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Choices ~ Healing ~ Love
January 1, 2003 Publisher & Editor: GAIL R. MITCHELL WELCOME JOURNAL EXERCISE UPDATES AT THE SITE CAREGIVERS' CONCERNS NEWS INFORMATIVE CAREGIVING ARTICLES & INSPIRATION MESSAGE BOARDS & EMAIL BAG JOKES & HUMOR DISCLAIMER Happy 2003. I pray that the New Year will be one filled with much forgiveness, healing, peace and love for all of you. I know that the holidays were difficult for many of you because loved ones are in end stages and many loved ones have passed. While society has conditioned to us to reach the impossible dream, I encourage each of us to set realistic goals as a caregiver, especially for our loved ones who are not in our control. Unrealistic expectations that aren't fulfilled at this time can send one into a deep depression. Take things day to day, remembering to be fully present in each moment. Relish and cherish the good times and let go of the bad ones and the negative thoughts as quickly as you can. Give yourself long time frames to reach your goals.. there's no rush.. stop and smell the flowers.. Don't put your focus on what you don't want. Ask out loud specifically for what you do want and be clear, because we get what we put our attention to. Trust in yourself; have faith and know that you are part of a magnificent, ever expansive, Universe .. remember we are like the grains of sands that sparkle and make the beach.. we each are stars in this universe that bring with us our light...let it shine, let love in and send it our.... Richest Blessings to you on your journey. National Organization For Empowering Caregiver's (NOFEC) invites you to sign up as members. If you are a family caregiver membership is complimentary. We invite you to fill in our caregiver survey . The surveys are confidential. The statistics will be used in our proposals as we apply for grants and funding. To reach the site click on this link: www.nofec.org. We are actively seeking volunteers and interns to help us continue with our vision and mission. To become involved, please go to: Volunteers. Free Email Accounts At Empowering Caregivers Sign
up for a primary or secondary email account and tell a friend about
your free email account at the Empowering Caregivers Site. You can sign
up from the main page or click on this link: Free email account NeigborCare RobertoM, Lovely2c, Happier2 have been chosen to receive Dee Marrella's book, "Who Cares: A Loving Guide For Caregivers." The book is a journal to be filled out by middle-aged or older adults. When completed, it becomes and autobiography for future caregivers to use and for family members to have as a momentum. The journal explains everything about them from their favorite brand of toothpaste to their desires concerning life support systems and more. Examples and guidelines are provided throughout the book.
.~ Since the chats have been relatively slow, we will be taking a much needed breather during the holidays. Feel free to join in if there are others in at the scheduled time. We will meet again beginning Monday January 6th 2003. IVillage Chat Will Resume After Febraury 1, 2003 I will also be taking a leave from hosting for IVillage until Febraury 1, 2003 and hope to see you when the chats resume on Thursdays at 8PM EST. Respond To Our New Poll Do you think that current national policy is favorable to the needs of family caregivers? Take our poll on the main page of the Empowering Caregivers site at: POLL Featured- Columnist Mary C. Fridley John Felitto Sydney Tremayne Or click on this link: Shirley Bay lost her brother suddenly at the end of December. It's quite a challenge for her since she cares for her husband full time with Alzheimer's and suffers daily losses with him. Her brother was her closest friend. MDawn's grandmother transitioned also in December. MDawn struggled with her Uncle and family members to get her Grandmother Hospice but now she is at peace. We send loving and healing throughts to both of you ... Self Care In
a recent article in the New York Times, there was an article on a
doctor from China, Dr. Hong Zhaoguang. The title was , “A Prescription
For Self-Help & Self-Love in China” by Elizabeth Rosenthal. Copyrighted by Gail R. Mitchell January 2003 So,
as it stands I will be hosting on IVillage on Thursday evenings in the
8PM EST time slot. AOL members please adhere to the following
information so that you will not encounter too many difficulties.You
