Caregivers’ Circle – Stephanie Erickson

I know that all parents probably hear their children, at one time or another, complain that their brother or sister are getting more attention or special treatment than he or she is.  Hearing, “But it’s not fair!” is something to which all of us parents can relate.  For me, this feeling of unfairness occurs not only in the typical situations, … Read more about this episode...

Once when I was driving on the highway I noticed a woman, who looked to be about 85 years old, walking on the side of the highway.  I looked for a car that she possibly abandoned but didn’t see one.  My first thought was that she had Alzheimer’s disease and was lost and wandering.  I immediately called 911 to make … Read more about this episode...

I was raised in a family who used guilt as a motivation technique.  I say that a bit in tongue and cheek but there are situations in which guilt is used or to drive us into action or as a form of manipulation.  I’m not sure if it was my early introduction to guilt or if it is just my … Read more about this episode...

Many of my listeners have heard me discuss my family and I think I’ve mentioned my son.  When I was pregnant with him, I was sick a lot and I wonder if that was because he was feeling unsettled, even in utero.  The moment he was born he needed me intensely, much more than my daughter.  He always wanted to … Read more about this episode...

Most of the time when I speak to my friends, family or colleagues and ask them how they are doing, there is a standard and quick “Good, thanks.”  But when we take a moment to really talk about life, I hear about the challenges of finding balance with work, family, caregiving, health, and many other aspects of our day to … Read more about this episode...

My friend was just telling me a story about how the commute to her job is killing her.  She’s spending 10 hours in the car each week and she has no time to decompress.  Her nights are spent rushing through homework and domestic tasks while her kids feel like she’s only half-there. Due to her guilt and fatigue, her sleep … Read more about this episode...

There are many moments in each day when many of us question what we’re doing.  Am I really a good mother?  A good father?  A good wife or husband?  Am I a good employee doing what I can to move up the corporate ladder?  So many of us walk around filled with doubt and afraid and discouraged that what we … Read more about this episode...

You arrive at work on a Thursday morning as usual to find your colleagues standing around talking. When you approach and ask what’s going on you are shocked to learn that your supervisor has just asked to take an extended leave. He was diagnosed with Stage 3 lung cancer. You and your colleagues commiserate on how awful and scary this … Read more about this episode...

But it’s my decision! I’m the one who’s been taken care of him! What gives you the right to make a decision for me? These are not uncommon statements made by families experiencing medical and health crises. And what about the health care professionals caught in these family disputes? How do they treat and care for a patient when the … Read more about this episode...

How many times have you walked out of your doctor’s office only to think about the 5 questions you forgot to ask?  Or as your driving home you’re saying to yourself, “Wait.  I don’t want to take that new medication.  Or, wait! I’m not happy with where my treatment is going.  Or, wait!  Why didn’t I speak up and tell … Read more about this episode...

While driving to work you feel your stomach in knots.  You are trying to believe that today will be different.  You visualize yourself entering the office, smiling and warmly greeting everyone.  You sit down at your desk, boot up your computer and get your day underway.  But deep down you know that your day won’t be so smooth.  Your colleagues … Read more about this episode...

The alarm goes off at 6am.  The last thing I want to do is get out of bed but duty calls.  Breakfast for the kids, finalize lunch boxes, school drop off, rushing to a work appointment, swinging by the grocery store on my way back to the office, finish the report my boss asked for 2 days ago, shove a … Read more about this episode...

I’m from California and when I first moved to Montreal my husband and I had a deal that we would return to my hometown after 10 years.  Well, I’ve been here 13 ½ and there are no signs of returning.  Truthfully, between years 9 and 12 I was finding myself angry and bitter that our plans were not moving forward.  … Read more about this episode...

How many times a day do you observe someone on their cell phone, scrolling through emails or setting a date in their calendar?  Or how about taking a picture, asking Siri a question, or looking for directions?  I often wonder how I got by without my phone or computer without all of this technology!  Have you ever seen a couple … Read more about this episode...

Why is it that with some people I can have these meaningful conversations in which I feel like a good connection and understanding is made and then just days later it’s as if it never happened?  I experience this at times with my husband and it tends to revolve around minor things but I have to admit that there are … Read more about this episode...

I’ve heard about teachers who ask their students to write their own obituary.  It sounds kind of morbid, but when you think about it, it’s a great exercise of life reflection, goal achievement, identifying priorities and thinking about our legacy.  I’m not sure how many teenagers can really think about their future in this way, but what a fantastic exercise … Read more about this episode...

My personal passion is the flying trapeze.  Yes, like in the circus.  I jump from a platform, swing through the air only to let go and be caught by the catcher and then launched back to catch that same bar and swing up to the platform again.  My family thinks I’m crazy, and likely my kids do as well, but … Read more about this episode...

It is no secret that caregivers are tapped out of physical and emotional energy.  In theory, caregivers know it’s healthy and necessary to take time for themselves but this is not always possible.  Transcendental meditation has been proven to reduce stress and improve overall health.  Today’s guest on Caregivers’ Circle, Bob Roth, Executive Director of the David Lynch Foundation… Read more about this episode...

