Yes it is that time of year again! October brings Pumpkins, Pumpkin coffee, football, sweaters and beautiful fall foliage to the New England area. We have one more exciting event to add to the fall in the Merrimack Valley, Our Latino Caregiver Event. On October 28th...
Sunrises and Sunsets – My World in Between
It’s 3:30 pm and it’s about time for me to finish my work day, here at Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley. Rushing home to pick up my children (10 year old and 12 year old), to drive them to their after school activities and while I have 45 minutes in between will...
Sharing the Caring
“The best long-term care insurance in our country is a conscientious daughter”, quoted a recent article in the New York Times, “The Daughter Care System”. While the article notes that more men have been stepping up as caregivers in the past few years, the truth is...
Back to Basics for Back to School
Here in the northeast, we hold on to summer for dear life. The slightest hints of fall begin to appear and induce minor panic in many New Englanders. Although it’s only by minutes, the days are already growing shorter and signs that the change in seasons is near,...
Let’s Talk about Falls – Matter of Balance
Why discuss falls in the first place? According to National Council on Aging 1 in 4 older adults aged 65 and older fall each year. Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older adults. Falls can completely change a person’s quality of life and...
Millennials: The Next Generation of Caregivers
Millennials are defined as the generation born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s. They are generally the children of baby boomers and older Gen Xers and these generations reach Medicare age in a time of longer life expectancies and medical advancements, more...
The Beach Awaits and it is Important that You Get There
The Beach Awaits and it is important that you get there. Or the mountains are calling and need you to see them or the car ride listening to your favorite music is waiting for you or any other place that is your happy place, it is important that you get there. When you...
Long Term Care Ombudsman Program
So you may have heard about an advocacy program for residents of nursing and rest homes called The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program. “Ombudsman” is a medieval Scandinavian term meaning “representative of the people.” But what does this actually look like in the Long...
From A Distance
Caregiving can be stressful when you live close by or with a loved one but trying to care from a distance can not only make it more stressful in some ways but also more complicated and confusing. Whether you live 30 minutes away, in another state, across the country...
Support Groups
I recently heard about a caregiver support group that meets at my local hospital. What can I expect if I choose to attend and what are some of the benefits? It can feel intimidating if you’ve never attended a support group before but here are some things you should...