Things That Make Life A Little Easier | In Care of Dad

Archive for the ‘Things That Make Life A Little Easier’ Category

Things That Make Life A Little Easier: The Gift Of Quiet

Posted on September 6th, 2011 by karen

An In Care of Dad Series

by Karen Keller Capuciati

Noise-canceling headphones have become popular with people who fly a lot — they’re a luxurious upgrade over the airline-issued variety. They’re comfortable and block out the background airplane noise so you can actually hear the movie.

When our father was in and out of the hospital and rehabilitation centers, we bought him the Bose noise-canceling headphones to enhance his comfort level in two ways. Our initial objective was to provide him the pleasure of his favorite CDs — Dad loved all types of music, from Patsy Cline and Neil Diamond to the Three Tenors. But we especially wanted to provide him some peace and quiet from the constant noise that fills every medical facility — the beeps, alarms, pages, incessant hallway chatter, as well as the often-too-loud TV that his roommate would watch.

1 Comment

Things That Make Life A Little Easier: An Automatic Pill Dispenser

Posted on August 8th, 2011 by kim

An In Care of Dad Series

by Kim Keller

Alice lives in Muskego, Wisconsin, near most of her family, and just celebrated her 86th birthday. Two years ago, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. As with many families, Alice’s eight children, who refer to themselves as “Team Alice,” worried about her taking her medications properly.

Would she remember what to take and when? Alzheimer’s is an enormous obstacle to a medication routine. So Team Alice was thrilled to discover the huge selection of MedTime Automatic Pill Dispensers from e-pill.com.

The medication dispenser they chose looks like a space ship. It has 28 compartment for pills and the like, so it can handle a variety of medication routines without the need for constant refilling. The dispenser also has a timer system that’s adjustable for each routine, and Team Alice reports that it’s very easy to program and to use.

11 Comments

What Is This Meditation Thing All About Anyway?

Posted on August 4th, 2011 by karen

by Karen Keller Capuciati

I find that people are really interested when they discover I have a meditation practice. They are genuinely curious about why I do it, how I do it, and what I get out of it. Then I often hear one of these two responses: “I wish I could meditate but I just have too many thoughts running through my head” or “I could never sit still long enough to meditate — I need to be constantly doing something.”

I have to smile at those replies, because, while meditation has had a huge impact on my life, I still have a mind that likes to banter on endlessly. And my husband often complains that I can’t sit still and relax, that I’m constantly doing something. Those qualities are not obstacles to meditation at all, as many people seem to think. Nor are they likely to be erased immediately from your life by the practice of meditation. There is no need to consider these qualities as problems or obstacles. They are merely another part of you, and meditation allows for all your qualities to coexist.

So, then, why meditate?

1 Comment

Things That Make Life A Little Easier: A Phone for Seniors

Posted on July 20th, 2011 by kim

An In Care of Dad Series

By Kim Keller

My friend Marti Ellerson shared a great tip with me: “The Big Phone.”

Marti’s mom, Alice, who has Alzheimer’s, was having a hard time seeing the small numbers on her phone and would often press the wrong buttons, sometimes in the wee hours of the morning. You can imagine how someone being awoken in the middle of the night might not be especially polite about a wrong number. This would fluster Alice and leave her feeling helpless and upset.

So Marti and her seven siblings, who call themselves “Team Alice,” looked for a solution. They discovered Clarity — a line of telephones designed specifically for senior needs, with features that address everything from hearing or vision impairment to arthritis.

Comments Off

Things That Make Life A Little Easier: CaringBridge.org

Posted on June 14th, 2011 by karen

Barbara and John's wedding photo

An In Care of Dad Series

by Karen Keller Capuciati

I first heard about CaringBridge from my friend Joanne. She thought it was a great tip to pass along, and she was right. She told me how, when her mom was sick, her family had created a website — through the auspices of CaringBridge.org — to keep everyone updated about her mom’s condition and about any related news that friends and family would want to know.

Comments Off

Things That Make Life A Little Easier: Warm Whiskers

Posted on May 26th, 2011 by karen

An In Care of Dad Series

by Karen Keller Capuciati

The one thing that troubled me the most when our Dad was ill was how uncomfortable he seemed to be the majority of the time. Though Dad would never complain, you could see that he was just not at ease. When I asked if he were okay, he would answer, “Everything just hurts, honey.”

6 Comments

Things That Make Life A Little Easier: Chemo-Care Bag

Posted on April 28th, 2011 by karen

An In Care of Dad Series.

by Andrea Zavell

My mother faced chemotherapy with hope, courage and grace. Her friends were wonderful. In addition to accompanying her to treatments, they showered her with bouquets of flowers, boxes of chocolates, and scented lotions and creams. While very much appreciated, most of the offerings were quickly re-gifted. Chemotherapy had rendered my mother very sensitive to smells, tastes and textures.

When my friend, Kathy, recently started chemotherapy, I pulled from the knowledge of my mother’s experiences to put together a gift bag for her. Most of these items can be picked up in one trip to a local drug store or Target. I hope other people will find some of the following suggestions useful.

2 Comments

Things That Make Life A Little Easier: Electric Tea Kettle

Posted on March 8th, 2011 by karen

An In Care of Dad Series

By Karen Keller Capuciati

This is the first of a series of articles examining gifts and gadgets that can make life easier for people who are seriously ill or facing the kind of problems normally associated with aging. Sometimes it’s hard to know what to give someone, especially a loved one who is suffering, but through this series we will share some of the treasures we found that are truly helpful (indeed for anyone) and very well received.

Comments Off