Caregiver Community

  • Caregiver Community
    2313 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.

    Login To Join
    Add Discussion
  • Never let the patient know how you feel
    Rajalakshmi Siva, caregiver of a person with cancer and co-author of 'When Thoughts Invade the Cancer Conqueror’, recounts her days of a caregiver and how she coped with it right through the ordeal. What started the journey to hell and back was a pool of blood with a few drops of urine trailing him all the way up the driveway, to the parking lot, into the lift, and into the house and thence to the washroom. It was reminiscent of a silent scream that seemed to reverberate: Hell is empty and all…
  • Coping with Difficult Dementia Behaviours
    The most effective way to manage difficult behaviours in dementia and keep stress at bay for family, friends and caregivers is acceptance, patience and calmness, recommends Porrselvi A.P. a cognitive and psychosocial interventions specialist. Many people with dementia undergo changes in behaviour during the course of the disease. These changes are unexpected, awkward, difficult to understand and are termed problem or deviant behaviour.  These sudden behavioural changes can be challenging…
  • Healthy ways to gain weight
    Believe it or not people who are thin and underweight are not always healthy and free of illness. They can struggle to put on weight. Our nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju shares tips on healthy meal plan to gain weight. This is also important as people age and lose weight. Being lean sounds great, but being underweight because of poor nutrition doesn't sound healthy at all. Being underweight, you are more likely to pick up infections, a lack of vitamins and minerals will hinder your growth if…
  • Dementia Friendly Communities are essential to offer societal support to those affected
    Dr Sudhir Kumar, a consultant with specialisation in old age psychiatry and neuropsychiatric disorders discusses his views on the importance of Dementia Friendly Communities (DFCs) and how India needs to work more towards it Dementia-friendly communities help people with dementia feel included and supported in the day to day surrounding – the places they work, live and play  A dementia-friendly community focuses on spreading awareness about dementia and providing a safe and supportive…
  • Review of Current Principles for Quality of Life for people with Multiple Sclerosis
    Multiple Sclerosis International Federation, (MSIF) London is reviewing the current principles, which determine the “Quality of Life” of persons who have MS. As part of the said consultative committee, a feedback as regards the same is being sought from MS persons around the World. MSSI is looking to consolidate the feedback. Join our discussion here.   The Current Principles   1. Independence and Empowerment People with MS are empowered as full participants in their communities and…
  • Forget Us Not Handbook in English and Mandarin
    PatientsEngage is happy to support 'Forget Us Not', a joint initiative by Lien Foundation and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. They have put together this guide in English and Mandarin to help persons with dementia live dignified lives. This is part of the plan to build Dementia-Friendly Communities in Singapore. The 'Forget Us Not' initiative will foster a kampong spirit where we come together to help one another. The information and tools in this guide is only a first step. If you would like to do…
  • The Tough and Tender Caregiver
    Many caregivers feel guilty and think it is wrong to get tough with their loved ones, even if the intention is to help in the long run. Maya Ramachandran delves into the dilemma with a personal account. As caregivers, we are concerned about the health of our loved one. We assist with the care of/take care of our loved one, in the midst of many other responsibilities that we are required to fulfil. Sometimes, the patient is uncooperative or simply stubborn to a point of no return. What do we do…
  • Music Therapy in Dementia: How Effective is it?
    A look at how music tends to make life so much better for those suffering from dementia “Music has power for individuals with all types of dementias and it can spark convincing outcomes at any stage of the disease when used appropriately. For example, the type/choice or duration of music at each stage of the disease has to be taken into account”, says Nilanjana Maulik, Secretary General of ARDSI (Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India), Kolkata. Most people enjoy music, but can it…
  • Building Community Bridges for Parkinson’s
    There is much more to life for people affected with Parkinson’s disease than treatments and medications, believes Sudha Meiyappan, founder of Parivarthan, a community support group in Chennai that provides a safe platform to those diagnosed with Parkinson’s disorder. Shaik Mohideen Sahib returned to India couple of years ago after he retired as a Hindi teacher for 20 years in Muscat, Oman.  This was not his best time since his mother had recently passed away, he was …
  • Using Mindfulness and Awareness as a Tool towards Wellbeing
    The unquiet mind Can you be with this one breath, This moment, this now?  —Paul Salmon Mindfulness is defined by Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts, as “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment.”1 This rests on the simple idea that sorrow or distress is caused by not living in the moment, or feeling bad…
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  

Latest Communities