My friend told me a story about how during one evening’s bedtime rituals with her kids, she completely lost it when her son wouldn’t brush his teeth.  She grabbed the toothpaste tube and angrily squirted the entire tube on his toothbrush and all over the floor.  I reassured her that this was not the insane behaviour of a lunatic but … Read more about this episode...

How many times have you walked out of your doctor’s office only to think about the 5 questions you forgot to ask?  Or as your driving home you’re saying to yourself, “Wait.  I don’t want to take that new medication.  Or, wait! I’m not happy with where my treatment is going.  Or, wait!  Why didn’t I speak up and tell … Read more about this episode...

Dr. Al Etmanski writes “Words matter. Not just theirs but ours too. They transform both speaker and hearer. When we are angry or hurt, when we feel ignored or misunderstood, our words can amplify our deepest insecurities and perpetuate mutual misunderstanding.”  The language we use is the platform for which many of our thought patterns, perceptions and behaviours are built.  … Read more about this episode...

Care coordination.  Continuity of care.  Team planning.  Care manager.  Or how about cognitive capacity, disorientation, palliative, terminal, agitated, delirious, Demented…..AHH!  There are so many terms that health care professionals toss around casually and families and patients struggle to follow along and understand what symptoms are present, what it means and what treatment is available.  Language in the healthcare world can … Read more about this episode...

No matter how difficult parenting is in the moment, parents can always consider that the day to day grind and worry of parenting will lessen when our children leave the home, marry and have kids of their own. That’s not to say we don’t always worry about our children, but our sense of responsibility over their well-being and basic survival … Read more about this episode...

It’s very difficult to keep a balanced perspective on life when you feel like you are sinking.  I personally have tried to look at the big picture to stay calm and focused but often get overwhelmed with the little details and feel trapped in my situation.  Many of us tell ourselves that we will start to slow down, not sweat … Read more about this episode...

But it’s my decision!  I’m the one who’s been taken care of him!  What gives you the right to make a decision for me?  These are not uncommon statements made by families experiencing medical and health crises.  And what about the health care professionals caught in these family disputes?  How do they treat and care for a patient when the … Read more about this episode...

No two individuals are alike.  Even twins have distinct personalities and behaviours that distinguish them from one another.  So then it would seem that no 2 brains are alike either.  Just because someone has a diagnosis on the Autism Spectrum does not mean that they are similar to those with the same diagnosis, and in fact, it does not mean … Read more about this episode...

As I get older I often hear myself making interesting and new sounds as I stand up, sit down and roll over in bed – the creaks and pops are predictable music in my home.  Many individuals experience these chronic and on-going physical annoyances but are able to function without too many limitations.  However, there are so many others who … Read more about this episode...

When people ask me how I am, I’m not sure what they mean.  Are they just following social norms and niceties or are they really asking me about my overall well-being?  I actually think it’s more of a social reflex and I definitely don’t think they want to know about my emotional state.  But what does this really mean, how … Read more about this episode...

How many times have you heard someone say, “I wouldn’t want to be kept alive if I were like that.”  Or, “Where is his quality of life?”  I hear this from families who are caring for someone with Dementia as they watch their loved one disengage from what they define as “life”.   But quality of life discussions are also present … Read more about this episode...

Caregivers are selfless.  They continually push aside their own needs and emotions to devote all their energy and time to care for another.  “Care for the caregiver” is a common phrase used.  In all honesty, what caregiver has time to care for themselves?  Is this even realistic?  This week’s guest on Caregivers’ Circle, Eleanor Silverberg, author of Keeping it … Read more about this episode...

Animals bring us joy and delight with each tail wag and nose nuzzle.  They can also be used to help people heal from physical and emotional challenges.  There is research showing that individuals with varied difficulties such as Veteran’s with PTSD, seniors with Dementia, those at the end of their life, individuals with development disabilities and even those with literacy … Read more about this episode...

Through my own personal experience with anxiety, I have learned first-hand how the words we use change the way in which we evaluate, respond and react to a situation.  Joining me this week is Dr. Andrew Newberg, author of Words can Change Your Brain: 12 Conversation Strategies to Build Trust, Resolve Conflict and Increase Intimacy.  In part 1 … Read more about this episode...

Through my own personal experience with anxiety, I have learned first-hand how the words we use change the way in which we evaluate, respond and react to a situation.  Joining me this week is Dr. Andrew Newberg, author of Words can Change Your Brain: 12 Conversation Strategies to Build Trust, Resolve Conflict and Increase Intimacy.  In part 1 … Read more about this episode...

Have you ever called an aging relative and had that gut feeling that something was “off?”  Or after a weekend visit over the holidays you notice how disorganized and dirty your aging relative’s home is?  Unfortunately, you know something is going on with your loved one but you live too far away to provide any support.  What do you do?  … Read more about this episode...

