Eldercare Success

What happens when your father, who appeared to be just fine, surprises you by telling you he has Alzheimer’s Disease?  Watching anyone’s steady cognitive decline is always difficult. However, my next guest, Peter Maeck took, along with his other siblings, a different and rather poetic approach to their dad’s caregiving.  His father even joined in on the creative solutions that they discovered together. 

You might be surprised about how creativity, analytical thinking, and caregiving can all come together to build even stronger bonds within a family. 

Guest: Peter Maeck, poet, novelist, playwright, photographer, and Caregiver to his father. His narrative poem Remembrance of Things Present: Making Peace with Dementia, celebrates his father's brave, and good-humored experience with Alzheimer's disease. Peter's novel, Zänker, will be released in June of 2023. Peter served as a US State Department American Cultural Specialist in Tanzania and Morocco. He holds a BA in English from Dartmouth College and an MFA in playwriting from Brandeis University. Links to Peter's TEDx talks follow:

• Remembrance of Things Present
• Cradle and All
• Beautiful Dreamer, with his son Gabriel Maeck a former social worker

Host:  Nancy May, Author of How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  is an expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for aging parents, even from over 1200 miles away. For a free, fillable File-of-Life go to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guests and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. The information discussed should not be considered or used as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice of your own personal medical, legal, or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2023 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved.

CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC. "There is a Better Way" is a Service Mark of CareManity, LLC

What’s Senior Dumping and can it happen to your parents without you even suspecting? 

In this episode, I share a conversation that I had with a GoDaddy customer service person who had this issue with his dad.   While running for several days from work to home to bring his dad to the hospital, and then to rehab, he was hoping to get some relief by returning his dad back to his care facility.  Unfortunately, once his dad was ready for discharge from the hospital, the care facility’s management refused to allow him back into their care. Find out what happened next.

Also, tune into Episodes #41 and #43 for tips on researching care facilities, and Episode #53 for things you’ll need when you’re bringing a parent loved one back home from the hospital or a care facility.

Yes, there is a better way. 

Host:  Nancy May, Author of How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  is an expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for aging parents, even from over 1200 miles away. For a free, fillable File-of-Life go to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guests and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. The information discussed should not be considered or used as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice of your own personal medical, legal, or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2023 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved.

CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC. "There is a Better Way" is a Service Mark of CareManity, LLC

Your parent or loved one has always been there for you but has now passed. Is there a way to still contact them?  Knowing what to do might help you manage through some tough days a bit easier. How do you attain guidance from your loved ones?  What might you be doing, unintentionally, to discourage them from reaching out to you?

You may learn some surprising facts including that spiritual guides have been around and involved (in and out) of traditional religions for centuries.  You might also be surprised to learn that there really is a college for spiritual mediums, similar to divinity universities. 

This is Part #2 of my discussion with spiritual medium Sloan Tate, who’s a  well-known third-generation medium.  She also shares how to find and identify a good medium to help us –one who has integrity and is qualified to help us tap into our own inner guides. 

P.S.  This episode releases on my birthday, so I hope my own mom and dad are listening too. 

Guest: Sloan Tate is a third-generation, spiritual medium and best-selling author of A Guide to Afterlife Communication. Born with natural mediumship gifts, she first learned the importance of using intuition while training horses on her family's farm. Sloan rediscovered the importance of developing this connection in everyday life through the study of meditation and yoga. Sloan is accredited with over 500hrs of yoga teacher training, is a Holy Fire ®  III Karuna Reiki ® Master, and has studied mediumship at the Arthur Findlay College and with several renowned mediums in the United States. Sloan is known for her unique spiritual humor and is an advocate for normalizing mediumship to support better practices in global mental health.

• Video of a live reading and additional information about Sloan's book.
• Sloan's Facebook Group, The Mediumship Support group

Host:  Nancy May, Author of How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  is an expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for aging parents, even from over 1200 miles away. For a free, fillable File-of-Life go to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guests and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. The information discussed should not be considered or used as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice of your own personal medical, legal or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2023 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved.

CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.

