Kathy Lawrence
Carers support groups, can they help?
Adrienne Gruberg, Founder of US site The Caregiver Space, talks about how she cared for her late husband and mother-in-law and shares how support groups helped her cope. When you read things in the news about how people have become full-time carers for their parents and partners you never think it’s going to happen to […]
Read moreTips to change festive pressure into pleasure
Juggling the needs of family, friends and work can come to a head during the festive season, especially if you‘re the sort of person that wants everyone to have a wonderful time. Trying to meet the needs of older family as well as the young can be daunting. Dr Mariette Jansen offers a few tips […]
Read moreDementia care – How to find the help you need
When you’re caring for a parent, or partner, with dementia it can be hard to continue without help from others. We asked the experts behind PayingForCare for advice on where to find the right information to help us when we need it most. We’d like to think that we can do it all on our […]
Read moreTips on dementia and the family fall-out
This week’s storyteller has chosen to be anonymous. After taking the lion’s share of caring for her mother despite having an extended family close at hand, this week’s storyteller shares some of her insights into making the best of what life throws at us. Recognise that people don’t get it The problem with dementia is […]
Read moreTips on juggling work, family – and two parents with dementia
Written by Kathy Lawrence This week’s storyteller is Anita.One parent with dementia is tough. Anita Avery found herself trying to hold down a job, take care of a family, and look after two parents – one with Alzheimer’s and the other with vascular dementia. We asked Anita to share the lessons her experience has taught […]
Read moreTalking about dementia – blogging and how it helps
This week’s storyteller is Jill Sinclair. In honour of Dementia Awareness Week Jill talks about caring for her dad who has dementia and how her blog helps her work through the new challenges she faces. She hopes that by publicly sharing her experiences she will encourage others dealing with dementia to learn more about it […]
Read moreCruise review: recuperative, fun or a health challenge?
Written by Kathy Lawrence Update. Cruises are massively popular today, and some countries and cities have started to put a limit on how many visitors they are willing to accept. If you’re thinking of booking a cruise for yourself or a relative, the latest Which? report on cruises has been published in February 2020. It […]
Read moreReaching the other side of dementia care
This week’s storyteller has chosen to be anonymous. Our storyteller this week coped with the massive demands of caring for a mother with dementia, and is now reclaiming her life. Looking back she realises there was an imbalance in caring responsibilities between herself and her siblings and their families. As a full-time working mum, I […]
Read moreCool, calm and collected or collapsing, crying and crumpling?
However much we love our parents, taking on responsibility for their challenges can be incredibly stressful, especially as we have no idea of knowing when the next crisis will occur. Our expert Dr De-Stress explains how stress can undermine our well-being and offers tips on what to do about it. Life can be demanding, especially […]
Read moreRemembering the real mum
This week’s storyteller has chosen to be anonymous. Losing a parent forever and finding them again. Dementia can take a parent away emotionally long before they leave you physically. But it’s not always the end. Today I felt a connection with my mum. It’s been a while, and it was lovely. Mum died four years […]
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