January 26, 2009 chat

on Tuesday 02 February 2010
by laureld author list
in Chat archives

Please note....PCSN will be down for a short time tomorrow evening. Watch for our new look and many thanks to our webdesigner and dear friend Rich Davis!
fitzgerald

[26 Jan : 21:01] 		Goodnight....and don't forget the speech tomorrow. Caregivers should be mentioned. We deserve it!
fitzgerald

[26 Jan : 20:47] 		So I will be on until 9 tonight. If you don't have time to post tonight, please add your comments anytime this week.
fitzgerald

[26 Jan : 20:39] 		I have another relative who cares for a distance relative with lifeline substance abuse issues and mental illness. He is a caregiver too. Caregiving is not defined by a period of time, a geographic location or an illness. It is a relationship that allows one person to benefit from another; this relationship often occurs with some sort of illness or disability. I believe that it can be rewarding, but the reality is that this is not always true as well.
fitzgerald

[26 Jan : 20:37] 		When my father was ill, I defined myself as a caregiver. He did not want to receive care....yet I was there. My sister who lived far away defined herself as a caregiver as well. She came home as often as she could and offered as much emotional support as she could from a distance.
fitzgerald

[26 Jan : 20:36] 		One consistent thing that I have found about many caregivers is that many people provide a lot of care. some provide care to a LOT of different people, yet they don't identify themselves as caregivers. Why do we do this?
fitzgerald

[26 Jan : 20:35] 		Tonight I wanted to open the discussion to how you define caregiver.
fitzgerald

[26 Jan : 20:34] 		I also wanted to mention a new blog that I came across that might be of interest to Pittsburgh Caregivers: >click for link< This blog pulls together recent publications and research on issues related to aging and disability.
fitzgerald

[26 Jan : 20:31] 		I ran across an article today that featured new innovations in home care. I was particularly interested in GLOWCAPS. This is the first I have heard of it. Apparently the cap replaces the original cap on your pill bottle. The GLOWCAP is linked to the internet and glows when it is time to take your medication. If someone in the PCSN reading area has used this, I would love to hear about your experience. Here is a link to the article: >click for link<
fitzgerald

[26 Jan : 20:31] 		Next week is the first PCSN book club. We will be discussing Carol Bradley Bursack’s “Minding our Elders”. The book is a collection of stories from caregivers. In reviewing the book, I have decided to ask people who like to participate to read at least three stories (the chapters are not long). For next week, let’s concentrate on chapters 1-15. As you read it, think about how their stories parallel your own caregiver experiences. What strikes you about the story? What inspires you? What do you find frustrating?
fitzgerald

[26 Jan : 20:29] 		Good evening! Welcome to PCSN. Some reminders: Tomorrow is President Obama’s state of the union address. One of the topics proposed to be discussed tomorrow is that of caregivers for the elderly. Specifically, “Expanding support for families balancing work with caring for elderly relatives, helping them manage their multiple responsibilities and allowing seniors to live in the community for as long as possible.”
fitzgerald

[26 Jan : 20:14] 		Good evening! Chat tonight at 8:30!