Tracy Daniel-Hardy, Ph.D, is the author of “The Adventures of Butch and Ruby: Chronicles of a Caregiver” and a retired public school district director of technology. She may be contacted at tracy@drtracydanielhardy.com.
Yesterday, I left my parents’ house without washing the dishes. It bothered me, but I walked out and tried not to look back. Although this chore was the last one to complete, I was exhausted. As I began filling the sink, I wiped sweat from my forehead, sighed deeply and turned off the water. I […]
Like many family caregivers, I spend a lot of time anticipating my parents’ needs and behaviors so that I’m prepared to address them. Mentally playing and replaying possible scenarios often consumes my thoughts and keeps me up at night. I subconsciously do this to develop an appropriate response and temper my emotions — or so […]
I often receive questions about my parents’ wellbeing. “How’s Ms. Ruby?” “How’s Mr. Daniel?” Today, I was surprised to be asked, “How are YOU?” The person followed that question with, “I know your parents are alright, but how are YOU really doing? Are you taking some time for yourself?” That person understood the journey, as […]
The discussion around AI (artificial intelligence) is both exciting and a bit scary. Although AI has existed since the 1950s, recent advances has been in the news a lot lately, causing a media frenzy and plenty of conspiracy theories. You may well ask, “What is all of the fuss about?” The growing buzz is mostly […]
Many are aware of workplace protections that mothers and fathers receive. Did you know that caregivers also should have some of those same safeguards? Family caregivers should be protected against negative actions (harassment, dismissal or demotion, failure to promote, and refusal to hire a caregiver) from employers, too. Nearly 12 percent of the U.S. population […]
Daniel-Hardy’s parents, Ruby and Lucious “Butch” Daniel Sam Cooke may have said it best with his 1963 song, “A Change is Gonna Come.” Although Cooke was trying to further social justice due to the struggles that he, and others who looked like him, experienced, the lyrics also resonate in my caregiving journey. I’m sure other […]
Although we don’t like to talk about it, we should. Incontinence is an almost taboo subject, but it poses a challenge for many caregivers of the elderly, physically challenged and medically disabled. So, let’s talk about it. I am the primary caregiver for my elderly parents, who have dementia, and both have experienced some incontinence. […]
Several years ago, before dementia kicked in (or before we realized it was kicking in), daddy damaged his phone. He’d kept it in his pocket during his workouts. Although it was a rugged flip phone, it did not survive the sweat damage that occurred over time. We tried but could not revive the phone, nor […]
Many don’t appreciate the importance of caring for their feet or value the benefit of wearing well-fitting, quality shoes and socks. It is extremely important for athletes, diabetics, the elderly and those who are on their feet a lot to take special care of their feet to reduce their likelihood of becoming a good candidate […]
Being a primary caregiver for both my parents takes lots of time, patience and assistance from loved ones. It requires me to be organized, timely and flexible, especially when unexpected circumstances arise (the unexpected always happens when time is limited). Leveraging technology aids me in caregiving, and I also take advantage of other resources that […]