need to register your screename at IVillage. When you are logged on,
click on this link which will take you to the Thursday Scheule at
IVillage. Scroll to 8pm and Click on the Empowering Caregivers Chat. If
you are on AOL you will want to use HTML Chat. Or you can download a
second browser: either Internet Explorer or Netscape and use the IChat
or Java Plugins to have an easier chat experience both at IVIllage and
here at this site this is the link: IVillageHealth CHAT SCHEDULE. If you have questions or need assistance please email: ivhealthhelp. You may also IM Cindy IVHealth Cindi ~ While
we fine-tune this life changing forum, you can enjoy weekly
teleconferences for only the price of a phone call! From the comfort of
your home or office... Pull your focus back to the principles your cherish, the behavior you deeply desire and the fabulous life you want to live Learn to:
Achieve far more than you think possible, personally, professionally and financially This Week...We will focus on Relaxation: The Door to Clarity, Focus, and Health & Success. Shift
from the limitations of the "Critical Mind" to the unbounded "Creative
Mind" This Month We Will Draw from the "Intentions" Articles Series:
Our Next Session Times:
There is no registration fee Join us ...At conference time, dial.. ~ The
Hospice Institute of the Florida Suncoast is offering a free
train-the-trainer program to help coalitions become a powerful resource
for caregivers. Participants will learn how to promote and present the
Caregiving at Life’s End program to members of their community. Caregiving
at Life’s End is a national training program to help family caregivers
find growth and meaning in the end-of-life caregiving experience. It
was developed based on a national needs assessment of hospice family
caregivers. The first training will be held
in Florida from March 3-7, 2003. Additional sessions will take place in
April, June, July and August. For more information, visit
www.thehospice.org/inst.htm or call 727-586-4432. ~ Canadian Association For Community Care The
millions of people who tend without pay to the needs of people on
Medicare need to know how the program works, but most are in the dark
about what it covers. In a brief, Explaining Medicare to Caregivers,
the Center for Medicare Education, CME says many caregivers have a
“rude awakening” when they find out about the program’s premiums,
deductibles and co-payments. Contact: CME 202-508-1210 or go to: Medicare 101 ~ Are
you having difficulty in understanding your options for health
insurance? I so, HealthCareCoach.com is a new website under the banner
of the National Health Law Program, (NHELP) whose mission is to improve
health care for people of limited means. The site provides resources
and information regarding insurance issues, including how to find
lo-cost insurance and how to keep those costs down. HealthCareCoach ~ This is a new brochure for the National Alliance for Caregiving and the United Hospital Fund of New York.
It offers advice on how to insure your loved one’s transfer from the
hospital to the home is smooth. It helps you to understand the
discharge planning process and how best to advocate for the services
that you and your loved one need upon leaving the hospital. www.caregiving.org or www.uhfnyc.org ~ This
is a free resource for people with Parkinson’s disease and their
healthcare providers and caregivers. You may ask site specialists about
questions you have. There are forums, chats and live educational
events. myparkinsons.com
~
Caregiving & Depression A
fact sheet from the Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) offers advice to
caregivers and their families on recognizing risk factors for
depression, such as feelings of exhaustion and isolation, associated
with the demands of caregiving. The fact sheet contains resources and
reading lists for families and healthcare providers. Contact: FCA
800-445-8106 or go to: FCA ~ The
estimated 1.7 million caregivers n New York State can share tips on how
to manage their time and take better care of themselves through a
newsletter published by the NY State Coalition for the Aging (CFA) Each
month, the Caregiver Assistance News provides and idea exchange, a
quick quiz and cartoon. Contact: CFA 518-465-0641 or go to NYS CFA ~ The
California Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association has developed a
booklet of tips for caregivers on better communication with physicians.
