The Caregiver's Beacon Newsletter |
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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dear Friends, I have been very busy behind the scenes working on updating the technical infrastructure of the websites and the message board. Popularity is something of a curse… As our traffic grows, we have to make sure that the websites can handle all the hits and postings. I am confident that now we are able to handle our next phase of growth. To date, the bulk of the traffic to the website have come through referrals from our existing members. So just keep doing what you have been doing. If you see something that can help a fellow caregiver to cope with a problem, find answers or relieve a burden, tell them about the website: print off an article and share it in your support group, e-mail a link to your personal mailing list, or post a link to one of the online communities where you connect with friends. We don’t have a flashy marketing campaign to get the word out about these resources, so it is up to you to help out. Our website continues to be free and open. We pay our way though our partnerships with Google (paid ads) and Amazon (ElderCare Bookstore). Please if you see something of interest in the paid ads or in the bookstore, buy it though our website. These little nickels and dimes do add up and help to pay for website hosting and software. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ INSIDE THIS ISSUE If you have trouble with links, the complete issue is available
online at ElderCare Forum and Chatroom: Important Updates +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ELDERCARE FORUM AND CHATROOM: Important Updates After much re-engineering, the ElderCare Forum and the ElderCare Chatroom have been upgraded and expanded. The Forum and Chatroom have been the heart of our websites since 1997. With this upgrade, we are now more comfortable that they will be safe and stable for the foreseeable future. We now require that individuals register as members of the Forum in order to post comments and discussions. This will reduce and possibly eliminate the vandalism that we have seen over the last few months. You can still read posts on the Forum without registering, but I strongly encourage you to register so that you can join in the conversation. The Forum is located at http://eldercare.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x The ElderCare Chatroom is now integrated with the Forum. We had seen some performance problems with the original Chatroom in the last few months, so we decided to upgrade to one that is designed by the same company as the Forum. This gives us the added benefit of having a 24/7 chatroom linked to the Forum. If you see others online at the same time in the Forum you can just hop over to the Chatroom and talk live. To access the Chatroom, you must be a registered member of the Forum. From the Forum toolbar, click on “Go”, then “Chatrooms”, then “ElderCare Chatroom.” FEATURE ARTICLE: “Homecare Do’s and Don’ts” by Steven Schawartzman Arranging homecare for aging parents can be a difficult process for many different reasons, but in the end the solution is not complicated. That is, if you have high quality homecare personnel providing the care, you will at least be able to rest easy knowing that your parents are well cared for. Read the complete article with five “Do’s” and five “Don’ts” by Steven Schwartzman, a noted geriatric care manager in New York City at http://www.ec-online.net/Knowledge/Articles/homecare.html NURSING HOMES: “Living in a Care Facility” by Peter Silin, MSW, RSW The experience of being the resident (and also of being the family member) of a care facility varies enormously. This is partly because of the vast differences in care facilities and care facility staff. It is partly because of the differences in the residents themselves. It is also different because of what family members/caregivers are able to provide and because of the larger system (government, health departments, etc) of which the facilities are apart. To truly appreciate life in a care facility, I think we must first have an understanding of the purpose of care facilities. The purpose is not care, it is to help the resident achieve and/or maintain the highest quality of life that is possible for that resident. Care is one aspect of how the purpose is accomplished, or a measure by which we can evaluate the extent to which the purpose is achieved. Quality of life comes from quality of relationships, and the meaning, purpose, and structure in life that people have. At the same time, quality of life is an individual matter, varying from person to person. Part of the home’s care quality comes from understanding what it means to each resident and the home’s ability to e flexible enough to meet that individuality. To read Peter’s complete article go to http://www.ec-online.net/Knowledge/Articles/livinginanh.html PRISM LEARNING LIBRARY: Grief and Loss Library We are always looking to improve the information that we offer to our members. We recently arranged to add almost 350 new articles to the website. That is an amazing amount of helpful articles. They cover the range of topics that are of interest to our members. We