Caregiver Corner

What if someone offered you and your loved ones a way to significantly cut your chances of getting sick this season? From foodborne illness and other infections to respiratory illnesses, like colds and flu, and diarrheal illness... No gimmicks, no pills, and very low cost. Would you do it? ...

Over-the-counter medications are readily available and often perceived as harmless. OTC meds may seem like easy fixes for insomnia and other common health problems. But they may be affecting other parts of your brain-body function and can pose serious risks. ...

Sleep disturbances can really drag you down. If you want to improve your sleep, the most powerful tools are free and worth trying. Light, timing, temperature and consistency are key. Our bodies want to be in our natural rhythms but require the right signals.  ...

As caregivers, we are always ON. Carrying a cell phone means we are permanently accessible. Anticipating emergency calls or checking for missed calls or notifications creates a constant, low-grade "fight or flight" response within our bodies. This is not healthy. ...

Hydration does far more than just quench our thirst. Our brain is made up of 75% water, meaning even a tiny 1–2% drop in hydration can trigger brain fog, fatigue, headaches, muscle cramps, changes in blood pressure and heart function, and a severe lack of focus, to name a few. Yet, most of us walk around chronically underhydrated without realizing it. ...

If you are supporting a person with dementia or a late-stage chronic disease and are assisting them with eating, consider some of these simple tips that may make a big difference in this important and sometimes challenging task.  ...

Most people hear the word "frail" and think of a person who looks old, thin and weak, but frailty is not about how someone looks, it is about how much reserve they have left. Frailty is your body’s way of signaling that it can’t handle the strain it’s under. While frailty is most common in people over 65, it isn’t inevitable. ...

Caregivers are motivated by love, but over time, feelings can quietly evolve into obligation, guilt and relentless self-criticism. Self-compassion or self-care becomes difficult. We can practice it by asking ourselves, “Would I say the same thing I’m thinking about myself to a dear friend who is exhausted and overwhelmed by caring for a loved one?” ...