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AARP Caregiving Summer Break Contest
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AARP Caregiving Summer Break Contest
Summertime often means taking breaks and planning vacations. Both of these can be a bit tricky while caring for a loved one. Have you traveled with your loved one recently or are you planning to?
Share your experience here and you will be entered in our Caregiving Summer Contest 2018 and could win one of the weekly $100 gift cards or a chance for the overall winning prize of $500 gift card. Your story may be advice or inspirational!
Review rules here: https://community.aarp.org/t5/Caregiving/AARP-Caregiving-Summer-Break-Contest-2018/m-p/2023713#M67
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KimberlyK,
You are very right when you said you can't plan for being a caretaker. My family and I were on our way to a family reunion out of state when traffic came to a stop on a major highway. A young lady not paying any attention rear ended us. My husband suffered the worst with a closed head brain injury. His health has steadily declined from that day forward to the point were he has been hospitalized more times than I can count.
Spend as much time as you can with your dad because time waits for no one.
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It’s difficult to attain complete freedom of choice when your health is impaired, specially with Alzheimer’s. I used to think that a long-ago SNL (Saturday Night Live) skit with Tom Hanks that had to do with senility was just a joke (and a very funny one) or an exaggeration, but when I first had to take care of someone with Alzheimer’s I was impressed with the accuracy of the portrayal, and not just in that instance but in other televised shows and movies as well. I sometimes take vacations from this by enjoying activities that are not at all related like reading and going outside for physical activity.
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My great-grandmother recently moved in with the rest of my family (my grandmother, grandfather, mom, uncle and brother) because her husband passed away from cancer. It is definitely a little crazy in the house right now. My great-grandma is almost 84 and her health is declining a little. She's starting to forget the little things, but we don't mention it to her. She has a great personality and is awesome to be around, so I'm glad that we are taking care of her in our own house.
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Mom always wanted to travel to Europe but caring for Dad made that impossible. After Dad's death, mom had some health issues to deal with and we weren't sure what the future would really hold. After some discussion, we decided to plan a 2 week trip to London and Florence. We knew that mom would need some special considerations but decided that we would just make the best of it. We planned well and were able to make the travel as smooth as possible. (All hail handicap access on internationla flights!) Sure enough, she had a few tougher days while we were gone, but on those days we relaxed more at coffee shops or wandered near to our Air BNB and found close by gems! In the end, mom and I shared a beautiful experience exploring two beautiful cities and will have memories that we will always hold onto.
And sure
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I have not traveled with my loved one in years. It is too difficult for him to keep up with my kids so he does not like to go anymore. There was a period of time where he was not able to get around at all and we went nowhere. Now he can take care of himself but we still like to check in as often as we can. The days when we couldn't go anywhere were tough on all of us. He felt bad for us and we just wanted him to get well.
The Story of Grandmother
THERE was once a woman who had some bread, and she said to her daughter: "You are going to carry a hot loaf and a bottle of milk to your grandmother.
The little girl departed. At the crossroads she met the bzou who said to her:
"Where are you going?"
"I'm taking a hot loaf and a bottle of milk to my grandmother."
"What road are you taking," said the bzou, "the Needles Road or the Pins Road?"
"The Needles Road," said the little girl.
"Well, I shall take the Pins Road."
The little girl enjoyed herself picking up needles. Meanwhile the bzou arrived at her grandmother's, killed her, put some of her flesh in the pantry and a bottle of her blood on the shelf. The little girl arrived and knocked at the door.
"Push the door," said the bzou, "it's closed with a wet straw."
"Hello Grandmother; I'm bringing you a hot loaf and a bottle of milk."
"Put them in the pantry. You eat the meat that's in it and drink a bottle of wine on the shelf."
As she ate there was a little cat that said: "A **bleep** is she who eats the flesh and drinks the blood of her grandmother!"
"Undress, my child," said the bzou, "and come and sleep beside me."
"Where should I put my apron?"
"Throw it in the fire, my child; you don't need it anymore."
"Where should I put my bodice?"
"Throw it in the fire, my child; you don't need it anymore."
"Where should I put my dress?"
"Throw it in the fire, my child; you don't need it anymore."
"Where should I put my skirt?"
"Throw it in the fire, my child; you don't need it anymore."
"Where should I put my hose?"
"Throw it in the fire, my child; you don't need it anymore."
"Oh, Grandmother, how hairy you are!"
