caregiver burnout Archives - Aging, caregiving and the journey through the second half of life

Emotional Rain

June 20, 2019

Emotional Rain Legacies of kind, courageous and unadvertised lives with their steady flow of compassion for this world are the emotional rain we all need to weather life’s brutal droughts. We may never know the source of this remarkable kindness…

Middle Age + Caregiving: Three Mind Maps

March 21, 2019

Middle age is daunting for everyone, especially caregivers. There are so many moving and complicated parts that can quickly overwhelm the best intentions or the most efficient management skills. One of the biggest mistakes I see middle age caregivers make…

For Exhausted Caregivers…

January 24, 2019

This wonderful poem by John O’Donohue speaks to the world of caregivers who can quickly lose their mooring and are looking for language, strategies and rituals to help them recover from these unavoidable forays into in “empty time.” For One…

New PDF Booklet: Caregiver Decision Fatigue

July 27, 2018

This “must read” article for caregivers outlines the synergistic complexity and uncertainty that dilemmas and family systems interject into all aspects of a caring for aging parents. As important, the article offers practical strategies caregivers can readily adopt to better…

The Peace of Wild Things

February 27, 2018

I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought or grief. I come into the presence of still water. And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light. For a…

Reset Expectations

December 15, 2017

The challenge of caring for an aging parent are exhaustive and quickly exceed the capacity of any one person. Caregivers need to adopt realistic and sustainable expectations about their capacityy to avoid sacrificing their health for unattainable goals. Acknowledging limits…

Growing Up With Toxic Parents

November 5, 2017

This quote by Susan Forward from her book Toxic Parents captures the essence of the emotional wound toxic parenting inflicts on children. Recovery as an adult takes layers of patience and compassion as well as the context of sustained “healthy…

When all else fails, take them to the ER…

August 29, 2017

This article, entitled “Stressed Out Caregivers Are Using ER Visits for Respite Study Finds,” confirms that caregivers do what they have to do to survive the stress of caring for aging parents. It is also a sad reminder of the…

When Aging Parents Turn Abusive Towards The Caregiver

August 25, 2017

There is a population of adult children that are struggling to care for angry parents. In most cases, these caregivers are trying to make the most out of a difficult situation (little or no planning, last minute complications, minimal resources,…

Modified Caregiver Strain Index

August 21, 2017

The Modified Caregiver Strain Index (MCSI) is a self-administered 13-question, screening tool that measures the “strain” associated with caregiving. It contains at least one item regarding financial, psychological, social and personal topics. This tool can be used to assess individuals…