There are many chances to explore new information when the door is open to people’s life journey and the adventures that happen along the way.

www.lifebio.com/communities.htm—for communities

http://www.lifebio.com/—for individuals

Caregiving is tough for everyone, and believe it or not, it’s sometimes even harder on men than it is on women. The fact is, society has stereotyped men has protectors, not nurturers – so they often worry that caregiving won’t come naturally to them. The good news is, you’re not alone. Studies show that 40% of the caregiving population is actually men. Here are some of the common challenges that these male caregivers face, and how you can conquer them:

Delegation. Many men don’t like to ask for help; others don’t even know how to recognize that they need it in the first place. But you need to treat caregiving the way you would any job – no one (not even Superman!) can do it alone. Make a list of your duties, and assign what you can to family members and close friends. Share this list with them and set clear expectations in terms of what needs to be accomplished.
Communication. This doesn’t always come easily, but caregiving can take a tremendous toll on the body AND the mind -  so it’s important to talk openly about how you’re feeling. Whether with friends, a support group or therapist – an outlet for your frustrations is key. If you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t expect to be able to effectively take care of others.
Conflicts at work. Many men (and women, for that matter) avoid bringing their personal situations into the workplace, fearing loss of respect or even losing their job if they need to take time off work for their caregiving duties. But the fact is that many of today’s businesses understand that caregiving has become a major factor in their employees’ lives, and are stepping up their efforts to provide support. Some have even instituted policies such as telecommuting, flexible hours, split shifts and flex spending accounts for caregiver services. Find out what your company offers to see if it can help bring some extra piece of mind.
No matter what the challenge, following your instincts and make sure to pay attention to the needs of your loved one.  Good luck!

Over the last 40 years, Dr. Marion (Marion Somers, Ph.D.) has worked with thousands of seniors and their caregivers as a geriatric care manager and elder care expert. It is now her goal to help caregivers everywhere through her book (“Elder Care Made Easier”), iPhone apps (www.elder911.net) web site, columns, public service announcements, and more. For more information, visit www.DrMarion.org

With Community blogs, you as a caregiver will be able to create a website devoted to updating family members and friends about health challenges to your patients.

Personal Care Records allow you to track important vitals and health conditions, while being able to freely communicate this information to healthcare providers.

More to come soon.

1. Ensure seniors have a chance to give back to the community. They have been caring for others their whole lives so this is a time when they still may want to be volunteering and doing for others as well. Give older adults the opportunity to connect with youth in the community. Seniors have their rich and interesting life stories to give, and the younger person gains more from this living history than any history book. We’ve found that young people’s lives are changed from hearing these stories (they realize how lucky they are) and they appreciate the older generation so much more.  LifeBio’s Connect program could help bring youth and adults together with reminiscence tools and training.

2. Bring everyday life into the daily experience and highlight what certain people love. So maybe everyone doesn’t enjoy stamp collecting, but a resident named Bill sure does. Cookie cutter activities just don’t work for everyone. There’s no reason why you can’t focus on Bill’s love of stamp collecting and think about ways to make his day or week—while at the same time involving other residents in learning about his joy during that time. Perhaps you bring in an unusual speaker—someone who knows the history of stamps to present some history on this topic or tour the local post office. One-on-one visits could involve letter writing—and choosing a beautiful stamp for the letter. NOTE: The best way to find out about Bill’s love of stamp collecting may be by listening to his life story first. The Life Story Journal or Memory Journal could help.

3. Bridge the gap between family and residents. Frankly, they do not know what to do when they come to visit. They don’t know what to say. It’s your job to help them have a project…or something to talk about that isn’t the “same old, same old” stuff. Instead of the big four: weather, health, sports, and food (“How was breakfast?” or “How’s your knee feel today?” is really no fun to talk about anyway. YAWN). It will work well for you to provide conversation starters or other reminiscence ideas to involve the children and grandchildren in the life of their loved one. When it’s FUN to visit, they will want to visit more often. And that’s good for you and it’s very good for them! The resident and his or her family can make a Storyboard display or use Story Cards with thought-provoking “outside the box” autobiography questions as visiting ideas. 

Enjoy your time with each person—celebrate each person’s amazing uniqueness. He or she has gifts to share; especially their life stories. Even with some memory loss, many older people remember their childhood years like it was yesterday; so it’s a good thing to talk about. Share your life with them and they will share their lives with you.  Your job is so important, for you are the community builder and the love giver.

If you would like more information on LifeBio’s Certified Community program, please call 937-303-4574 or email info@lifebio.com. http://www.lifebio.com/communities.htm