Blog

Know Your Holiday Hot Buttons

For many of us, December marks the start of holiday gatherings and festivities, making it feel like “the most wonderful time of the year.” Some family caregivers, however, may find themselves singing a different tune (think: “He’s a mean one, Mr.Grinch”). While holidays bring opportunities for joy, traditions and new experiences, they can also bring… Read more…

Accessing Community Resources

If you are unsure about what kind of help you can access in the community when caring for someone, you are among the many British Columbians who find navigating the healthcare system overwhelming and confusing. Many caregivers find the co-ordination role (like that of a case manager) the most stressful part of caregiving, even though… Read more…

Are You a Healthy Caregiver?

Last week, my phone was ringing off its hook with family caregivers. Their caregiving needs all varied. One caregiver was calling for a parent who couldn’t recall the specialist’s name from their last appointment. There was a key follow up needed pertaining to a continued driver’s license. Another family member called who was thrown into… Read more…

Creating Space to Heal

Late last year I worked with a woman who was struggling to cope with her partner’s attitudes towards his Parkinson’s disease. She felt worried, frustrated, resentful and guilty; she didn’t know what else she could do. This is a story that is far too common in my counselling practice. As a carepartner, you may also… Read more…

Don’t Let Caregiving Turn You Into A Grinch

I was in a gift shop yesterday and, as I am often noted for, spoke out loud to no one in particular, “Wow, this holiday season has really snuck up again on me this year.” In a shocking turn of events, someone answered, “Tell me about it! I wish I could get into a time… Read more…

Caring for a Loved One With Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is difficult for the person affected and the person caring for them.  As part of my work with Family Caregivers of BC, I write for Senior Living INSPIRED and recently had the experience to write on self-care for someone caring for a loved one with chronic pain. Chronic pain can be overwhelming. Chronic… Read more…

Balancing Work and Caregiving

You have a looming deadline at work and your mother keeps calling because your father has fallen yet again. You are notified by your mother’s housing provider to find immediate overnight care due to your mother’s dementia and wandering at night time. You are for late for work due to taking your Dad to this… Read more…

Take a hike! Or in my case, a bike!

It’s that time again – summer holidays – and for myself, that meant a 6-day solo excursion to Oregon tackling some road cycling, enjoying some great new sights and recharging my batteries.   You can skip down to the end for some photos. Before I left, I had several calls from caregivers wanting to take a… Read more…

Self-Compassion For All

It becomes understood that happiness is not dependent on circumstances being exactly as we want them to be, or on ourselves being exactly as we’d like to be. Rather, happiness stems from loving ourselves and our lives exactly as they are, knowing that joy and pain, strength and weakness, glory and failure are all essential… Read more…

Speaking Up & Getting What You Need After Brain Injury

  Speaking Up & Getting What You Need After Brain Injury with Wendy Johnstone, MA (Gerontology) Wednesday, April 19, 2017 1:30 – 3:00 pm Nanaimo Harbourfront Library, 90 Commercial Street Suffering a brain injury or stroke is an overwhelming experience that takes from you a sense of control, over your physical and mental health, and… Read more…