FiftyShift offers this advice:
Seniors face additional challenges in preparing for and responding to issues like power and communication outages, icy surfaces and lack of heat. Experts recommend that they, and their adult children, neighbors or caregivers do some simple pre-planning to protect their safety during the winter.
“Seniors need to prepare for winter long before it arrives so they have safety and mobility plans in place,” says Andrea Cohen, CEO of HouseWorks, a Massachusetts home care company dedicated to helping seniors live independently. “Snow and ice, cold temperatures and heating devices are all potential safety hazards that result in a number of accidents every year. Minor additions or changes to a senior’s home can minimize the risk of an accident and create a dramatically safer environment.”
And, if all that has you burned out, check out this column from the NYTimes:
So why all of a sudden did I feel as if I didn’t love my mother, that I hated taking care of her?
“What you’re describing is really a matter of resentment,” said Barry J. Jacobs, psychologist and author of “The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers.” “Sometimes caregivers have a difficult time distinguishing between resenting the caregiving and resenting the person. It’s a clear sign of burnout.”
Caregiver burnout often manifests as resentment, anxiety, depression, sleep problems or waking up with a feeling of dread. Many caretakers, Dr. Jacobs added, don’t realize they are burning out until they are “very symptomatic.”
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