Reflecting on Your Caregiving Journey

Live chat with expert: Aaron Blight

Caregivers are often so focused on the daily tasks of caregiving that they rarely have time to reflect on their role as a caregiver and how it changes over time. For many, caregiving is a multi-year journey and one that can start to feel overwhelming. Regular reflection can help caregivers change their mindset and transform their caregiving experience. Join Dr. Lakelyn Hogan as she talks with author and caregiving consultant Dr. Aaron Blight to learn:

  • How to check assumptions about caregiving.
  • Ways to identify opportunities to improve the situation. 
  • Methods of reflection that can help individuals learn about themselves and improve their caregiving experience.

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Religion, Spirituality and Dementia

Live chat with expert: David Troxel

Religion and spirituality play a significant role in the lives of many. People living with dementia may lose the ability to initiate beloved spiritual activities. As care partners, we must ask how we can keep our loved ones connected to past traditions and rituals, whether it be a favorite prayer, hymn or strolling through nature. Join Dr. Lakelyn Hogan, Gerontologist and Caregiver Advocate for Home Instead® and dementia care expert, David Troxel, for a conversation about spiritual connection for loved ones and care partners. 

Caregivers can learn:  

  • The importance of religion and spirituality and the difference between them. 
  • How to help maintain important rituals. 
  • Tips for activities that support spirituality and religion. 

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Practical Tips to Manage Medication

Live chat with expert: Kyle Decker

Caregivers often play a vital role in managing their loved one’s medications. However, ensuring that all meds are taken properly and at the right time can be overwhelming. As the number of prescription medications a person takes increases, challenges with medication management and potential health risks also rise. Developing a medication management system or routine that works for the caregiver and the care recipient is critical. Dr. Lakelyn Hogan, Gerontologist and Caregiver Advocate for Home Instead® will talk with Pharmacist Kyle Decker of Simple Meds® and share tips for improving medication management.

Caregivers can learn:

  • Potential risks of medication mismanagement
  • How strengthening the role of family members can reduce the potential for medication risks
  • Tips and resources to feel confident when managing medication

 

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Alzheimer’s Caregiving During Covid-19: A Year in Review

Live chat with expert: Stephanie J. Monroe and Ginny Biggar

We have officially crossed the one-year mark since the COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. While the pandemic has significantly impacted us all, those living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers have experienced devastating effects. New survey results released by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s (UsA2) A-LIST® revealed that 72% of caregivers observed a decline in their loved ones’ memory or behaviors since the start of the pandemic. 84% of caregivers also reported having one or more stress symptoms and 81% reported feeling more isolated.  

Join Home Instead gerontologist and caregiver advocate Dr. Lakelyn Hogan as she talks with Ginny Biggar and Stephanie Monroe from UsA2 as they review how the pandemic has impacted dementia family caregivers and lessons learned for the future. We’ll review: 

  • Results of the UsA2 A-LIST® survey on the impact the pandemic had on individuals living with dementia and their caregivers. 
  • Challenges specific to dementia family caregivers during the pandemic. 
  • Tips for family caregivers as they continue to navigate COVID-19. 
  • Ways the pandemic will impact the future of dementia caregiving.

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Caregiving During a Pandemic: A Year in Review

Live chat with expert: C. Grace Whiting

Live Chat with expert: C. Grace Whiting 

It is hard to believe the COVID-19 pandemic has been impacting the world for well over a year. Many family caregivers’ lives were turned upside down and many individuals found themselves in a caregiving role for the first time. While we have all experienced challenges, we’ve also learned resiliency, new skills and the importance of connection.  

Join Home Instead gerontologist and caregiver advocate Dr. Lakelyn Hogan as she talks with caregiving expert C. Grace Whiting from the National Alliance for Caregiving as they review how the pandemic has impacted caregivers and lessons learned for the future of caregiving. Join to learn:  

  • The impact of the pandemic on family caregiving and older adults 
  • Silver linings that have emerged for aging adults and caregivers 
  • Tips for family caregivers as they continue to navigate COVID-19 
  • Ways the pandemic will impact caregiving going forward

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Finding the Joy in Caregiving

Live chat with expert: Loretta Woodward Veney

Live Chat with expert: Loretta Veney 

Caregiving can have highs and lows, which is often described as a roller coaster of emotions. For those in the caregiving role, it can be easy to get weighed down with the day-to-day challenges. Layering on a global pandemic has added stress and new challenges to the full plate of family caregivers. However, it is possible to find joy even during the difficulties of caregiving. Join Home Instead gerontologist and caregiver advocate Dr. Lakelyn Hogan as she talks with family caregiving expert Loretta Veney about finding and embracing the joy in caregiving. 

