Caregiving Resources – My Experience

Posted January 5, 2016

When we first started talking to Willmar and area residents about care and care-giving for the elderly, several adult children said they were sometimes at a loss in dealing with issues of their aging parents.

We all know that as Minnesotans live longer lives they become exposed to various disabilities that require some help so they can remain in their own homes.

Just how adult children without a background in health care can deal with issues facing the elderly got me looking into some of the available resources.

One, with an emphasis on health care, is free training offered by the Minnesota Human Services Department. That agency offers online training in personal care of the elderly and disabled. While it leads to certification as a personal care assistant (PCA) after passing a test, the material it covers gives the average person a good grounding in topics ranging from responding to medical and non-medical emergencies to controlling infection to dealing with stress. That’s good training for all of us.

The nine-part online PCA course can be taken whenever it’s convenient; there is no deadline. At the end of the training those who register to take the final exam, which, like the course, is free, can earn PCA certification.… Continue reading »

Care Worker Story Series: Meet the TakeAction Senior Caucus

Posted November 5, 2015

You have either been a caregiver, You are a caregiver, You will be a caregiver, Or someone will care for you. – Rosalynn Carter 

In early September, members of TakeAction Minnesota’s senior caucus – a group of older TakeAction leaders who have been working together on organizing, issues, and politics for a little over a year – went to Willmar, Minnesota to talk to seniors about care and caregiving. You can read an article about the event from the West Central Tribune by clicking here.

The Senior Caucus, inspired in part by Ai-jen Poo’s book “The Age of Dignity,” has decided
to do work around care and caregiving – recognizing that this issue is meaningful, touches everyone in one way or another, and is critically important as our state ages.  

The meeting in Willmar was a listening conversation, a chance to hear people’s stories and experiences, and to explore what is working well and what needs to change. It was also an opportunity to build relationships with people who’re just as concerned and passionate about the work of care and caregiving. The team will be going back to Willmar in the middle of November to talk more about how we can begin to improve the experience of care and caregivers in the Willmar area and across Minnesota.… Continue reading »

Care Worker Story Series: Vivian

Posted November 4, 2015

At our Aging Together event in Willmar, the Senior Caucus heard over and over again about how caring for family members can become a regular part of our lives, often at unexpected times. Here’s Vivian’s caregiving story:

In 2000, Vivian’s mother-in-law had a stroke, just 7 days after Vivian’s own mother passed away. The stroke left her left mother-in-law’s arm and hand compromised, and she also suffered a fall requiring a rod in the bone. This was an extremely stressful time for all of them.

Her mother-in-law went from assisted living to independent living in Willmar, where she has been for five years. At age 90, she is “determined and spunky”. When she decided to move to an apartment closer to the elevator, people told her that it was a bad idea because she would hear the noisy elevator. But this social woman just said, “I’ve decided to like it, and I will.”

Vivian and her husband live in Willmar and the rest of the family is scattered, although they receive some caregiving help from other family members. There are also times when Vivian and her husband need to get away for a while, and the rest of the family helps.… Continue reading »

Care Worker Story Series: Meet Todd and Kent

Posted November 2, 2015

For this pair of brothers – Todd who’s fifty five, living in rural Grove City and Kent who’s sixty one, living in rural Atwater – it started as “keeping an eye on mom” as she got older. Soon it evolved into the practice of caregiving as their mother edges closer to 90 years of age. Both brothers are now semi-retired due to their own health issues, but they still make time to visit their mother regularly. They helped her relocate to a senior citizen complex in Grove City, where she has her own room.

At her new home, their mother benefits from hot meals at noon and communal dining, as well as the sociability of being part of a community where residents look after each other and offer companionship. Their mother also receives bi-weekly occupational therapy and physical therapy sessions after a hospital stay when she had difficulty breathing.

Todd and Kent are present in their mother life and they’re starting to understand the instrumental role they play in her life at this stage, the same way she did for them when they were children. They work hard to care for her, creating a schedule so that one of them visits her nearly every day.… Continue reading »

Care Worker Story Series: A Daughter Caring for her Parents

Posted

As an only child I spent much of my growing up years with adults.  I enjoyed their company and encouragement.  So it was natural that when my father was diagnosed with dementia, possibly Alzheimer’s, I knew it my responsibility was to assist my mother in his care at home.  It wasn’t requested by either of my parents.  This was what I wanted to do.  I was less sure of my ability to do it.

Two weeks before my father’s diagnosis by a neurologist in Minneapolis, my husband and I had moved into our home in the Twin City area – two and a half hours from my parent’s home in Pennock.  The doctor told my dad to continue doing the activities he enjoyed but to avoid starting anything new. It was fall of 1987. At this time I was employed part time.  Not knowing what would happen next, I decided to resign my position.  I knew I needed to be available on short notice to aid my mother.

The next years were filled with many large and small emergencies, including hospitalization, and a brief stay in a nursing home. My husband and I drove to my parent’s home with ever increasing frequency.… Continue reading »