"It's to keep me warmer, my child"
"Oh, Grandmother, those long nails you have!"
"It's to scratch me better, my child."
"Oh, Grandmother, those big shoulders that you have!"
"All the better to carry kindling from the woods, my child."
"Oh, Grandmother, those big ears that you have!"
"All the better to hear you with, my child."
"Oh, Grandmother, that big mouth you have!"
"All the better to eat you with, my child!"
"Oh, Grandmother, I need to go outside to relieve myself."
"Do it in the bed, my child."
"No, Grandmother, I want to go outside."
"All right, but don't stay long."
The bzou tied a woolen thread to her foot and let her go out, and when the girl was outside she tied the end of the string to a big plum tree in the yard. The bzou got impatient and said:
"Are you making cables?"
When he became aware that no one answered him, he jumped out of bed and saw that the little girl had escaped. He followed her, but her arrived at her house just at the moment she was safely inside.
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Hi, my name is Hillary, I am 69 years old and TOTAL caregiver for my 90 year old husband Morty. My husband was diagnosed with Dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Five years ago.
At that time we decided to move to the Country across from our Daughter.
It was a wise move. As the weeks go by I find it increasingly more challenging .
The depression increases by the day, the demands, the constant questioning, I realize he feels lost, so to make our journey a little easier, I continually tell him how much we all love him and how special he is. I also take him for a surprise ride and eat out or just get an ice cream or his favorite Vanilla Milkshake. I kid around to make him laugh, he loves it!
We really enjoy our Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren’s visits,122 of them, such joy to our hearts. We enjoy watching the Birds and Squirrels from our back door.
we pray daily and know that our Lord keeps us and protects us as we journey through our last mile.
God Bless each of you!
Hillary Hillary
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I take partial care of my 69 year old mother who is constantly burdened by her other two sons, 36 and 30 years old, who live off of her fixed income. I help where I can financially, but more than anything I think that she appreciates my emotional support. I give her an excuse to get out of her toxic household and spend time with me, my wife, and our new daughter.
Recently we have all taken up a bit of a hobby of traveling together. we will gather our money together and travel to colorado, california, or south dakota in order to get us all out of town for a bit of breathing room. we have been camping, stayed at 5 star hotels, and even went to disneyland several times. these are experiences that, in the moment, are fun and relaxing, but become much more impoertant as memories that we can all cherish as we age. I know that my mother enjoys the time away from the other obligations as well as the opportunity to keep traveling, something in which she has always taken great pleasure. We are currently planning another trip to colorado with the new baby. we may stay in a cheap cabin at a campground or (my preference) at the stanley hotel if we can find a good deal. either way we are sure to make some amazing memories together.
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It is very hard to find time for your self. I have been taking care of my diabled father for 6 years now. He lilives with us, me and my two kiddos. I have 2 daughters, one who is 16 and the other daughter is 13. We have all given up time, trips, last minute plans have changed but I wont have it any other way. I love my dad with all my heart and I would rather take care of him than to depend on a stranger.
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I have gone to a nice hotel 3 weeks ago with a co-worker who is elderly and has a hearing aid. He enjoyed the view and breakfast but I had to assist him with a safer menu because there are foods he can not chew. Such as the breakfast steak pockets replaced with applesauce and beead.
He is a very close friend and a lot like a father figure to the cimpany.
So my story is a little different than others. My husband has insulin dependant diabetes and it is not controlled. They call his type 'brittle' because the sugar goes up and down very easily and is really hard to control. He has a continuous glucose monitor which has really helped. His A1C went from over 11 to a little over 6 in a 3 month period of having it! That is phenomenal! His memory is not good and he doesn't think very clearly often, so I manage it for him. Some days it is a lot of anxiety for me. But compared to others, and how it could be, it's not bad and I'm thankful to have him!
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Can't find where to post about summertime and caregiving. We have trouble in the summer finding a way to vacation with an elderly parent that we care for, whether to take along for the trip and run into obstacles while traveling or finding a good place for them to stay at home. Then have to find other alternatives and caregivers for the time gone.
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We tend to plan short getaways since my mom does best with those. She has always loved the mountains. I have found the perfect mountain cabin rental less than two hours from us. We go up for a long weekend and have a great time. Mom is content just sitting on the porch looking at nature. Sometimes the change in routine is hard on her but we muddle through. I know our time together is growing shorter and I want to make that time meaningful.
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