about yourself you may not have known. It is also a good way to vent, if that's needed, without hurting anyone's feelings.

I will be posting a new activity for you to do in your journal each week. Please feel free to post any ideas or comments you have.

Quote of the week

I recently heard a caregiver quote that former first lady Rosalynn Carter who said.... "There are only four kinds of people in this world, those who have been caregivers, thos who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers."

I thought this was a great quote and wanted to share it with you in case you haven't yet heard it.

Caregiver's Bill of Rights

I recently read the Caregiver's Bill of Rights written by Jo Horne and wanted to post it here for everyone to read.

I have the right:

• To take care of myself. This is not an act of selfishness. It will give me the capability of taking better care of my loved one.
• To seek help from others even though my loved ones may object. I recognize the limits of my own endurance and strength.
• To maintain facets of my own life that do not include the person I care for, just as I would if he or she were healthy. I know that I do everything that I reasonably can for this person, and I have the right to do something just for myself.
• To take pride in what I am accomplishing and to applaud the courage it has sometimes taken to meet the needs of my loved one.
• To protect my individuality and my right to make a life for myself that will sustain me in the time when my loved one no longer need my full-time help.
• To expect and demand that as new strides are made in finding resources to aid physically and mentally impaired persons in our country, similar strides will be made toward aiding and supporting caregivers.
• To get angry, be depressed, and express other difficult feelings occasionall.
• To reject any attempts by my loved one (either conscious or unconscious) to manipulate me through guilt, and/or depression.
• To receive consideration, affection, forgiveness, and acceptance for what I do, from my loved ones, for as long as I offer these qualities in return.

Print this off and read it from time to time to remind yourself of the rights every caregiver has.