I've just been contacted by Liz Dreyer of The Learning Worlds Institute, a non-profit organization whose mission is to address social needs and problems through innovation, technology, and communications as they relate to caregiving, seniors and long-term care.

She's asked if I would post a link to a survey they are conducting to better understand the everyday needs of seniors and the families that care for them.

It asks questions about how much involvement you have in chores such as shopping, bill paying, travel, and home maintenance. Apparently they want to develop new approaches to improving quality of life while making the job the caregiver easier and more sustainable.

So, since I'm always interested in helping people who want to help me, I am posting the survey here.

Please take a few minutes to answer.

Caregiver's Survey

Thanks!!

Done.

I responded as well..:)

This is is funny that you started this topic. I was thinking of doing the same, but didn't get around to it.

Just wanted to share that I haven't been here because I'm staying with Dad. I'll be back in tomorrow. No computer access there. I ran home to do a couple things and wanted to let you all know what was going on.

Love to all.

I'll respond to this when I'm not taking care of Dad. Ha!

Thanks for participating, Anno and AvalonBlondi,

As for you Dotsie, you are living the challenge! I'll keep you and your father in my prayers.

As for me caring for my parents, neither live in the same state we do, so I don't have any idea how I will handle this challenge when it comes to me... And I know it will.

Right now, my 80-year old mother, who lives in Arizona, is serving as caretaker for her husband and her 101-year old FIL. AND she wants to have knee replacement surgery.

She thinks it will be pretty much an outpatient procedure, and then she'll stay in a nursing home-type of facility for a day or two and be back home, good as new.

I have a friend who has had 3 knee replacements for the same knee, and he's been struggling for 6.5 years. Thankfully he just tried out some sort of experimental surgical implant (they didn't implant it completely during the testing) that seems to be something like a TENS unit on steroids, and it worked great to replace his pain with tingling...

Now he just has to schedule the surgery to have it implanted and he should finally be able to walk without a cane and walker...

I am the designated health care provider for my mother, so I realize there is a good chance that when she has her knee replacement surgery I will be spending some time in Arizona... Which is a long way from Northern Illinois...

At the moment I am keeping my fingers crossed on this one...

Did not complete the survey..some of the question were not relevent to the UK..Our system being different due to our NHS

It is interesting however.

I just responded, although I am a former caregiver. There is so much more available now than there was 8 years ago. I hope filling out the survey helps.

Lynn
www.writeradvice.com
Author of You Want Me to Do WHAT? Journaling for Caregivers

I too answered the survey as a 24/7 former caregiver. I took care of my sister with MS and Dementia for five years until she passed away.

I often think about you and your sister, Chatty.