In this episode you might be surprised to learn how often chemical restraints are used on our folks to keep them calm, sleepy, and complacent, and easier to care for in hospitals, rehab facilities, nursing homes, and even in our own homes by some lesser concerned home health aides. Sometimes it’s tough to figure out if this is happening to your parents while hospitalized. All you have to do, though, is ask about every medication they’re being given and why. You’ll also likely see these medications showing up as billed to their accounts. Care facility treatments and situations in your own home, or mom and dad's, when you’re not there may be more difficult to detect.  Here, I share a true story on how some simple over-the-counter medications were first started by my dad (his wish, not mine), and then continued on, for a different reason, by an aide.  How did I figure this one out, and put a quick stop to it?  Tune in and learn the details. 

Host:  Nancy May, Author of How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  is an expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for aging parents, even from over 1200 miles away. For a free, fillable File-of-Life go to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guests and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. The information discussed should not be considered or used as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice of your own personal medical, legal, or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2023 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved.

CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.

Can you get support, guidance, and love from a parent, spouse, or even a family member who died before you were born? Turns out, that might be true if you know about how spiritual guides or mediums work. 

This is part one of a two-segment show where my guest, Sloan Tate, an accredited Medium, and I dive into how you can tap into those you have loved and moved on. We also discuss things you should avoid when seeking out this type of spiritual guidance. 

There are things you can do to tap into the wisdom of others. Sloan shares some interesting tools you can use to help you on this journey. 

Guest: Sloan Tate is a second generation, spiritual medium and best-selling author of A Guide to Afterlife Communication. Born with natural mediumship gifts, she first learned the importance of using intuition while training horses on her family's farm. Sloan rediscovered the importance of developing this connection in everyday life through the study of meditation and yoga. Sloan is accredited with over 500hrs of yoga teacher training, is a Holy Fire ®  III Karuna Reiki ® Master, and has studied mediumship at the Arthur Findlay College and with several renowned mediums in the United States. Sloan is known for her unique spiritual humor and is an advocate for normalizing mediumship to support better practices in global mental health.

• Video of a live reading and additional information about Sloan's book.
• Sloan's Facebook Group, The Mediumship Support group

Host:  Nancy May, Author of How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  is an expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for aging parents, even from over 1200 miles away. For a free, fillable File-of-Life go to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guests and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. The information discussed should not be considered or used as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice of your own personal medical, legal or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2023 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved.

CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.

In this episode, we'll be discussing how to get rid of those crappy, crummy, pissy moods that can come with caring for an elderly parent. It's normal to feel overwhelmed, stressed, and frustrated when caring for someone you love who needs your help all the time. However, sometimes the worst feelings can get the best of us.  It happens to me too.! In this episode, I share seven practical tips to help you dig out of that hole and find solid ground again.

Not every day will be filled with sunshine and roses, and it’s OK to have bad days. Just try not to let them get the better part of you and your day.  I hope this helps you. It helped me!

Host:  Nancy May, Author of How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  is an expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for aging parents, even from over 1200 miles away. For a free, fillable File-of-Life go to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guests and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. The information discussed should not be considered or used as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice of your own personal medical, legal or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2023 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved.

CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.

In this episode, my guest, James Hagerty, the Wall Street Journal Obituary writer, and I discuss how to capture the most interesting parts of our parents and loved ones’ life stories.  Too often, those final days come about, and we lose, forever, stories about what our parents did in their lifetimes. 

• How does one start, though? 
• What are the best questions to ask? 
• Where do you search for things about them?
• What happened in their times, that they might have difficulty remembering themselves? 

You might be surprised how enjoyable and important their stories can be to you, your siblings, your children, and your grandchildren. In some cases, historical societies, schools, and even museums may take notice.  As James says, “ if obituaries can’t be fun, what’s the point in dying?”

Learn the best ways to draw out the more intriguing stories from those you love, from a Wall Street Journal Obituary writer who chronicled and summarized world-renowned celebrities, business moguls, famous artists, and some of those who made our world more interesting. 

Guest: James R. Hagerty, Author, Yours Truly, The Obituary Writer's Guide to Telling Your Life Story Based in Pittsburgh, James is the lead obituary writer for The Wall Street Journal. Over the past four decades, he has worked as a reporter, editor, and bureau chief for the WSJ and the International Herald Tribune in Hong Kong, London, Brussels, Paris, Atlanta, and New York. He is the author of "Yours Truly" and "The Fateful History of Fannie Mae.

