Caregiver Community

  • Caregiver Community
    2318 member(s)

    A place where Caregivers come together to share common experiences, challenges,and resources. 

    Caregivers are truly experts in patient management and can help each other because of their intensive experience in patient care at home. Caregivers can ask questions to others on this forum going through a similar caregiving experiences. They can start topics and discuss things like ways to manage daily tasks, where to find doctors, nurses, and other health services, how they manage stress, and any other topics related to caring for their loved one and for themselves. It is a great place for Caregivers to come and chat about the issues that affect them on a day to day basis and take time to focus on their own needs and health.

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  • Picture of Karanveer, a child Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy with with his dog
    My Son's Rare Disease Has Made Us Stronger Humans
    Rare Disease Day 2017 RS Anand has a teenage son with a rare disease Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy which restricts him to a wheelchair. He talks about the emotional and mental strength that they have needed to build on as family to accept and overcome the various challenges. Please tell us a bit about your son's condition  My son Karanveer has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). The Muscular Dystrophies are a group of genetic diseases characterised by progressive weakness and degeneration of…
  • Inclusive Playgrounds Help Reduce Stigma and Inhibitions
    The concept of inclusive and accessible outdoor play areas for differently abled is being actively recognised and built across several cities in India. Manju George, Senior Program Officer, ESAF Bangalore, talks about the challenges involved in undertaking these initiatives. Why did you embark on this initiative of an inclusive play area? In 2008, a research done across three cities with children and different stakeholders highlighted the issue of lack of play spaces for kids. Hardly anyone…
  • Anxiety, Stress and the Special Needs Parent
    The parents and families of children with special needs go through a lot of stress and anxiety in bringing up their children. Dr Roma Kumar, a Senior Consultant in Clinical Psychology, discusses various issues that these parents have to tackle on an almost everyday basis and possible solutions. Q1. Different research and surveys across the world show that more than 50% of the parents of children with disabilities suffer from anxiety, stress and depression. In your experience in India what are…
  • Caregiver Self-care is not Selfish
    Adveka Foundation, one of the first organizations in India to work primarily with caregivers, hands out tips on self-care and emotional management and how to prevent stress and burnout. The growing burden of chronic diseases and health care has given rise to a new community that is rapidly gaining in number and significance: The Caregivers. Caregivers provide support and assistance to individuals suffering from a health issue and those unable to look after themselves. They could either be…
  • Simple Tips for Caregivers of Persons with Dementia!
    Tips for Caregivers Dementia is a general term for decline in a person's mental ability that is severe enough to interfere with his/her daily life. It may involvememory loss, difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language. Dementia is progressive, which means the symptoms will gradually get worse. Even though most cases of dementia come from irreversible causes, there is still much that families can do to help their loved ones continue to function as well as possible for as…
  • A picture of childhood cancer patients playing carrom
    Help children with cancer develop skills to cope with stress and anxiety
    On International Childhood Cancer Day, Poonam Bagai, Founder Chairman of Cankids...Kidscan, a family support group for children suffering from cancer and their families, talks at length about how hard it is to tackle the medical and emotional wellbeing of a child who learns to grapple with reality through various stages of his treatment.  1. What are the objectives of Cankids? CanKids...KidsCan is a National Society for Change for Childhood Cancer in India & YANA (You are not Alone) -…
  • FDA approval is great news for DMD community
    says RS Anand, parent of a child with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy on the FDA approval of Emflaza (deflazacort). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Emflaza (deflazacort) tablets and oral suspension to treat patients age 5 years and older with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a rare genetic disorder that causes progressive muscle deterioration and weakness. Emflaza is a corticosteroid that works by decreasing inflammation and reducing the activity of the immune system.…
  • We need a Holistic Approach to Treating Cancer
    Susmita Mitra, Director - Special Projects at Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA), underlines the concerns and worries of cancer patients and emphasizes the importance of Psycho Oncology, a comparatively recent addition in cancer care, to build a positive frame of mind, ease trauma and facilitate recovery. It is well recognized that compared to any other disease, a diagnosis of cancer results in immense trauma to the patient on one hand, and his family members on the other, as they grapple…
  • Never Too Old to Sing
    The Choir of the Loaves and Fish, a musical ensemble of senior citizens, started by Pervin Varma with Regina Thomas in Bengaluru has been immensely therapeutic for the elderly and has helped bring loads of warmth and sunshine into their lives. Picture above: Ammachy taking a bow with Pervin Varma Imagine a group of people – all senior citizens between 65 and 96 – people who have suffered strokes or are living with cancer, arthritis, heart disease, dementia, physical disabilities, people with…
  • Mummy's Gift of Dying Well at 100
    With India’s ageing population increasing and the wish of most dying people to live their last few days happily at home, there is an urgent need to develop and expand palliative care in the country. Jo Chopra looks back on the fun her mother-in-law had at home before her final departure. A loved one dying at home is not a small thing. My own culture teaches us that people should die in hospitals (in a study some years ago in America, while 88% responding said they wanted to die at home, 56%…
What to do when you've reached your breaking point as a caregiver
I came upon this list of great advice from caregivers on what to do when you feel like you have reached your "breaking point" or a point of true exhaustion or frustration as a caregiver. What are some tips you would give others when they reach this…
Dutch students choose to live in nursing homes rent-free (as long as they keep the residents company)
Read the article here...http://www.thejournal.ie/help-the-aged-1814698-Dec2014/ Would something like this work in an Asian context ? I think its worth a few experiments for sure.      
Share your caregiving story!
I moved the Chennai 3.5 years ago to take care of my beloved grandma who developed breast cancer. Being a caregiver for her was a life changing experience for me. It showed me that even when we are caring for someone we love and even if we enjoy our…
What is your biggest caregiving challenge?
We all experience many joys and many challenges as caregivers. Sometimes talking about the tough aspects of caregiving is a good way to make sure we are not keeping our frustrations and diffficulties bottled up. The more we internalize the stresses…
What do you do to take a break from Caregiving?
One of the most important things that Caregivers need to do for themselves and their loved ones is to take breaks. It is so vital to take time to focus on oneself, recharge, and get some rest. If a Caregiver does not take breaks, it can lead to…
Home nursing options
How do you go about finding the right nurse for the patient or the elderly? What level of knowledge of English is important ? What are the top 3 things you look for ?    
Welcome to the Caregiver Community!
Hello fellow Family Caregivers! It is exciting to have an online forum where Caregivers from India and around the world can come together to share and learn from each other. This is a space where you can pose questions, share your story, and just…
Stores dedicated for senior citizens in India and Singapore
I came across http://www.oldisgoldstore.com/ recently. They have retail outlets in Chennai and ship to the southern states. Do you know of stores like these in other cities ?  We would like to add this information in our Resources centre  

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