Tip of the Week

“My out-of-town sister is always asking how she can help care for our mother -- so I've started suggesting gift cards -- for me and for mom. It's so nice to get a coffee, get a manicure, or go out to lunch without putting out any money, and mom feels like we have to spend it, so it really is a gift!”

-- Anne, from Charleston, South Carolina

“I recycle a lot of plastic grocery bags (to throw away my mother's diapers/pads), so I've started keeping them in empty baby wipe containers because it has that ‘mouth’ where I can pull out one at a time. One container holds about 100 bags!”

-- Connie, from Dawsonville, Georgia

“Dad is a messy eater, so I made a 'grown-up' version of a bib by covering the back of an oversized bandana with contact paper and putting a small piece of Velcro on two corners to connect it. I throw it in the washer, dry it on cool, and replace the sticky back about every third or fourth use.”

-- Christine, from Oceanway, Florida

"Grandpa practically lives in his Lazy Boy, so I started using my laptop board (which I already had) to give him extra surface. Now he has a place for his crossword puzzle, to play a game of solitaire, and even to make phone calls and check on bills and things. He likes it!"

-- Jessica, from San Diego

"Mom tends to get UTI’s and spikes a fever, so I’ve started putting cranberry juice in her water and in other juices or teas. She gets several servings a day, and I think it’s helping."

-- Jocelyn from Lebanon, Tennessee

"Dad does better with his own sports bottle. He was having a difficult time with cups (spilling, his shakiness), so I bought him a sports bottle -- one with a built in straw. There are less spills and he tends to drink more because it’s easier."

-- John from Fort Collins, Colorado

"Mom has lots of 'stuff' sitting around my house (her glasses, books, tissues, snacks, mail, her watch, etc.) so I went to the thrift store and got her a basket. She likes having a place to keep all her items, and I like having one place to collect it all when she’s changing rooms or I just want to see a clean surface."

-- Erin from Boise, Idaho

"Mom loves the tabloids! I picked one up a few months ago, just to flip through it, and my mom seemed to be interested, so now I pick up a copy at the grocery store every few weeks. We spend an hour reading all the crazy stories that can’t possibly be true. I like how her face lights up when she hears about Angelina Jolie. She calls her the Elizabeth Taylor of our time. And even though she has mild dementia, she seems to remember what’s going on in their lives better than in ours!"

-- Vera from Charlottesville, Virginia

“For my grandfather’s birthday I got him a harmonica. I remember as a child that he had one I used to play with, and I can’t tell you how much he enjoys figuring out a tune. The other residents at his care home even make requests.”

-- Amanda from Jackson, Mississippi

“Dad and I go to the local farmer’s market every Saturday morning. We get a coffee and a pastry, and I always make sure Dad has money in his wallet -- and a list of what we need. He’s now made friends with all the local vendors and we’re supporting our community!”

-- James from Smyrna, Georgia