When Caregiving Calls: Guidance as You Care for a Loved One with Dr. Aaron Blight

Live & Interactive Discussion with Dr. Aaron Blight, the author of When Caregiving Calls: Guidance as You Care for a Parent, Spouse, or Aging Relative Caring for a parent, spouse, or aging relative is one of the noblest human activities. It’s also one of the most stressful, posing challenges that can be painful, confusing, and deeply rewarding — sometimes all at once. Produced in partnership with Assisting Hands Home Care.

• Caregiving Kenetics https://caregivingkinetics.com/
• When Caregiving Calls: Guidance as You Care for a Parent, Spouse, or Aging Relative on Amazon https://a.co/d/e8oLzp3

Assisting Hands Home Care: https://assistinghandspotomac.com/

Questions Asked 

• I'm looking for suggestions on how to handle an extremely difficult alzheimer person (my mother). I cannot get her to shower, dress, take meds, leave the house, etc. and don't know where to turn. I love her very much but, she's belligerent and verbally abusive; everything is a fight. Does the book address these types of issues? Otherwise, who/where/what can help?

• Is it important to study Care Giving separetely in order to run and manage caregiving business? I am already working as an individual (volunterring, mostly unpaid caregiving jobs) however its a long aspiration to build a team and make it a business. My 2nd question is "What are business/ revenue sources apart from care seekers/family to plan it in advance?

Chat Transcript

12:05:10     From Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : Here is the amazon link to When Caregiving Calls: Guidance as You Care for a Parent, Spouse, or Aging Relativehttps://a.co/d/hVrT0gx

12:05:34     From Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : Dr. Aaron Blight's webpage https://caregivingkinetics.com/

12:08:53     From Patricia Dubroof : Do you want to hear more great interviews about how to age well and supported? Visit www.assistinghandspotomac.com go to Resources and Video Podcasts.

12:09:08     From Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : Assisting Hands YouTube Page https://www.youtube.com/@assistinghandsofpotomacres1943

12:11:35     From Cheryl Bohlin : And what about child to aging parent in the realm of dementia?

12:19:23     From Cari Sabel : Would you please drop the name of Dr. Blight's book here please ?

12:19:52     From Margaret Osterhaus  to  Hosts and panelists : When Caregiving Calls

12:20:56     From Patricia Dubroof : Some new folks have joined, so I'm reposting this update: Happy Friday! It's the beginning of a new month and lots of amazing programs here with Pro Aging and Assisting Hands Home Care. FYI I've had to change the Death Cafe dates to March 6 at 7pm. If you are interested in attending just send me an email and let me know. pdubroof@assistinghands.com

12:22:03     From Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : When Caregiving Calls: Guidance as You Care for a Parent, Spouse, or Aging Relative https://a.co/d/jhmo4cS

12:22:06     From Laura Strand  to  Hosts and panelists : When Caregiving Calls is the title

12:22:58     From Patricia Dubroof : Guilt and preconceptions about what life is about change and sometimes we just aren't ready!

12:23:40     From Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : Caregiving Models from Dr. Aaron Blight https://caregivingkinetics.com/downloadable-resources-for-caregivers/

12:25:18     From Patricia Dubroof : Difficult conversations to have with the Caregiving team could include Aaron's 4 questions: How do you describe your relationship with your loved one historically, currently. How has care giving affected the care recipient? How do you feel about the changes??

12:25:52     From Shoaleh Alai : What a great book and resource to offer families! Thanks for the presentation.

12:26:03     From Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : Anonymous Attendee 12:19 PM 

I'm looking for suggestions on how to handle an extremely difficult alzheimer person (my mother). I cannot get her to shower, dress, take meds, leave the house, etc. and don't know where to turn. I love her very much but, she's belligerent and verbally abusive; everything is a fight. Does the book address these types of issues? Otherwise, who/where/what can help?

12:27:35     From Patricia Dubroof : We are blessed that there are several dementia whisperers in our world. We also have resources for adult children faced with these challenges. Please reach out to us and I'd be happy to put you in touch. pdubroof@assistinghands.com

12:28:02     From Patricia Dubroof  to  Marcia Sherman-Ehrman and all panelists : You made it!!

12:28:47     From Patricia Dubroof  to  Shoaleh Alai and all panelists : Thanks for being here!!

12:29:07     From Patricia Dubroof  to  Nick Porter and all panelists : Glad you made it.

12:31:51     From Cheryl Bohlin : Setting boundaries physically / spacially is one thing, but making sense of the situation where your relationship with the care recipient has become combative or destructive to your sense of self is proving hugely difficult.    It sound like this book and thought process may be helpful.