have found that our members need valuable information on an even fuller range of topics, including personal finance, grief and loss, credit and debt, medical conditions, and stress management. We are gradually working to incorporate these new article libraries into our website. The first two mini-libraries are related to “Grief and Loss” at http://www.ec-online.net/Library/grief-loss/griefindex.html. You will find twenty revealing articles on dying, grief, funeral planning, spirituality, and support and coping. The second library is on “Credit and Debt Relief” at http://www.ec-online.net/Library/credit/creditindex.html. These articles are useful to everyone who is trying to stay afloat and prosper while doing double-duty as a caregiver. The information on managing your credit score is particularly useful. In the coming weeks and months we will be adding mini-libraries on “Personal Finance,” “Diabetes,” and “Depression.” Please take the time to surf though these new article libraries. CAREGIVER STORE: The Prism Complete Organizer and Planner Special Edition Our two workbooks, the Prism Personal Organizer and the Prism Medical Manager are designed to take some of the load off of your back when it comes to record-keeping and the day-to-day management of medical affairs. Both workbooks offer practical worksheets to collect information that is useful when filling out forms for your loved one, applications for government benefits, hospital records, and the detailed information that your doctor wants you to follow. The Medical Manager also helps you keep track of your loved one’s condition so that you have a record of questions you want to ask the doctor, changes that have occurred over time in your loved one, and issues that need to be raised. Normally we sell the two workbooks separately, but we have combined them into a Special Edition – what normally would cost you almost $24 is available for only $15.95. The Special Edition includes the two workbooks, as well as access to a password-protected section of the website that includes new downloadable worksheets. To place your order in our secure online store, visit us at http://www.ec-online.net/Store/workbooks.htm. If you have any questions, call us toll free at 1-888-774-7655. Throughout this month we continue to offer a special bonus: If you buy ANY product from our store (including the Prism Personal Organizer/Medical Planner) we will give you free lifetime access to our “Managing Medicines Safely” online tutorial. Visit our store now and claim your free “Managing Medicines Safely” online tutorial at http://www.ec-online.net/Store/store.htm. You can order online with our secure credit card processor, or call us at 1-888-774-7655 to place your order. GRIEF: A Poem from the Anger Wall Our sister website, ALZwell
Caregiver Support, hosts one of the Internet’s unique community services. The Anger
Wall has been around for almost ten years. Over that time, it has become covered with the
graffiti from thousands of caregivers. Most see it as a place to vent their frustrations
and anger. Others see it as a place to make a strong statement. They all prove that the
Internet is NOT an impersonal technical medium. Every day, the Internet helps individuals
with the emotional challenges that their caregiving role imposes on them. I have reprinted
a poem that was posted to the Anger Wall. a dove (from a wall in Montreal and posted to the Anger Wall 5/27/01) You can access the Anger Wall at http://eldercare.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/frm/f/4021010423. ELDERCARE BOOKSTORE: Featured Authors Several authors have long been affiliated with ElderCare Online and ALZwell Caregiver Support. This month, I would like to highlight them. For many of these authors we have chat transcripts, individual articles, book reviews, excerpts, and website links, so visit the Eldercare Bookstore at http://www.ec-online.net/Connections/bookstore.htm
The ElderCare Bookstore is more than a place for us to sell these books. It is a free “reading room” because of the numerous related articles, book excerpts, chat transcripts, and references. We continually update the store with new releases and additional items (including educational video tapes, DVDs, and computer software). Online shopping is a great way to save money and time. Visit the ElderCare Bookstore at http://www.ec-online.net/Connections/bookstore.htm SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION The Caregiver’s Beacon is published monthly by ElderCare Online and ALZwell Caregiver Support. To subscribe to this free newsletter, visit the subscription information page at http://www.ec-online.net/Knowledge/Newsletters/subscribe.htm. You may also go to the main page of the website at http://www.ec-online.net or http://www.alzwell.com and add your e-mail address to the white box and click on the "Subscribe" button (just one click!). To unsubscribe from this list, follow the customized link that is provided below by our ListBuilder software. You may also customize your profile and sign up for additional monthly News Briefs on special topics. (c) 2006 Prism Innovations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Subscribe Now +++++ Return to Front Page +++++ Read Back Issues |