On The Frontlines of Caregiving Lynette Whiteman

Many people believe that addiction and substance abuse are only problems young people struggle with. That is sadly, a huge misconception. In reality, substance abuse in baby boomers and older generations is a growing public health concern and can cause havoc in families and much stress in caregivers.

My guest today is Dr. Julie Davelman who is a Clinical Psychologist with Abrams Psychological Services. Dr. Davelman and I discuss such important topics as how large a problem is this, what are the warning signs families should be aware of, unique triggers in an older person and how can families raise this issue and begin seeking help.

You can learn more about Dr. Davelman and connect with her for further questions and advice by visiting her website at www.abramspsychservices.com and read her blog at https://drdavelman.wordpress.com/

I will also be posting some further resources on my Facebook Page - "On The Frontlines of Caregiving" - www.facebook.com/FrontlinesofCaregiving

Does the thought of the upcoming holidays fill you with dread instead of joy? Does seeing all the sparkly commercials with bright eyed children playing pianos and cute dogs snuggled by the fireplace wearing hats make you question your own life? Well - you're not alone!!

The holidays can be wonderful, joyous times, but for caregivers also come with unique stresses and feelings of loss.

On today's show, I have a great conversation with Rick Lauber who is the author of 2 caregiving books - "Caregivers Guide for Canadians" and "The Successful Caregivers Guide." We discuss some down to earth tips to help you navigate this time and hopefully reduce your stress.

Rick also is offering 3 free copies of "The Successful Caregivers Guide as a gift to you. Head on over to "On the Frontlines of Caregiving" Facebook page for details!

Most caregivers and adults know about the importance of a good diet, exercise and respite as pillars of maintaining good health. But, did you also know that getting a good night sleep is just as important, and maybe even more important as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.

My guest is Joe Winer, a PhD student at the University of California Berkeley. Joe is working on a research team which found that elderly people who experience sleep disruptions have a higher risk of developing memory loss.

Today we are delving into this research study and what this means to all of us.

Jennifer Levin was a caregiver for her father who had Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a rare degenerative brain disease. Since then, she has gone on to write about her experience as a Millenial caregiver for Cosmopolitan and created and moderate the Caregiver Collective support group on Facebook. Jennifer's goal is to bring awareness to the startling statistic of Millenials who care for family, the ways caregiving affects them differently than previous generations, as well as encourage these caregivers to seek support.

We discuss a range of issues ranging from the specific challenges that Millenial caregivers face, why it's so important to identify as a caregiver and how to handle job pressures and advocate for your rights as a caregiver.

You can connect with Jennifer on her Facebook Support Group - CaregiverCollective and through Twitter - @classiclevin.

Caregivers often run in so many different directions they don't have a chance to take a breath. Being so busy, is also a recipe for burying feelings of loss instead of feeling what is going on in your life.
My guest Beth Scibienski is the Pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church and the author of "Who is God When We Hurt." Beth joined me to discuss how important it is to take time, take a breath and process feelings instead of running away from them.
Beth was the caregiver for her late husband who had Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. His diagnosis came 14 years ago and he passed away 18 months ago. His diagnosis coincided with Beth starting to pastor in a church in Central NJ.
Beth's advice for caregivers - "Be present, even if it is painful. Take a seat. Take a breath. Be faithful in the moment to yourself first and then to the one for whom you are caring."
To learn more about Beth, visit her website at www.bethscib.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorbethscibienski. Beth's book "Who Is God When We Hurt?" can be found on amazon.com

Does this sound familiar to you - a caregiver shoulders most of the responsibility for a parent and feels "deserted" and not supported by his or her siblings? How about a local caregiver receiving advice from a long distance relative who doesn't know the full situation? These are the types of calls that I hear everyday from the caregivers I support through my non profit Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey.

My guest today is Elizabeth Miller who is the founder of Happy Healthy Caregiver, host of Happy Healthy Caregiver Podcast and a Certified Caregiving Consultant.

Elizabeth offers great advice about how to avoid getting in a conflict situation early on and sometimes, caregivers sadly just having to accept "what is." To learn more about Elizabeth and connect with her, visit her web site: www.happyhealthycaregiver.com. The web site is full of helpful resources and links.

To connect with other caregivers and hear more podcast episodes, head on over the facebook page "On the Frontlines of Caregiving" and make sure to click to "Like" it.