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Universal Design: What Is It and Why You Should Care

Posted on 05/8/2013 by | Home & Family blogger | Comments

Caregiving | Home & FamilyST. LOUIS — I’ve spent the past two days here attending a conference dedicated solely to Universal Design. Una-what? In spite of what it sounds like, Universal Design isn’t a Carl Saganese approach to designing the cosmos. The definition of Universal Design, some shorten it to UD, is a process of designing spaces — cities, streets, buildings, homes, rooms – “that enables and empowers a diverse population by improving human performance, health and wellness, and social participation,” according to Edward …

Games for the 50+: Games Provide Family Caregivers With Time to Recharge

Posted on 05/6/2013 by | Home & Family blogger | Comments

Caregiving | Home & Family | TechnologyI’ve been writing about the landmark gaming study by Dr. Jennifer Jacobs Henderson, associate professor and department chair, and Dr. Aaron Delwiche, associate professor, of the Department of Communication at Trinity University. Their study is based on over 32,000 users of  Wizard101, an online multiplayer game that surprisingly has a large number of 50+ users. One of the biggest surprises to us at AARP are the findings that show gaming benefits for caregivers and those who have gone through a …

7 Tips for Safety When Loved Ones Travel Alone

Posted on 05/6/2013 by | Aging, Home & Family Expert | Comments

Caregiving | Home & Family | Relationships | Your LifeMy heart is wrenching for the family of Victoria Kong, an 83-year-old woman who recently traveled by herself from Barbados in the Caribbean to Reagan National Airport in Washington D.C.  Somehow, she got off the plane and bypassed a wheelchair that her family said they had arranged for her.  Airport cameras caught her in the taxi line, but later captured images of her walking away from the airport along the river path. On Monday, her body was found in the Potomac river. …

A Grave Matter: What Happens to Your Social Media When You Die?

Posted on 05/6/2013 by | Caregiving | Comments

Caregiving | RelationshipsJust when you thought you had all the important documents you need to know your loved one’s wishes — power of attorney, will, health care directive, perhaps Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) — here’s another to consider: a social media will. This digital estate planning document states what you want to have happen to your social media — Facebook, Twitter, Google, LinkedIn, email account — when you die. Just as you need an executor of your estate, you’d have to appoint a …

TEDMED’s Great Challenges Day Addresses Caregiver Crisis

Posted on 05/2/2013 by | Aging, Home & Family Expert | Comments

Caregiving | Home & Family | RelationshipsRecently, I participated in the first TEDMED Great Challenges day which addressed 20  great challenges (see my previous post about the Dementia Tsunami, one of TEDMED’s Great Challenges). I participated in a breakout group of about 20 people who rolled up our sleeves and dove into a discussion of the “caregiver crisis.” It was an afternoon full of passion and spirit among all contributors. Many of us are or have been caregivers; others approached the topic from a business viewpoint (those who …

Power to the People via Family Caregiving Coalitions

Posted on 05/1/2013 by | Caregiving | Comments

CaregivingWhen I learned about the concept of family caregiving coalitions, what sprung to mind was the Carole King song “You’ve Got a Friend.” I say that in a good way! The famous lyrics are: “When you’re down and troubled and you need some love and care . . .” America’s 65.7 million family caregivers may be an army, but if you’re one of those troops, you can feel alone in the trenches. There’s the ever-changing situation, unpredictability, loss, exhaustion and, …

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