“I wish I could do more.  I feel so guilty that I find this so hard.  How can people say they appreciate or feel caregiving is rewarding when I hate it!”  Or how about, “I feel lost.  I don’t know where to turn?  What has my life become?”  Comments like these are not uncommon for caregivers AND many of us … Read more about this episode...

HIV is a very complicated disease that many of us know nothing about.  It is not a common topic amongst caregiver communities and support groups on a larger scale.  But HIV is something that needs to make its way into mainstream caregiver conversations and policy considerations.  HIV is really a chronic disease and it is a relevant and important topic … Read more about this episode...

There are many times when I walk into a room and wonder what I had intended to do.  Some days I feel like I cannot put a thought together and wonder if my brain is getting old and tired.  I spend a lot of time and energy taking care of my physical health with exercise and eating well, but what … Read more about this episode...

As I get older I often hear myself making interesting and new sounds as I stand up, sit down and roll over in bed – the creaks and pops are predictable music in my home.  Many individuals experience these chronic and on-going physical annoyances but are able to function without too many limitations.  However, there are so many others who … Read more about this episode...

How many times have you heard someone say, “I wouldn’t want to be kept alive if I were like that.”  Or, “Where is his quality of life?”  I hear this from families who are caring for someone with Dementia as they watch their loved one disengage from what they define as “life”.   But quality of life discussions are also present … Read more about this episode...

It is no secret that caregivers are tapped out of physical and emotional energy.  In theory, caregivers know it’s healthy and necessary to take time for themselves but this is not always possible.  Transcendental meditation has been proven to reduce stress and improve overall health.  Today’s guest on Caregivers’ Circle, Bob Roth, Executive Director of the David Lynch Foundation… Read more about this episode...

We rely on health care providers to provide quality care and timely interventions.  We expect that providers know the right questions to ask in order to understand our personal health situation and to obtain the appropriate resources.  The reality is that many health care professionals are drowning in paperwork and case overload and cannot spend a sufficient amount of time … Read more about this episode...

When you see a group of women hanging out with one another, you typically see hysterical laughing, silliness, and the occasional tears.  Women have a unique opportunity to improve and enhance the lives of other women as we age.  We can be confidants, mentors, cheerleaders and grief counselors.  But sometimes the media and others present unattainable standards about what aging … Read more about this episode...

According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, there are more female caregivers than male caregivers.  In fact, 66% of caregivers are women.  Why are the caregiving responsibilities unequal across genders?  What are the expectations within genders as to who should do what?  This week’s guest, Nira Rittenberg, occupational therapist and co-author of Dementia – A Caregiver’s Guide and I will be … Read more about this episode...

Caregivers are selfless.  They continually push aside their own needs and emotions to devote all their energy and time to care for another.  “Care for the caregiver” is a common phrase used.  In all honesty, what caregiver has time to care for themselves?  Is this even realistic?  This week’s guest on Caregivers’ Circle, Eleanor Silverberg, author of Keeping it … Read more about this episode...

We hear the terms Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy Body, etc. and wonder, what are the differences and does it really matter when someone we love has cognitive losses?  Understanding and diagnosing Dementia is a difficult task for doctors and often the diagnosis differs from physician to physician. Why is this?  How come it seems that we don’t really know much … Read more about this episode...

Animals bring us joy and delight with each tail wag and nose nuzzle.  They can also be used to help people heal from physical and emotional challenges.  There is research showing that individuals with varied difficulties such as Veteran’s with PTSD, seniors with Dementia, those at the end of their life, individuals with development disabilities and even those with literacy … Read more about this episode...

Your aging mother FINALLY agreed to allow some help in her home so you set out on the task of finding the right person.  As you do your homework, you realize that home care is expensive and finding the right person or agency is not as simple as you thought.  You begin to wonder if home care is the right … Read more about this episode...

We are all aging.  The demographics are shifting and resources are lacking to support our seniors.  For the LGBT community, resources, and particularly housing needs are virtually non-existent. Due to stigma, discrimination, family dynamics and other issues, this aging community is at risk of having limited support.  This week’s guest, Serena Worthington from SAGE discusses the complexity of this issue … Read more about this episode...

If you misplace your keys what is your first thought?  If you walk into a room and forget what you were looking for what goes through your mind?  What about if you are driving to your friend’s house, a place you have been several times in the past, and you suddenly feel lost and despite looking around do not find … Read more about this episode...

Caregivers give it their all, physically, emotionally and financially.  What they often miss is time for themselves, a few hours of shut eye and some companionship.  Many caregivers, due to geography, family dynamics, and work schedules can feel alone and isolated.  Other caregivers, due to their own perception of their situation whether it be guilt, embarrassment or shame, avoid contact … Read more about this episode...

At least 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and many of those affected turn to drugs and alcohol to cope.  In addition, the physical stress of war and service can lead to physical injuries that require pain management, and that can unfortunately lead to substance misuse as well.  This week’s guest Allyson Bowers a military … Read more about this episode...