A cornucopia of new (to me) dementia recommendations befitting the season.
When you're on the road for almost a month with almost no access to wifi the emails can sure pile up! Discarding the dregs I did come across some noteworthy dementia hacks that may provide a beneficial boost to your journey.
Aidaly: "Get paid for the work you already do."
My caregiver friend Matt Perrin included a blurb about the company aidaly in his weekly "Three Thing Thursday *on caregiving" email as a start-up that is going to make the world a better place. After checking out their website I'd have to agree with him - their focus is getting us family caregivers paid.
Yeah, I said it.
PAID!
They do that by qualifying you for available compensation in minutes, without you having to do all the research and paperwork. It sounds like they're the experts at what we caregivers are always asking each other on forums and FB groups...
"Does anybody know if we can get paid for being a family caregiver?"
To which we all answer something along the lines of...
"Uh, it depends. Hang on, I just happen to have an entire week available to research that for you and still come up with no answer."
Then we all chuckle heartily at the idea of free time or monetary compensation ever being a possibility in the dementia caregiver world.
So, you can see why aidaly is worth a look see! They may just be the miracle worker we seek when it comes to compensation for this difficult job. Plus, they offer "many of the same financial, legal, and insurance benefits provided through traditional employment, as well as access to a budding community, personalized perks, and wellness content to improve overall wellbeing."
What? No FREE ICE CREAM? Oh, alright. I'll sign up anyway. ;)
P.J.'s Perplexing Predicament: A children's book about Alzheimer's to create awareness and promote open conversations between parents and kids.
Stumped Town Dementia reader Danielle Spaar initially emailed me while I was on the road, with an enticing offer to stop by her place in Minnesota for libations and dementia caregiver stories at her local winery. SOLD! Except for one problem, we went nowhere near Minnesota. DANGIT!
A couple of email exchanges later I find out she's the author of a children's book series, and currently has a Kickstarter Campaign to raise money to complete her latest edition - Logan and Emily Files: P.J.'s Perplexing Predicament.
The book addresses the impact of dementia on families with humor, love, and understanding in a way that is both kid-friendly and engaging.
The title character is inspired by Danielle's own father P.J., whom she helps care for as he travels the highs and lows of his own Alzheimer's journey.
I thought all of that sounded pretty damn swell, so I pitched in what I could to support a fellow dementia advocate, even though she didn't offer me FREE ICE CREAM either. If you are equally as inspired consider giving a caregiver sister a helping hand, at any amount, that will assist children's understanding and acceptance of this complex disease in their own lives.
Say... that's good to know!
As often happens, I am the recipient of emails from others wanting to reach you, readers, for their own purposes. Sometimes what they are offering in exchange is actually useful information.
For instance, Vanessa wants to sell you a mattress, but has sugar-coated the deal with good info regarding dementia and sleep issues, both for the caregiver and the person living with dementia. Check it out here: A Caregiver's Guide to Alzheimer's and Sleep (2021, June 17).
(I do take umbrage with their recommendation to avoid using sleeping medications as that was the only thing that worked for our household - you would have had to pry that mirtazapine pill out of my cold, dead hands before I'd have skipped a night giving it to Mom!)
On the other hand, Robby wants you to move somewhere, anywhere really, and use his company to help with every facet of your move. So he keeps poking and poking me repeatedly with emails to include this article: Caregiving for Alzheimer's: Home Modifications for Loved Ones (2021, March 12).
It does have very practical tips on making a home easier to navigate for a dementia person, and includes an additional link at the end of the article to financial assistance recommendations for dementia home improvements.
Even if you're not looking for a new mattress nor a new address, there may be a tip or two in both articles that will make your caregiving life a little less stressful.
(I would have had this information to you sooner had either thought to throw in some FREE ICE CREAM to accompany their sweet-talking emails. Alas, no such luck.)
That's all the dementia deluge I have for you at the moment. I hope you aren't awash in a dementia deluge of a very different nature in your own journey. If so, holler at me anytime! If you don't hear back from me right away it's most likely because I'm face first in this...
Or potentially this...
But much more likely? A case of this...
Happy Halloween and a fabulous fall season to you all!
P.S. If you too want to get the "Three Thing Thursday *on caregiving" emails from my friend Matt Perrin, caregiver extraordinaire, subscribe here.