After my father had his stroke, I lived in rolling fear, peaking every cold and rainy spell, that he would catch pneumonia. It became almost an obsession of mine, heightened in my imagination by the cruelty of it: this strong man who took on everything in the world, being felled because his weakened immune system […]
Continue ReadingBeing a caregiver for an aging or disabled loved one takes an incredible amount of strength. It takes strength to physically support them, to offer encouragement and positive perspective, to always be thinking ahead to their needs and strategizing better ways to live and thrive. But where does all that strength come from? Some of […]
Continue ReadingTo watch movies, or TV, or even just glance at commercials, or really interact in any way at all with pop culture, you’d think Valentine’s Day was just a celebration of new, young love. Cupid shoots an arrow, and—bam! True love, as fresh as the melting spring. And while we here at IOA are certainly […]
Continue ReadingKaren was a little concerned. At 72, she was starting to realize that living on a fixed income was tough. Not wanting to spend the rest of her life worrying about finances and struggling to get by, she decided to look for part-time work. But after a few months of looking, she still hadn’t found […]
Continue ReadingLeona was worried about her mother. At 85 years old, Marie was had just lost her husband, George, of 60 years. Since George’s death, Leona noticed a marked difference in her mother’s demeanor. Once a very bubbly, chatty, and enthusiastic woman, it was as though Marie’s zest for life had disappeared. Marie spent her days […]
Continue ReadingLarry had always hated the cold. Every year when winter rolled around he avoided the outdoors as much as possible, opting to stay in his condo with the heat cranked up so he wouldn’t have to feel the damp, penetrating chill of the San Francisco air. Larry’s tendency to hibernate in the winter became greater […]
Continue ReadingAs we begin a new year, caregivers for older loved ones have a lot on their plates. You are facing another year with resolve and determination, with courage and with love, and with a plan to care both for your loved one and for yourself. This is what is on your mind. What might not […]
Continue ReadingThere are some decisions in life that are essentially weightless—what movie to see, what outfit to wear, where to go to dinner. And there are decisions that will echo through the decades. Choosing a caregiver for an older loved one can seem like it falls into the latter category: something with potentially life-altering consequences. Finding […]
Continue ReadingThere’s a Buddhist saying that suggests: pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. Every single one of us on this road of life will experience pain. We experience physical pain, emotional pain, and perhaps even spiritual pain—and our pain is a natural and generous teacher of life’s ups and downs. But we spend a lot […]
Continue ReadingJenn had been looking after her aging father, Alastor, ever since he suffered a stroke a year ago. When she quit her full-time job as a librarian to be his full-time caregiver, she never could have imagined just how challenging she would find it. Between driving her father to his many medical appointments, helping him […]
Continue Reading
