Practical Tips from Caregivers.

I was looking for something on Caring.com and came across some tips offered by caregivers for caregivers. They are wonderful ideas that are easy to put to use, practical, and will not make the elderly parent or family member feel awkward. They are...

(picture from Caring.com)

Parkinson' Nighttime Safety: "My mom has Parkinson's and lives with me, but I still worry about her getting up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. So I bought one of those push lights that stick to the wall for her room. Then I cleared out a space in her closet and put a potty chair in there. At night, I bring the chair out and set it by her bed. She likes that she doesn't have to walk far from bed, and I get a better night's sleep." -- Kate, from Alabama City, Alabama

Keeping Up With Dad: “Dad tends to wander off into parts of the house or yard without telling me, so I bought a carabiner clip and put some old keys that I don’t use any more on it. It’s like a cat’s bell that I can hear (but it isn’t insulting), and even though he no longer drives I think he likes having keys. He even wears them now when we go to the store. I can hear him three aisles over.”
-- Thomas, from Castle Rock, Colorado

Lullabies for Mom: "Mom needs to go to bed earlier than I do, but she doesn’t want to stay back in her room alone. I moved an old alarm clock that has a CD player in it into her bedroom and bought some music she likes -- Doris Day and Rosemary Clooney. Now I hear her singing herself to sleep." -- Janie, from Port Joe, Florida

A Collection of Scarves: "Mom’s hair is really thinning, and she’s quite self-conscious about it. She doesn’t want to wear a wig or a hat, but she has taken to scarves and has just a little bit of her hair fluffed out the front. We’ve started collecting them wherever we go: antique stores, nearby small towns. Now she’s known as the scarf lady, and people give her scarves as gifts."
-- Kathleen, from Augusta, Georgia

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