Topics covered in this live chat include: 

  • Suggestions on how to recognize and embrace moments of joy. 
  • Tips for getting your daily dose of joy. 
  • Ways to replace challenges with joy. 
  • Ideas for self-care and preventing burnout.

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Prepare to Care

Live chat with expert: Lakelyn Hogan and April Ibarra

Live Chat with expert: Lakelyn Hogan and April Ibarra

Caregiving is not something that most people plan for. Unfortunately, families are often thrown into the role as a result of a crisis but there is much families can do to proactively prepare to care. Talking with aging loved ones and helping them create a plan for how they want to live out their later stages of life, provides older adults with more control and freedom. It also can help to ensure that their wishes are communicated, so when they need more help, family and friends will know what is important to them, and why.

Join Home Instead Gerontologists Lakelyn Hogan, Ph.D. and April Ibarra as they discuss what caregivers should be planning for, including:

  • Key conversations to have with aging loved ones on health, safety, independence, finances and end of life wishes
  • What to expect as older adults progress from independence to needing more support
  • The options for care and professional support
  • Communication tips to engage in these important conversations

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Caregiving in Crisis

Live chat with expert: Lisa Winstel

November is National Family Caregivers Month – a time to recognize all that family caregivers do to keep loved ones healthy, safe and engaged. Did you know there are 53 million unpaid family caregivers in the U.S. and 61 percent of these caregivers are balancing the demands of caregiving and working? Many family caregivers experience financial strain, chronic health conditions and higher levels of stress than adults not in a caregiving role.

Join Home Instead gerontologist and caregiver advocate, Lakelyn Hogan, along with Lisa Winstel, Chief Operating Officer of Caregiver Action Network (CAN) to recognize and honor the selflessness of family caregivers and for an open discussion on what it means to be a family caregiver during a crisis like a global pandemic. Explore and learn:

  • The new realities that caregivers face during times of uncertainty
  • Resources to make caregiving a little easier during crisis
  • Tips to help plan ahead for short and long-term care needs
  • Self-care tips to keep family caregivers healthy

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What it Means to Live Well to the End

Live chat with expert: Shoshana Ungerleider

End of life is a part of life – a part of life to be honored and respected. For many older adults and their families, planning for end of life is not something either is looking forward to discussing, but proactively having these discussions can help older adults live well until the end.

Join Home Instead gerontologist and caregiver advocate, Lakelyn Hogan, along with Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider, physician and founder of End Well, an organization dedicated to helping people experience the end of life in a way that matches their values and goals, for a discussion on:

  • The importance of end of life planning and where to start
  • What it means to live well to the end
  • How communities and healthcare systems can work together to improve end of life experiences
  • How COVID-19 has shifted the conversation about end of life planning, grief and loss

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Alzheimer’s & Dementia in Communities of Color

Live chat with expert: Jason Resendez and Stephanie J. Monroe

Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias disproportionately affect African Americans and Latinos. In fact, 20 percent of Americans living with the disease are African Americans and Latinos are 1.5 times more likely to be diagnosed than non-Latino whites. Why are these communities of color more heavily impacted by dementia? Our partner, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s is a national advocacy organization dedicated to mobilizing advocates to demand a cure in deeply affected communities like those of African Americans, Latinos and women.

Join Home Instead gerontologist and caregiver advocate, Lakelyn Hogan, Jason Resendez, Director of the UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Center for Brain Health Equity and head of the LatinosAgainstAlzheimer’s Coalition, along with Stephanie J. Monroe, Director of Equity and Access and Executive Director of AfricanAmericansAgainstAlzheimer’s for a panel discussion on dementia in communities of color, including:

  • Why these communities see a higher dementia diagnosis
  • The need for a proactive approach for health equality
  • How we can all help decrease the disparity gap

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