The Washington Post named Yours Truly one of the 10 noteworthy books published in December 2022. "No one understands the treasures to be found in life stories better than James R. Hagerty," says the New York Times bestselling author, Bob Green in his advance review of the book.

Having written more than 1,000 obituaries in the past seven years, Hagerty believes that everyone has interesting stories to tell and that preserving them can be the best gift ever given to loved ones. “Being famous is not a prerequisite for valuing and preserving your best stories and the lessons you’ve learned," he says.

Host:  Nancy May, Author of How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  is an expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for aging parents, even from over 1200 miles away. For a free, fillable File-of-Life go to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guests and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. The information discussed should not be considered or used as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice of your own personal medical, legal or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2023 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved.

CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.

In this episode, I share how even a whiny five-year-old can help us become better advocates and caregivers for those we love.  It starts with one key question that adults often forget to ask, themselves. That simple question, asked over and over again, can be annoying to respond to. But, with patience and some extra thought, you may be able to satisfactorily answer it more often.  And, in doing so, you just might get some surprising results. 

Tune in to this Winter Short and learn more.  I promise it’s easier than you might think.

Host:  Nancy May, Author of How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  is an expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for aging parents, even from over 1200 miles away. For a free, fillable File-of-Life go to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guests and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. The information discussed should not be considered or used as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice of your own personal medical, legal or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2023 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved.

CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.

What happens when the quality of care provided by your mom’s care facility was great, but then declined to a point where you’re worried that she’s suffering?  Do you just suck it up and hope the quality of aides and services will get better? Or do you call medical transport, wrap her up in a blanket, and move her to a place that will make every minute with her count?  In this episode, we’ll tell you how this real-life, boots-on-the-ground, mother-daughter team fought to find the right place to finally find peace.

Guest: Cindy Whitehead is an American professional skateboarder and public advocate for girls in sports.  A pioneer of vertical skateboarding, she was inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame in 2016.  Her TEDx talk in Santa Monica, CA titled “Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word” is about her experience growing up in a male-dominated sport.  She is also the author of several Girl Power journals and It’s Not About Pretty.  Today, she is a world-renowned wardrobe stylist who specializes in dressing athletes and models for athletic and lifestyle-based ad campaigns, commercials, movies, and editorials.   

Host:  Nancy May, Author of How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  is an expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for aging parents, even from over 1200 miles away. For a free, fillable File-of-Life go to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guests and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. The information discussed should not be considered or used as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice of your own personal medical, legal or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2023 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved.

CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.

Personal treasures or talismans have been used for a long time by caregivers, and those grieving, to reduce pain and stress. In this episode, I share a bit of history and some ways that you can use personal items to help you recover from loss and make better care decisions.  My own experience with such simple items as my mom and dad’s handwritten notes, a silver bangle bracelet, and even a fleece jacket of my dad’s, gave me strength when I felt lost. You might be surprised to learn that it’s not a ‘woo-woo’ thing but can actually help ground your head, heart, and actions. 

Here are a few related links that you might find interesting.   Before you decide to click on the links below, a heads up: some may be a little creepy. 

Oh, I forgot to share that when my dad passed, I collected the rifle shell from his veteran memorial gun salute. Those shells were taken to my local jeweler where some were dipped in silver and others in gold. Each shell casing had a special phrase engraved, that meant something to my sister (who got one), and each of his aides (all who received one too). Yes, I have one as well. Each shell was hung off a necklace chain that was different for each of us. I personally wear that necklace when I need a little extra strength and motivation. Here's a link to that jeweler, who is pretty special herself. Campus Jewelers in Wilton, CT. If you do call them, please say hello to Sonya for me.

Ways people remember loved ones (NY POST)

Grave Metallum Jewelry artisan: incase you want to create something different for your family.

Victorian hair art

Mourning hair watch fab

Host:  Nancy May, Author of How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  is an expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for aging parents, even from over 1200 miles away. For a free, fillable File-of-Life go to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guests and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. The information discussed should not be considered or used as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice of your own personal medical, legal or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2023 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved.

CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.