Archive for January, 2009

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The term “sandwich generation” refers to people who find themselves raising children and providing caregiving services to their elderly parents or other aging relatives. The burden of providing care for both young and old can have a tremendous impact on the care provider’s own health and their relationships with children, parents and spouses. The Pew Research Center reports that up to 1 in 8 Americans are current members of the sandwich generation, and that number will only grow as America’s elderly population is likely to double by the year 2030.

For more information about senior living and senior care resources in Atlanta, please visit Atlanta senior living.

Do you care for both children and elderly relatives? How do you handle the burden of caring for both the young and the aged? Do you have any advice for others who find themselves part of the sandwich generation?

Continue reading Are you part of the “sandwich generation”? »

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A co-worker of mine employs an in-home caregiver to help take care of her 80-year-old mother. The CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) is currently paid $12 per hour, 30 hours a week. Lately, the CNA has indicated she would like an increase in pay and hours. Unfortunately, due to the faltering economy, the family cannot pay any more than the current rate or provide the CNA with additional hours.

Do you think $12 an hour is a fair rate? Are you struggling to pay for outside help to provide caregiving services for your relatives?

Continue reading How much should you pay an in-home caregiver? »

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This week, we published Caregiving journey changed my life, Jacqueline Marcell’s poignant tale of the lessons she learned while providing care for her elderly parents. Her difficult, painful but ultimately rewarding experience as a caregiver caused her to write a book called Elder Rage. Marcell discusses first hand the difficulties in getting an accurate diagnosis of senior dementia or Alzheimer’s, the conflict that can arise when the roles change in the parent-child relationship and how to manage your own stress when providing care for loved ones.

Have you had to be a caregiver for an elderly relative who was diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s? What was your experience like? Do you have advice for others in this situation?

Continue reading How do you cope with elder rage? »

Courtesy of Jacqueline Marcell

Former television executive and author of “Elder Rage” Jacqueline Marcell shares her experience of caring for her elderly parents:

For eleven years I pleaded with my elderly father to allow a caregiver to help him with my ailing mother, but after 55 years of loving each other – he adamantly insisted on taking care of her himself. Every caregiver I hired to help him sighed in exasperation, “Jacqueline, I just can’t work with your father – his temper is impossible to handle. I don’t think you’ll be able to get him to accept help until he’s on his knees himself.”

My father had always been 90% great, but boy-oh-boy that bad temper was a doozy. He’d never turned it on me before, but then again – I’d never gone against his wishes either. When my mother nearly died from an infection caused by his inability to continue to care for her, I immediately flew from Southern California to San Francisco to save her life – having no idea that in the process it …

Continue reading Caregiving journey changed my life »