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Written by Cheryl Hitchcock
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 Approximately 65 million Americans are caregivers to loved ones. These people, who care for loved ones without training as health care professionals, are in many cases forced to do so due to our aging population and changes in health care system. Whether an ill partner or child, or an aging parent without adequate insurance coverage for ongoing elder care, these family members may experience very high levels of caregiver stress.
While caring for a loved one who is unable to care for them self can be very fulfilling, it can also take a great toll on the caregiver, with a great deal of emotional and physical strain, known as caregiver stress. This stress can become debilitating to the caregiver as well, leading to the same stress related symptoms that all stress-out people feel: headaches, anxiety, depression, muscle tension or pain, restlessness, fatigue, over- or under-eating, sleeping problems, drug or alcohol abuse, social withdrawal, and emotional extremes – especially irritability or anger. 
Symptoms of caregiver stress
Here are a few of the most common symptoms of caregiver stress, borrowed from the Mayo Clinic:
- Feeling tired most of the time
- Feeling overwhelmed and irritable
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Gaining or losing a lot of weight
- Losing interest in activities you used to enjoy
One of the most pernicious results of caregiver stress is – anger at the loved one for whom you are caring; the irrational feeling that he or she is denying you of a more fulfilling life because of their need for you to take care of them.
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Written by Ivana Williams
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 Shower benches are useful addition to the shower as aids for the elderly, physically-challenged, or for those who require extra assistance in the shower. The prime issue in taking care of such benches, especially for the wood types, is keeping mold and mildew at bay. If fail to ensure, they can eat away them gradually.
A shower is always a great potential place to supply moisture. Here mold flourishes upon. Uncared for long, the furniture may sag. To protect them, their owners need to follow a few simple maintenance steps.
Wipe down the wood shower benches after use each time. If moisture is left for long period of time, the mold and mildew will form. Keeping the bench dry would be a good idea to prevent the growth of mold. Unless it is kept dry, it will ruin the wood. 
Owners may fill a spray bottle with white distilled vinegar and warm water. Make sure they spray down the wooden benches with vinegar cleaning mixture. Sponging would also be a good idea. Wash with warm water. Use a towel to dry the bench. Make sure this way they use the vinegar once in a week to keep mold at bay.
Baking soda paste for visible mold and mildew is a best medicine for their care. Use a cup of baking soda and mix a few tablespoon of water with it to make a paste. Add water to make the paste thicker.
What owners of them should not do is they should not bleach to clean the benches. Bleaching may lead to creating cracks. To wash redwood, cedar, or teak shower benches, use of mild soap and warm water could be the best consideration as they can wipe mold and mildew completely. Make sure the products are dried after use each time.
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Written by Marilyn Ellis
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 "I just went through my closet, took a bunch of clothes off the hangars, folded them and put them on shelves", said my elderly client. "So now I can keep everything and you don't need to help me sort through my clothes". Having just moved her from a very large single family home, this darling lady was having trouble finding space for all of her clothes in her new apartment. I had offered to help. I had also recently asked her Assisted Living Community to reinforce her overladen closet poles for fear all would come crashing down.
What I really understood was this: It really wasn't about the stuff. It was really about her sadness and realization that she had left behind a part of her life. Now in a walker and on heavy meds for a variety of ailments, getting rid of her Bridge clothes and her Ladies Group wardrobe was more than she could bear.  She would never wear her high heels again or the fancy suits either. Having just given up her beloved sewing machine too, there were also rows of beautiful dresses and suits she had made for herself. They held memories; they were treasures.
Yes, it was a unreasonable amount of clothing and stuff she would never wear again. But who cares? If she now had room for it, I would accept her request and back off getting her to sort through it. Perhaps sometime in the future, when she had settled into her new apartment, had made friends and was ready to think forward and not so much into the past. If not, it was really OK with me.
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Written by Alice Endy (Nurse)
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 Summer heat waves pose a very real danger to the elderly. Normally, our body controls and regulates elevated temperature by allowing heat loss through the skin and by evaporation.
As we age, our ability to control the body's temperature is diminished. Aging causes a decrease in the body's ability to adjust to heat and to sense temperature extremes.
The elderly are more susceptible to heat related
disorders and react to sudden changes in temperatures
by loosing the ability to cool down.
Those with the following chronic health conditions
are at greater risk: Heart Disease,Kidney Disease, Lung Disease, Obesity and Diabetes.
Certain medications interfere with the body's ability to control temperature. Medications can inhibit the ability to perspire or may increase electrolyte loss.
Heat Wave: Temperatures greater than 90 degrees F for more than 48 hours and humidity of 80% or greater.
Heat Cramps: Muscle pain and cramps caused by loss of water and salt from over exertion. This condition usually affects arms,legs and abdominal muscles.
Treatment: stop activity, give fluids, massage the affected muscle.
Heat Exhaustion: A form of heat related illness that develops after several days of elevated temperatures and inadequate fluid intake. Heat exhaustion also develops when people over exert during heat and loose the fluids through profuse perspiring.
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Written by Gregory Weldy
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 You have a parent-teacher conference that was supposed to start 15 minutes ago, but you’re still tied up with Mom at her physical therapy session. Since science can’t yet clone you, you’ll need to find eldercare solutions that work for you.
If you care for your own children in addition to caring for aging parents, you’re a card-carrying member of what’s called the sandwich generation. You have unique challenges, and these tips will help you meet them.
• Find adult day care services or other senior services – Keep Mom physically and mentally engaged by finding a good quality center that caters to the senior set. These centers, which you can locate through your local aging agency, offer field trips, educational classes, and exercise programs designed especially for seniors. For many families, these facilities become an important part of their eldercare solution. 
• Consider non-medical home care – When you’re caring for aging parents who are relatively healthy but need help with simple daily tasks, these services can be a god-send. Professional caregivers can shampoo Mom’s hair or remind Gramps to take medication. These services can also provide companionship as part of an eldercare solution. For example, a caregiver might watch a movie with Mom while you visit a friend.
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