12:32:17     From Cheryl Bohlin : Guilt is HUGE in all of that... especially when you don't and can't live with the individual full time.

12:34:41     From Purushottam Sharma : Thank you Dr Aaron on your journey. I will definitely try  to get hold of the book. Love and Respect from India!

12:34:54     From Cheryl Bohlin : Being able to forgive the person in decline is proving very hard at present... another source of guilt

12:37:44     From Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : 5 Ways You Can Support a Family Caregiver https://caregivingkinetics.com/5-ways-support-family-caregiver/

12:39:51     From Elisabeth Green : a person is not difficult. A relationship may be difficult. How does one get rewarded or compensated for working on relationships?  Does the altruism mechanism of action have a reward feedback system? Which hormones are secreted during altruistic activity? Is there a significant difference between genders? Is it ever wrong to ask the needy to pay for needed care? Anonymous, stop objectifying people.

12:43:26     From Patricia Dubroof  to  Purushottam Sharma and all panelists : Thanks so much for joining us!

12:48:17     From Sarah Nord  to  Hosts and panelists : What benefits or solutions can employers implement to better support family caregiver employees?

12:49:03     From Sarah Nord  to  Hosts and panelists : Also, you mentioned the 2 G Words (Guilt & ____). Is the 2nd one Grief?

12:52:02     From Patricia Dubroof : How to make caregiving a joy? Find a way to include creative engagement in your day. A 5 minute dance, listening to a favorite song, making visual art, readying a poem, walking in nature....these all help make the day better.

12:52:23     From Marty Resnick  to  Hosts and panelists : Thank you very very much for your presentation. I’ve been an outsider looking in for over 10 years involved with assisted living homes and now my role has reversed itself.

12:52:56     From Patricia Dubroof  to  Marty Resnick and all panelists : Where are you located?

12:53:27     From Laura Strand  to  Hosts and panelists : Thanks for sharing this information!

12:53:50     From Marty Resnick  to  Hosts and panelists : florida and DC

12:53:56     From Nancy BCPA : Is there any reimbursement available for family caregivers?

12:54:49     From Patricia Dubroof  to  Marty Resnick and all panelists : We off lots of resources if you'd like to connect. pdubroof@assistinghands.com

12:55:36     From Patricia Dubroof : We're offering Creativity programs for AUSOM on zoom. If you know someone living with the challenges of Autism, let me know and I'll send the links.

12:56:27     From Nancy BCPA : thank you!

12:56:37     From Patricia Dubroof : We support The Arc of Montgomery County which has coordination of care for respite care.

12:56:51     From Patricia Dubroof : They offer this program for all ages.

12:57:22     From Elisabeth Green : Childbearing parents have have increased their carbon footprint by approximately 58.6 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per year per child in a medically developed country. They must offset those carbon emissions. (Seth Wynes and Kimberly Nicholas 2017 Environ. Res. Lett. 12 074024). https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aa7541/meta

12:58:58     From Patricia Dubroof : Aging Life Care

12:59:18     From Marianne Bailey : I would imagine you can find some therapists that specialize in this online if there's no one in your area.

12:59:32     From Patricia Dubroof : Many social agencies have grief groups including hospice organizations. JSA, JCCA, MoCo Hospice

12:59:40     From Rhonda Parham : Thank you for such an informative presentation!  I've been caring for my elderly mother-in-law for about 6 years now, and the information you've provided has been invaluable.  I will definitely be purchasing the book for additional ideas and help.

13:00:17     From Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : https://www.aginglifecare.org/

13:00:17     From Patricia Dubroof : caregivingkinetics.come

13:00:23     From Cheryl Bohlin : Thank you for such an informative session and for resources!

13:00:27     From Marty Resnick  to  Hosts and panelists : is this webinar available to send to others?

13:00:29     From Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : https://caregivingkinetics.com/

13:00:42     From Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : Purushottam Sharma 12:39 PM 

Is it important to study Care Giving separetely in order to run and manage caregiving business? I am already working as an individual (volunterring, mostly unpaid caregiving jobs) however its a long aspiration to build a team and make it a business. My 2nd question is "What are business/ revenue sources apart from care seekers/family to plan it in advance?

13:01:00     From Patricia Dubroof : Thank you so much to Assisting Hands Home Care and ProAging for putting this informative program together.

13:02:03     From Cari Sabel : Thank you !  Really appreciate all of the resources !