As 2018 ended, Jed A. Levine featured his late-December “Care Chronicle” column on the year ahead. He offered solutions to common caregiver pitfalls that might help eliminate as much stress as possible in 2019. Jed wrote, “At CaringKind, we like to say, ‘If you’ve seen one case of Alzheimer’s, you’ve seen one case of Alzheimer’s.’ But we also know that caregivers share some universal experiences along their Alzheimer’s journey. With a new year on the horizon, it’s important to remember common caregiver pitfalls and consider new approaches to those problems.” For example, Jed continued, “Pitfall: Your mom has, once again, accused you of hiding the remote control. You insist you haven’t and go back and forth until she’s worked up and you’re exhausted. New Approach: Instead of arguing with her, tell her you’re sorry and must have hidden it without realizing, and move on. The issue is a small one. By keeping the peace, you’ll keep the arguing and stress levels to a minimum.”
In keeping with the spirit of the season, Jed focused his November “Care Chronicle” column on gift giving, breaking down some thoughtful, personal, and practical ways to spread holiday cheer to people with Alzheimer’s and those who care for them. His top gift ideas included a personalized scrapbook, music, movies and, for the caregiver, offering to help them with their caregiving duties. Don’t forget, these suggestions also work throughput the year for birthdays!
Also, in November, USA Today’s special supplement, an Alzheimer’s and caregiving insert which ran in several major media markets across the country, included two articles by Jed. In the first article, “6 Tips for Celebrating the Holidays with Friends and Family Living With Alzheimer’s,” Jed discussed ways to make the holidays less stressful for caregivers and more inclusive for people with dementia, ways to simplify
traditions, and how practical gifts can bring comfort and joy to the Alzheimer’s community. In the next piece, titled “A Lifeline of Support to Help You Through the Caregiving Process,” Jed advised people dealing with Alzheimer’s can fight loneliness and isolation.
Concluding November, CaringKind was one of the recipients of Van Dyk Health Care’s “When Broadway Goes Dark, Van Dyk Goes Live” benefit concert featuring talented Broadway stars Catherine Brunell, Major Attaway, Natalie Cortez, and James Moye. CaringKind was featured in over 20 New York City and New Jersey calendar listings promoting the event.
The North Carolina based newspaper, Richland Source, featured Jed in the December 25 article, “Finances, not lack of services, major factor for Richland County’s aging residents.” Reporter Noah Jones attended Jed’s lecture at the The Atlantic’s New Old Age Summit in NYC this October at which Jed discussed topics including the importance of serving diverse populations within the Alzheimer’s community.
And CaringKind’s important education meetings continue to be featured in local newspapers and news sites in the Tri-State area, helping us raise awareness about our programs and how the community can access them. Keep on reading!