Mama Dunlap Writes

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Stay CALM .... OK, not THAT Calm!

Visit our Caregivers Page at Ormonds Best Caregivers on FaceBook.

This page is a community of wonderful people, who inspire, encourage and share each others' experiences in the field of Caregiving.
It is our mission to keep positive energy flowing, where our attention is going.
We believe EVERYONE is a Caregiver at some time in their lives. EVERYONE needs Care, at different times in their Lives.
So, if you are a Caregiver, in the process of looking for a Caregiver, or know a Caregiver, this page is FOR YOU.

We are a group of Professional Caregivers working for Agencies, ALFs, Hospice and the Elderly.
You can HIRE US, through an Agency. Or Privately.
For further information about schedules and cost, call 386-675-3301.

OBC is NOT the only free online community dedicated exclusively to the welfare of caregivers of any and all physical or mental debility, from Alzheimer’s to cancer to autism to bereavement.

In our community, you'll connect with other local caregivers to share experiences, find critical resources, minimize and cope with stress, and effectively combat the isolation and exhaustion of providing chronic care through a personal network of peers who are always available. Your comments and rebuttles are always welcome ... remember, we are not alone. There are MANY Caregiver sites available for reference. Mostly FREE.

Our concern is exclusively to comfort and help the caregiver.

WE are Caregivers.

CAREGIVERS OFTEN ARE THE SILENT SICK.
BUT THEY SUFFER THE SAME ILLNESSES OFTEN
AT THE SAME TIME THEY ARE TAKING CARE
OF THEIR PATIENTS.

Myth or Matter of Fact: A family history of breast cancer means you are likely to develop breast cancer too.

October is #BreastCancer Awareness month and we will do our part on the next #MayoClinicRadio program (Oct. 12, 9-10amCT) with a discussion about the#genetics of breast cancer and how breast cancer patients can best weather the storm of a diagnosis. Our guests will include Stephanie Hines, M.D., from the Breast Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., and Toni Kay Mangskau from the Cancer Education Program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

We will discuss how breast cancer is being detected and what to do if you are diagnosed. We will also talk about empowering patients and the support people who are in the thick of it with the patient. And we’ll talk about the latest chapter of breast cancer – the genetics of both the patient and the tumor. We hope you’ll join us.
radio.mayoclinic.org

Sleep is a Precious Commodity. Especially for Caregivers.

Sleep ... Underated.

For caregivers, late nights and early mornings can be common and sleep is often a precious commodity.

Likewise, the burdens you face may leave you staring at the ceiling when you actually do get a chance to turn in. It’s not surprising, therefore, that many caregivers experience sleep difficulties and naturally look for different ways to reclaim the rest they so dearly need. Sadly, some common strategies we turn to when chasing sleep can do more harm than good.
~Read on, by Sacha Carr.

Taking over-the-counter sleep aids.
The most popular drugstore medications like Nyquil, Unisom, and pain relievers with “PM” on the end of their name are all sedating Sleep Mistakes Revealed - The top 5 things you may be using to try to sleep that do more harm than good antihistamines. Like alcohol, many of them will interfere with your sleep in the early morning hours. Likewise, using either alcohol or sedating antihistamines long-term can lead to tolerance, meaning that their ability to help you fall asleep diminishes over time. As a result they can actually make even falling asleep more difficult in the long run.

Aside from the sleep boosts of exercising earlier in the day, reading a relaxing book in the later hours instead of watching TV, and doing your best to get to bed at a reasonable time, try creating a regular bedtime routine. It needn’t be long, and could include things like a quick bath or shower, applying an aromatherapy body lotion, or reading from a book of meditations. Whatever you choose, making it a nightly ritual will help condition your body and mind to settle down for the night.