How to Catch Up with Friends Without Sounding Like a Broken Record

How to Catch Up with Friends Without Sounding Like a Broken Record

We had friends to dinner last week who we haven’t seen in a few years. Caregiver shortages, then a pandemic, our caregiving lifestyle, and, most recently, Carly’s health and anxiety issues have generally made socializing difficult. Our friends had a lot of questions....
27 Gift Ideas for the Family Living with Disability

27 Gift Ideas for the Family Living with Disability

The holiday season is near. It is a time of year when stress, social isolation, and grief can weigh on caregivers and their families. Each family member — parent, grandparent, child with disabilities, sibling — is uniquely impacted by the disability issues involved....
Defining Roles Can Encourage and Empower Parent Caregivers

Defining Roles Can Encourage and Empower Parent Caregivers

Helping a group of people find agreeable plans is right in my husband’s wheelhouse. Many years ago, Larry was attending one of Carly’s IEP planning meetings at her school. It was the first time he had participated directly in the special education annual planning...
Tips for Caregivers About Expressing Help and Encouragement

Tips for Caregivers About Expressing Help and Encouragement

This tenth and final article in our “sweet spots” series explores how uniquely each of us expresses help and encouragement within a family impacted by special needs. Who doesn’t love a good cheerleader? We all need encouragement, in one form or another. It...
Tips for Caregivers About Leading and Following

Tips for Caregivers About Leading and Following

In this ongoing series exploring caregiver “sweet spots,” we’re looking at the challenges and opportunities experienced when caring for a loved one with disabilities or other special needs. Today’s focus is on appreciating the roles of leaders and...