EILEEN ADLER

"Courageous care partners recharge with self-care, striving for peaceful pinnacles
in patience, persistence, and positive 
changes, knowing when to conquer and when to comfort."

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Rainer Maria Rilke

Jun 19, 2020 by Eileen Adler

“It seems to me that the only way one can be helpful is to extend one’s hand to someone else involuntarily, and without ever knowing how useful this will be,” the brilliant words from a man named Rilke. Was he writing this for me, a care partner?

The "Crookedest Street"

Jun 12, 2020 by Eileen Adler

 The “Crookedest Street” may symbolize our journey! The speed limit on this street is five miles per hour but how do we slow ourselves down? Is there a street sign for us to follow?

 

The Five Love Languages

Jun 05, 2020 by Eileen Adler

The Five Love Languages written by Gary Chapman was published in 2015, but his exploration began in the 1990s decoding the way we express and would like to receive love, how this love makes us feel on an emotional level, and looking for validation in ways that are meaningful to us. Share with your partners how each of you would like to be validated – yes, you can choose more than one!

It’s up to us to choose.

May 29, 2020 by Eileen Adler
The Choice – our choice might be the opportunity to select what we need to maintain our self-care.

Here’s the scoop on hidden costs of caregiving.

May 22, 2020 by Eileen Adler

Tax Day, April 15th has come and gone . . . but the expenses don’t go away when you are caring for someone. Care partners provide home visits, dispense medication, shop, feed, groom, do laundry, provide an escort service, companionship, and many more activities. I think we are worth a full-time salary equal to those with advanced degrees; for what it is worth . . . I’m just saying.

“Inside the ring or out, ain’t nothing wrong with going down. It’s staying down that’s wrong.

May 15, 2020 by Eileen Adler

“Inside the ring or out, ain’t nothing wrong with going down. It’s staying down that’s wrong.”

 

“Every day is different, and some days are better than others, but no matter how challenging the day, I get up and live it.

The 'Knitting Lady' Is a Surgeon and She's Paying Attention! Or is she?

May 08, 2020 by Eileen Adler
It happened in August 2019 in Australia, but it could have happened anywhere. This lady was plying her craft during a meeting! The audacity! The impudence! The chutzpah! Was she even listening? She wasn’t knitting but rather crocheting but that’s not the point.
 

May Day

May 01, 2020 by Eileen Adler

May 1 – May Day - If you find yourself losing patience or recognize that someone you know is being treated unfairly, please secure help. Yes, there are days when you feel more sensitive.  

And all the time I thought I was just cooking or dancing or sewing.

Apr 30, 2020 by Eileen Adler
And all the time I thought I was just cooking or dancing or sewing. Fasten your seat belts again, it’s going to be a crafty – mathy ride!

Math and Craft

Apr 26, 2020 by Eileen Adler

And all the time I thought I was just knitting or crocheting or coloring. Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a crafty – mathy ride!

People Age Well Where They Have a Purpose – Regardless of Your Age

Apr 16, 2020 by Eileen Adler
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900) whose work has had an impact on so many of us, was a scholar who studied philosophy in depth. Although viewed by some as revolutionary, he has left us with this thought to ponder: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” Going through tough times and coming out on the other side may be viewed as a badge of honor when we feel braver, more powerful and more ready to take on the next struggle. 

Who Will Decide IF You Can’t?

Apr 10, 2020 by Eileen Adler
Something happens to the love of your life that is so serious they can’t make medical decisions for themselves . . . what will happen? This is not the time to make these life-altering decisions. Now is the time, before this might happen. It’s called an Advance Medical Directive which is state particular so check out the requirements for your state.

A Bromance is Very Important

Apr 05, 2020 by Eileen Adler
Bromance is very important, especially if you are a male care partner because it represents a non-sexual but close relationship between men: Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine, Bruce Springsteen and the late E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons, George Clooney and Brad Pitt, and even Ernie and Bert are samples of bromances. Why would this matter? This fact arrived as a surprise: close to forty percent of care partners are men, this according to AARP, although statistically, men don’t fit the stereotypical care partner, that of an unpaid forty-nine-year-old woman. Society is teetering on new ways to organize itself; the difference between men and boys is no longer the price of their toys. Phillip Chan explained being a man this way: “It means having the courage to initiate conflict resolution and having the wisdom to communicate clearly and generously. It means having the adventuring spirit to know another person deeply. It means having the humility to not compete against others and how to be a person of character, how to be a person of purpose, and how to love people.”

Eat Your Colors by Eating the Rainbow

Mar 31, 2020 by Eileen Adler
Food brings nutritional benefits and pleasure. I like to think about my diet as a colorful artist’s palette, eating all the colors every day. By eating your colors, you are probably getting the vitamins and minerals your body needs. This is a colorful overview . . . enjoy.

A hidden illness . . . but not for the person who has it. . . but you look so good!

Mar 25, 2020 by Eileen Adler

A hidden illness . . . but not for the person who has it. . . but you look so good! “Just for the record darling, not all positive changes feel positive in the beginning,” advises S.C. Lourie, a writer and dance teacher, living in the outskirts of London.

Before you read another word, please know that this is an overview.

When in doubt, seek professional help.

 

Chronic disease is a burden worldwide. Effective treatments and education must be made available to all who suffer, acknowledging that one of these chronic illnesses, diabetes, is approaching an epidemic level in our country. Diabetes is th

Support for Parents for They are Care Partners Too

Mar 19, 2020 by Eileen Adler

When our first son was born, I told the nurse that I couldn’t be discharged from the hospital until she taught me how to change a diaper! I hadn’t spent much time around babies, and I had no clue. I learned, and within a few months, I ditched the diaper service and bought disposable diapers. Being a first-time mother, diapers weren’t the biggest concern, however. Every day felt like a first day on the job! Trying to ascertain the reason for a whimper, or oh no, a crying baby was hard, but my son was an easy baby, sleeping through the night at six weeks, and oh so happy.  

It’s Pi Day! Hi, how are you? I’m fine. How are you?

Mar 14, 2020 by Eileen Adler

Today is Pi Day, and it’s also the birthday of Albert Einstein born on this day in 1879. One of his famous quotations was "The important thing is not to stop questioning."  The best way to learn is by asking questions, and keep in mind that NO question is a stupid question.

Talking It over with Friends

Mar 07, 2020 by Eileen Adler
Spirituality has three answers to prayer or desire: maybe it’ll be "yes," "not yet," or "I have something even better in mind." You can be angry, but the trick is not to stay angry because the tragedy with anger is you miss the lesson and meaning of the experience you are going through. It often helps to talk with friends to share moments of concern and elicit responses; there’s an idea for everything!

NATIONAL CAREGIVERS DAY is always the THIRD FRIDAY IN FEBRUARY

Feb 21, 2020 by Eileen Adler


CARE Act is a major step in the right direction as more states are adopting laws to help family caregivers; currently, the “red” states and territories are now in compliance. This act, CARE: (Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable Act), requires hospitals to ask a patient if he or she wishes to name a family caregiver which is then officially included on the patient’s medical record enabling easy access to inform the caregiver of the patient’s discharge. For me, this last requirement is essential for it provides education and instructions on the medical or nursing tasks that will be needed to perform at home by the caregiver.  

Random Acts of Kindness Day

Feb 16, 2020 by Eileen Adler

Tomorrow is Random Acts of Kindness Day founded in 1995, but any day is a great day to give someone a random act of kindness. Having a special day to celebrate the idea can serve as a great prompt for people to do something completely selfless for someone else, bringing a smile to light up their day.