Your Proactive Caregiver Advocate Podcast: Dr. Cynthia Speaks!

I am facing the challenge of managing heart failure in my family, up close and personal. Since it is heart health month and I am a registered nurse with many experiences of caring for cardiology patients, personal experiences make such good conversation. Firsthand experiences are testimonials to help others going through health challenges and illnesses. I wanted to share a few pointers to help others who may have loved ones facing this particular health issue, heart failure. Listen for more insights.

It is often taken for granted, as simple as communication seems to be.  We assumed that all understood what came out of the hole in our face.  However, with the elderly population, we have to be concerned about the best way to communicate with our loved ones as we care for them. Slow down when speaking with the elderly. Listen for more insights.

The feelings aligned with being an informal caregiver do not go away when the loved one passes on. From time to time, the associated factors that were a part of what goes on from day to day can often cause sadness or even depression. Listen in for more insights.

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy is not so much about the man but more about the mission. How would our elders rate us? The racial justice of my mother's time, the 1930 and 1940, have shown slight growth. Our role in the 20th Century... Remember! Celebrate! Act! Listen in for more insights.

What did we learn in 2021? Have you heard that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result? We made it! Welcome to 2022. If you are like me, most don't mind kissing 2021 goodbye. Grateful that God has granted us the presence of another year. We have been through a lot, and for many caregivers, the New Year brought the same challenges that require us to navigate the role. Listen in for more insights.

Caregivers, I salute you! I appreciate you! I value you! I respect you! I know your struggles. I know your pain! I know your challenges, and guess what? They will continue in 2022. Take heart; we have each other. Listen in for more insight.

Caregivers continue to work despite the holiday season in Caregiverland. Caregivers may smile, but the reality is that the work continues, even during the holidays. The bathing, dressing, feedings, turnings, paying attention to the health conditions, maintenance of medical equipment, ensuring medications are given, washing clothes, drying clothes, changing linen, handling business affairs for your loved ones, and doing it all over again, with little rest and limited sleep. Listen in for more insights.

You may or may not know my dissertation centered on nutritional health in the baby-boomer populations. The population has retired or is close to retirement. This population also has adult children and grandchildren. The eating habits of the family typically are cultural and generational. Once we begin to watch over our elderly, we have to think about preparing meals for those in our family who become unable to prepare their meals. Caregivers become responsible for the nutritional health of their loved ones. Listen in for more insights.

On yesterday, I had an outstanding interview with Pastor Michele Irby Johnson, as we discussed helping our aging parents age in place. I was so proud to hear that she and her husband took the blinders off and relocated to be close to her aging mother. It really warmed my heart. Listen in for more insight.