Category Archives: Home Care Journal

The inspirational and informational chronicles of a long term home caregiver for a spouse and best friend with Alzheimer’s.

Announcement: A Website for Care Partners and Journeyers

“Love kindness. Build community. Believe in humanity.” That quote is the tagline for this Humanity Hiker website. I created this website before our 5,000 mile walk across America. At the time I could not disclose that our main purpose was … Continue reading

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Pine Needle Beds

The writing retreat I attended a couple weekends ago spurred a few homework assignments. Drawing upon my experience as a long distance backpacker, here is a poem about pine needle beds. “The sun sinks ever lowerI have a bit of … Continue reading

Posted in Journeying, Living Well, Pacific Crest Trail | 1 Comment

Good and Bad News

This past weekend I attended a local writer’s retreat at Great Mountain Forest. Retreats like this provide the external motivation to supplement one’s own. Being local allowed me to risk signing up months ago, hoping I could attend even if … Continue reading

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Neighborhood Watch

As far as I knew Cindy was outside tending her gardens when I got a call from Nancy, who worked at our post office. “Cindy is walking up Greenwoods Road,” she warned me on the phone. Once upon a time, … Continue reading

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Cause and Benefit of Belly Sobs

My aspirations have changed from hiking around the world with Cindy to watching geographic documentaries while feeding her.  Today I concluded watching the National Geographic series “Europe from Above.”  Every episode induces at least one belly sob. My belly sobs … Continue reading

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Cindy’s Gaze

Cindy cannot consciously move her muscles.  Consequently I never had to use the guardrails on her hospital bed to prevent her from rolling over.  Even so, over time her default bedridden position leans her to the left.  I correct this … Continue reading

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Desert Aura

I spent four days of reflection in the desert aura of Tucson, Arizona while staying at a Residence Inn. Around 7:00 am each day, I had the morning caregiver for Cindy call me. She held the phone near Cindy for … Continue reading

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Trial Respite

I just returned  from Tucson, Arizona for what you might call a trial respite.  Not since 2017 have I gone past driving distance from my home.  Back then I left for a week while our oldest daughter Charissa stayed with … Continue reading

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Balancing Coverage

Recently I received more coverage.  I will not say permanently yet, since past experience taught me better.  Yet for now at least I am being confronted with the challenge of extra coverage. The writings and music I work on take … Continue reading

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My Updated New Ten Year’s Resolution

Happy New Year! Last year at this time I posted “My New Ten Year’s Resolution” about my plan for keeping active and increasing my social engagement. I had assumed that when Cindy turned 65 last February my home health aide … Continue reading

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