Cathie Ramey,  March 25, 2008

Most of the families I encounter trying to care for a loved one are doing so in a vacuum. One in four American households is caring for someone over the age of 50, 75 percent of caregivers are women, and two out of three of them hold down a fulltime job according to the Department of Health and Human Services.  Don’t ask these people what they do in their spare time, they don’t have any.  Caregiver stress is real and its toll can be devastating. While caring for another provides a sense of giving, it also creates caregiver stress, which may result in burnout, anxiety, a sense of isolation, anger and sometimes depression. Learn the signs of caregiver stress and get the help you genuinely deserve. Agencies such as Family Caregiver Alliance and  National Alliance for Caregiving exist for the  purpose of bringing much needed help to those providing care for another.  Other important resources are your Area Agency on Aging and Eldercare Locator. The National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers website offers guidance on selecting a care manager and a locator to find one in your area. When caregivers take care of themselves, they can take better care of those they love.

Cathie Ramey,  March 16, 2008

Whether you intend to extend your working years, age in your current home or retire to the mountains, your health is going to determine just how well your dreams play out. Sometimes we tend to forget this when planning our retirement and that’s a huge mistake. While lifestyle and environment tip the scale, genes do account for 30 percent of your aging future. Non-smokers develop lung disease; PhD’s develop Alzheimer’s. Back problems are not just painful, they can be debilitating. Vision problems can develop silently. And remember, no one drives forever. This isn’t to scare you, just to make you think.  Most of us don’t plan to become disabled, but have you ever planned to get the flu? The goal is to move into tomorrow with your eyes open. Consider changing your lifestyle if you have to, switch to a retirement job that suits your future health needs, modify your home so you can age in place safely and be realistic about the retirement Shangri-la you’re about to move to. Having a safety net in place is going to determine how many of your later years turn out the way you thought they would. Ask yourself, will this work 10, 20 or 30 years from now? If the answer is no, don’t put your dreams on hold; simply write a Plan B that acknowledges life’s “what if’s."