Below is a compilation of posts Joy Loverde’s 2015 year in review from the EldercareABCBlog. If you missed them the first time, be sure to go back and catch up via her wisdom and great outlook on life and excellent caregiving support.
Joy started the year out with a post about risk taking. It’s 2015. Get ready to jump with Joy!
Joy wrote:
“The question that always gets me out of my rut is this: What’s the worst that can happen? When I write down my answers to that question, and see in black and white that I am fully capable of managing any challenges that come my way, I go for it. Another piece of the puzzle for me when making a “risky” choice is to seek the wisdom of my elderly friends who are over the age of eighty. These people are my forever trusted advisors and they have NEVER steered me wrong.Happy New Year, everybody!”
Later that Month, Joy wrote, “Moving a Reluctant Parent – Part 18 – and shared the ongoing story her Aunt and being there for her while she made the decision to sell her house. In this addition her Aunt has indeed sold the house.
In February she shared, “Like it or not we are judged by others” and wrote about the importance of communication skills and a great man to help if you may not excel in this area - Bill Moller.
At the end of February she wrote: Why Nobody in the Family Talks about Money
Here is a snippet:
“Historically, few people have had the experience of hearing parents and other family members talk about money as they were growing up. Turns out, not having role models who carved the way has a lot to do with keeping up the tradition of remaining silent. Unfortunately, family silence has serious negative financial consequences.”
In April Joy wrote a follow up, Joy Loverde Shares Tricks of the Trade: Part 2 to her last blog “Joy Loverde Shares Tricks of the Trade: Part 1” focused on a creative solution for financing the care of an aging parent. She wrote about three siblings who managed to cover the cost of their mother’s care in spite of being on extremely tight budgets.
Part 2 takes you down a different path looking at caregivers who creatively solve eldercare problems.
Time Flying by? Joy Loverde Offers Tips on Slowing it Down
Joy wrote: “In her Inc.com article, Jessica Stillman writes, “Our sense of time, it turns out, isn’t even. It’s dictated by how much information we need to process — more information spells more time, which is why our younger years, when we’re processing lots and lots of new stuff, seem to pass so slowly.” Ms. Stillman further explains that this basic idea was laid out by neuroscientist, Dr. David Eagleman, foremost researcher on time perception.
In other words, “the more familiar the world becomes, the less information your brain writes down, and the more quickly time seems to pass.”
So, that explains the why. Now what?”
In May Joy shared: Age of Disruption Tour - A Commercial
“What if nearly everything we know about aging is wrong?
On his 30-city tour, Dr. Bill Thomas encourages audiences of all ages to turn the tables on “Life’s Most Dangerous Game” and approach aging with the skill and enthusiasm it requires.
I attended Dr. Thomas’ Age of Disruption event last week and found it to be entertaining, visually stimulating, and highly educational.”
In June Joy wrote about some tasks she needed to complete for her Aunt in Moving a Reluctant Parent: The End (Part 19) and how her aunt is now enjoying her life in assisted living.
In Alzheimer’s Culture Change: Coming to a city near you
Joy’ presents some great ideas. She writes:
Nothing changes the game of life faster than the onset of dementia. Upon diagnosis, family caregivers regroup and redirect long-term care plans.
In this blog post, Joy shares her review of the book, Caregiver’s Journey by Todd F. Cope, RN. Here conclusion:
As I consider the intent of The Caregiver’s Journey and The Complete Eldercare Planner, while both books can stand alone, together they complement each other as useful tools for any caregiver.
Visit www.toddfcope.com for Stories Worth Remembering
In How’s the Water, Joy talks about life balance. She wrote:
“Sometimes (most times) we are the last one to know if life is out of balance. We are in so deep (like the goldfish in the photo) that we have no clue where we are deep in the scheme of things.
Everybody – at home and at work — tugs at our sleeve. They need. They ask. We give. We do. The phone rings, we pick it up without thinking. Somebody asks us to do something else, and we say “yes” as if we are on auto-pilot.”
Visit the link above to read her suggestions for regaining your life balance.
Creativity, Eldercare, and Caregiving: Are they related?
She shared: “Caregiving has become more and more integrated into my life – personally and professionally — and the lessons I’ve learned along the way (and the ones I’m still learning) seem like something my younger caregiver me would like to know.
Here in one thing I’ve come up with for advice to the early version of me and the caregiving process: Never underestimate the power of a creative outlet.”
In Joy’s last post for 2015, Joy wrote, Grandparents with Dementia: Take Charge and lovingly addresses family members who may get lost in the shuffle. The grandchildren!
“If you have recently been diagnosed with a dementia-related illness, the time is now to sit down with your grandchildren and read them When My Grammy Forgets, I Remember: A Child’s Perspective on Dementia by Toby Haberkorn.
In the author’s words, “Alzheimer’s and other dementia conditions are adult topics; but this book is written in a simple, straightforward manner that children ages 4 to 10 years old can understand. The lovely drawings convey the warmth and sensitivity of the family’s journey.”
Thank you Joy for sharing with everyone here on EldercareABCBlog.com throughout the year. We look forward to your 2016 blog posts. May 2016 be great year for you, your family and all those you help.