Access and download this booklet at: Booklet ~ The
current stalemate in Washington over federal spending is jeopardizing
increased funding for Alzheimer research. Unless the current budget
impasse is broken soon, hopes for any research breakthroughs against
Alzheimer's will have to be postponed. To read more please go to: http://www.care-givers.com/ubb/Forum23/HTML/000270.html ~ The
federal government today published its biennial "Report on
Carcinogens", adding steroidal estrogens used in estrogen replacement
therapy and oral contraceptives to its official list of "known" human
carcinogens. This and 15 other new listings bring the total of
substances in the report, "known" or "reasonably anticipated" to pose a
cancer risk, to 228 To read more please go to: LIST. ~ A
recent study of cancer treatment showed a lack of care for seniors
suffering from the disease, according to a press release from Last Acts
Partner the American Society on Aging (ASA). The Seniors Research Group (SRG)--with
the backing of Pharmacia Oncology--surveyed 300 oncologists and primary
care physicians and discovered a common occurrence of under treatment
and lack of knowledge when it came to treating cancer in people age 65
and older. SRG attributed the under treatment to misinformation and
incorrect opinions among these physicians. To read the full release, go
to: ~ HHS
Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today approved a New Hampshire plan to give
families with Medicaid-eligible disabled children greater control of
the care and services their children receive. This change will make it
easier for those children to remain in their own homes. ~ HHS
Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced approval of Arizona's plan
to allow people with disabilities who return to work to retain their
Medicaid coverage -- removing a key barrier to allow more disabled
Arizonans to lead productive lives ~ An experimental drug may offer hope for people with multiple sclerosis or Crohn's disease. Preliminary findings reported in the New England Journal of Medicine suggest that natalizumab can reduce relapses in some MS patients and improve quality of life for people with Crohn's disease. More infor ~ Don't
just do something, sit there! Sit there long enough each morning to
decide what is really important during the day ahead. . Richard Eyre I
am the person who can smile in trouble that can gather strength from
distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little
minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience
approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death. . Thomas Paine The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it. . John Ruskin Be
willing to be uncomfortable. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. It may
get tough, but it's a small price to pay for living a dream. . Peter McWilliams Life's
up and downs provide windows of opportunity to determine your values
and goals. Think of using all obstacles as stepping stones towards
building the life you want. Marsha Sinetar Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes of which all men have some. Charles Dickens The
secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting
started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small
manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one. Mark Twain Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain.. R.W. Emerson Today, My Best Friend Slapped Me On My Face They
kept on walking, until they found an oasis, where they decided to take
a bath. The one who got slapped and hurt started drowning, and the
other friend saved him. When he recovered from the fright, he wrote on
a stone:
~ Wishes For The New Year May
your hair, your teeth, your face-lift, your abs, and your stocks not
fall; and may your blood pressure, your triglycerides, your
cholesterol, your white blood count and your mortgage interest not rise. Author Unknown All I Need to Know about Life I Learned From a Snowman.... It's okay if you're a little bottom heavy. Dear Gail, When
I first contacted Empowering Caregivers I was caring for my wife of 57
years. She was terminal wilth colon cancer and I had been caring for
her for some 12 years plus. She died of the cancer on 5 May 2001. She
was only 79 years old at the time of her death but she had shared my
life for 57 years. I was devestated by her death but have continued to
read your newsletters as they bring me a certain amount of comfort. I
would like to hear from others who have devoted a share of their life
to others who have cared for a terminal patient and now struggling with
survival after the end of the caring. Sincerely Bill Saunders. Email Bill or respond to the posting for Bill at::www.care-givers.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/000013.html ~ My partner of 20 years has been battling a rare cancer for almost a year but ~ I
need help, any tips on getting my Dad in the shower. He refuses, keeps
saying I took a bath or it's not bath day. He smells but neither my
sister or I are willing to just throw him in the shower. Reend ~ Have You Ever Thought?
THAT'S IT FOR THIS ISSUE Subscribe: empoweringcaregivers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com REGARDING THE FORWARDING OF THE NEWSLETTER: Please do not forward this letter or subscribe anyone if they have not given you permission. We would like you to share it with others, but we do not want those who are not open to receiving it to be subjected to your forwarding it without their express permission. Thank you. DISCLAIMER: The Empowering Caregivers Site and the Empowering Caregivers newsletter contain views, opinions, statements, and recommendations of third party individuals, writers, advertisers and organizations. Empowering Caregivers/www.care-givers.com does not represent or endorse the views, accuracy or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement, product or service displayed or distributed on this web site. You acknowledge that any reliance upon such opinion, advice, statement or information shall be at your sole risk. The information provided by Empowering Caregivers/www.care-givers.com is for educational purposes only and should not be treated as medical advice. Nothing contained on Empowering Caregivers/www.care-givers.com is intended to be for medical diagnosis or treatment or a substitute for consultation with a qualified healthcare professional. In no event will Empowering Caregivers/www.care-givers.com, its affiliates, partners, agents, or contractors be liable to you for any damages or losses resulting from or caused by Empowering Caregivers/www.care-givers.com and its services, including use of the community message boards and chat rooms, free email, free web pages, content (including articles, stories, news) or any errors or omissions in ts content, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. |
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| EMPOWERING CAREGIVERS is trademarked. All Information on this website is owned by Gail R. Mitchell. This includes but is not limited to the journal exercises, Newsletters and original articles, etc. Permission must be obtained from Gail R. Mitchell for any external use of this material. © by G. R. Mitchell | |
