Winning the Endgame ~ A Book Review

 

Get used to it, the Population of the world is aging and aging quickly.  Let's clarify, it is still aging one day at a time, but there aren't as many young ones coming up in the ranks to fill our shoes and our responsibilities to our family's and society as a whole.

Gone are the days when your children would look after you when you were no longer able to do it yourself.  Today we need to make our own plans for what our future looks like and there is no better time to start than right now!

Aging is something that we really don't give too much thought to.  It's a topic that really doesn't interest us until we are at that "AGE" when our bodies and maybe our minds start to slip a little.  \

I can remember vividly during my 40's and early 50's never needing a phone book!  I could remember peoples' faces and names and yes their phone numbers as well.  Then all of a sudden one day I could not remember a friend's phone number that I would have called at least twice a week.

What was going on with me?  

It was time to take a good hard look at the aging process and understand what was happening to my mind as well as my body.

No one has the magic pill that will keep these things from happening to us, but we can and do have tools that will make life (and aging) that much easier.

First and foremost, get used to writing things down.  You will NOT remember! ( Or you might remember two weeks later )  Get used to it!

Don't give in though!  Reading and using your mind to do puzzles, crosswords, math problems like SUDOKU, will help to keep your mind sharp.  So don't just sit back and let nature take it's course without giving it a hard time.  Using the brain cells will help to keep it active.  

Join some groups that will teach you new skills.  Maybe something that you have been wanting to do for a long time, but never had the opportunity or time to pursue.  Painting, quilting, needlepoint, card playing, fitness classes ( for seniors of course), sitting in on some university courses or listening to podcasts on any topic you enjoy, will help to keep your mind and even your body moving.

Take the time to do some reading about aging, what to expect and how to win at the "End Game"!

We will all do this at some point in our lives, so let's do it our way!

This book might be the help you need to get you started!

With a little humour and lots of honesty, this time in your life could be the best that ever was!  Winning the Endgame is an easy read and just might get you on the road to looking at the rest of your life with open eyes and a willingness of spirit.  

May we all live our lives well and smile at everything that we have experienced during our voyage around the sun!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Two of the Best Products for Alzheimer's Patients: A Product Review

Dementia and Alzheimer's are two very real illnesses of our day.   Memory starts to change and we are left with someone who might or might not have the ability to remember.  There are products that can help people who are in the different stages of this disease.  Memory and remembering things are two different sides of Dementia/Alzheimer's.  People that are affected sometimes remember things in the past, like they were yesterday, yet they cannot remember what day it is today.  Taking care of someone who is losing their ability to remember the smallest of tasks, can be terrifying for the person who can't remember and for the family of that person too! If you are a care giver, for someone you love, it is heartbreaking at times.  It's also really hard to come to terms with the changes that we see in the person we knew so well.

I have many friends who are in the same boat and we have found that simple tools can help the person who is having troubles with their memory.  This clock is one of those tools.  It has a nice look to it and will help the person see what day it is, what time and whether it's morning or evening.  A quick look and you are already one step ahead.  It may not seem like much to you and me, but the person who is having difficulty remembering will find this tool useful.  No more answering the same question over and over again.  What day is it?   What time is it?  etc.etc.etc.




Being able to figure out what day it is, seems like a reasonably easy task.  For Alzheimer's patients it is not easy at all.  This clock helps though.  With it's clear, concise display, there will be no doubt what day it is and whether it's morning or evening.  This clock also has the capability to set up to 5 different alarms.  These could be for medications, bathing, or getting ready to go out.  All of the possibilities will depend on your own needs.

The second tool that I would recommend is an Erasable White Board!  


This Board is inexpensive and will give you a great place to write down all those appointments that need to be taken care of.  Doctors appointments, Dentist, going shopping, social times, all of them can be easily written on the board with dates and times so that there is no second guessing about where you are going and what you are doing.  Most Alzheimer's patients are still interested in doing things even though they can't remember at times.

These two tools will make life a little easier for the caregiver.  The clock is #1 and the white board for me is a great #2.  They are not cures, unfortunately there isn't one, but they are solid reminders for the mind that has trouble focusing from one minute to the next.  

Caregivers need as much help as possible when walking down this road with their loved ones.  In some places there are even social clubs where Alzheimer's patients can be taken and they can enjoy an afternoon with others.  These are supervised short term respites that caregivers need to recoup and get themselves back on track. 

In the United States you can find a local chapter of the Alzheimer's Society, where they offer advice, programs and support.  Anyone who is looking after a loved one with Alzheimer's needs all the support they can get!  Check it out at Find your Local Chapter.

In Canada there are also support groups and you can find them online or click on this link: https://www.alz.org/ca/dementia-alzheimers-canada.asp

Alzheimer's is a disease that slowly (or sometimes quickly) changes the ways we deal with our families as they age.  It is frustrating, upsetting, life altering (for everyone), and nothing makes sense anymore.  There is help to deal with this disease and the first part is knowledge and then tools to help you along the way.  The links I've included above have great reading material to help those who haven't yet been touched by this disease, understand it a little better. 

Caring for our loved ones as they age is a beautiful responsibility, but, with Dementia and Alzheimer's, there are extra burdens.  Help yourself and your loved ones by being informed and having the tools around to help you, help them.  

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Jan Arden's Feeding My Mother Book Review

I do it too often. That is, pick up a book without a true appreciate of what I am about to read. Jann Arden's Feeding My Mother: Comfort and Laughter in the Kitchen as My Mom Lives with Memory Loss definitely fits that bill. I picked it up because it was written by a wonderful Canadian music artist and because my mother is experiencing some memory issues right now.

Feeding My Mother turned out to be a series of diary or journal-style entries written over a period of a few years while Arden tried to continue working in the music industry and care for her ailing parents. What I expected was information about memory loss; what I did not expect was the diary style of writing or the recipes. I did expect and receive heartbreak, which is definitely on the menu when a loved one disappears in this manner. It is not really a book to turn to for information about Alzheimer's disease but rather one to read to understand one family's struggles to deal with their situation.

It is a nicely put together book with pictures; caring and sharing; family, pets and lots of love; tears but also much laughter; and with a few simple recipes, some of which I may return to. This book was crafted from (apparently) popular Facebook and Instagram posts that Arden wrote during her journey. I believe that she handled her parental situation as best as she could, something we can all aspire to do if and when we become caregivers for our parents. As Arden says, it is not easy becoming a mother to your mother.

Jann Arden

Arden is an accomplished Canadian singer songwriter who has won eight Juno awards and been nominated for a total of eighteen. She has also written three books. This one plus If I Knew, Don't You Think I'd Tell You and Falling Backwards: A Memoir. Another couple of books for our reading lists.

You can hear Arden discuss Feeding My Mother on CBC Radio by clicking right here. They call the book a cookbook, which I disagree with though it does have a few recipes. If you picked this book up thinking it was a cookbook, you would be disappointed. It is more correctly categorized as a biographical book about Alzheimer's disease and patient care.

Do I Recommend Feeding My Mother? 

Yes, I do recommend Feeding My Mother. It is definitely of interest to someone who is dealing with a family member with memory loss or who sees that coming in the future, as I do. However, I am uncertain if it is a book that my mother should read. I know she would appreciate the humour and the love that is found within the covers but not sure that she needs to really think and worry about all of the situations found in this book. What do you think? Should I give my mother this book to read or not?  Have you read Feeding My Mother? Have you been a caregiver for someone with memory loss?

You can get your hands on a copy of Jann Arden's Feeding My Mother by ordering it from Amazon here.

See you
at the book store!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Order your copy of Feeding My Mother from Amazon.

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