Caregiver Spotlight: Connie
“Connie is a former caregiver who provided care to her grandmother for 20 years. She is also the co-founder of DailyCaring, a digital resource for family caregivers. In this spotlight, we learn how modern technology, digital resources and online communities positively impact caregiving journeys, just like Connie’s…”
Bridging the gap: How to help seniors overcome loneliness
“One way to show someone you’re thinking about them is to give a gift. According to DailyCaring, the best gifts for seniors include keepsakes, experiences, senior-friendly clothes and footwear, mobility aids, and gift cards.”
3 Ways to Make Your Aging Senior Mother Feel Loved
“Give a gift to your elderly mother – something practical and useful that she can use in her everyday life. DailyCaring’s list of gift ideas includes a warm pair of slippers, a weighted blanket, a digital picture frame, or bathroom essentials.”
The Quest For The Perfect Gift: How To Celebrate Your Elderly Dad
“DailyCaring has a list of 38 great gifts for senior men. Some of their more practical suggestions include tech tools.
While you’ll have to be practical with your dad’s tech fluency, options include digital photo frames, video calling devices, Amazon Echos, senior tablets, and mobile phones with large buttons.”
All Home Care Matters: Caregiving and Siblings
All Home Care Matters is a podcast and YouTube show dedicated to helping provide resources to families as they face long-term care questions and issues for themselves and loved ones. Connie Chow. co-founder of DailyCaring.com, is featured in this in-depth discussion on caregiving and siblings. She shares valuable insights and information for families and those caring for loved ones.
Trustworthy Senior Care Tips and Resources – DailyCaring
“Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Connie Chow, Founder of DailyCaring, located in San Francisco, CA, USA.”
How to Make an Aging Relative More Comfortable
“If you’re looking for more specific gift ideas, DailyCaring has an excellent list of gift ideas for elderly women, specifically.”
7 Ways That Technology Can Improve the Lives of Seniors
“If you’re looking for a gift idea for the senior in your life, DailyCaring recommends a wide variety of high-tech gadgets. For example, the ViewClix smart photo frame functions as a digital picture frame to highlight loved ones and happy memories, while the Amazon Echo Show provides voice assistant functionality – complete with options for video calling.”
How To Help Seniors Feel Less Lonely
“Many seniors have difficulty leaving their homes, but technology can help bridge that gap. If you want to help a senior stay engaged, consider buying them a technology gift that allows them to expand their interactions with other people.”
Want To Make Holidays Special for Your Elderly Dad?
“Be thoughtful with the gifts you give your elderly dad. Focus on his current stage of life and what he’ll find useful and special today (which may be different from what he would have found useful and special a few years ago when he wasn’t having memory challenges).
This gift-giving guide from Daily Caring has some great options, including everyday comforts (like slippers and weighted blankets), entertaining activities (bird feeders and puzzles), and even tech tools (like digital picture frames and video calling tools).”
9 Simple Ways to Show Your Grandmother You Love Her
“A useful gift is something that makes a difference in her daily life. If, for example, she has memory issues (which are incredibly common in elderly individuals), try giving a gift that’s sensitive to this. DailyCaring.com has great gifts for senior women, including digital picture frames, printed picture books, and other accessories. A meaningful gift is something that she’ll cherish. It could be a poem you wrote about her or a weekend getaway with just the two of you.”
57% of Americans Are Dreading Tech Gifts for Lack of Know-How — Here Are Some Worthy Substitutes
“A recent report from the Daily Caring website listed the worst expensive tech gifts you can give to seniors, as well as better options. Here’s a rundown of the five worst…”
How to Support an Older Adult in Living Independently
“DailyCaring’s gift ideas for senior women could help you here; some technology gifts are excellent at keeping older adults engaged and connected to the people they love the most, while mentally stimulating gifts like puzzles can keep older adults occupied and interested even when no one else is around.”
Is There a Way to Prevent Dementia in Older Adults?
“People are less likely to experience dementia when they are actively connected with friends and family members, since socializing is so important to a person’s wellbeing. DailyCaring’s gift idea list for senior men recommends many items that can help with this.”
How Can Caregivers Help Seniors Remain Engaged?
“Giving occasional gifts to seniors is also a great way to keep them engaged. Not only is this a pleasant surprise that can instantly make them happy, but the gift itself has the potential to keep them engaged with a new hobby, activity, or experience. DailyCaring’s list of gift ideas for seniors is a great place to start if you’re looking for ideas. No matter what your budget is, or who you’re caring for, you’ll likely find at least some ideas to help you procure an interesting, engaging experience.”
How Music Can Help Older Adults Sleep Better
“According to DailyCaring’s gift guide for elderly women, smart speakers are an ideal gift idea for seniors. On top of being able to play music on command, they’re an intuitive form of technology that can keep your loved ones more informed and better connected to the world around them.”
“Familiar or nostalgic songs are excellent choices: ‘If you’re setting up playlists for an older person with Alzheimer’s or dementia, focus on songs that they’re very, very familiar with’ says Connie Chow of DailyCaring.com. ‘For these people, songs they don’t know can have the opposite effect, and be unsettling and irritating.’”
10 Tips for Teaching New Technologies to Older Adults
“DailyCaring, an advice site for caregivers of parents with Alzheimers, has created a gift list for seniors with these challenges in mind. It’s a great place to start if you’re not sure what would work best for your loved one.”
How to Help an Older Adult Stay Mentally Active
“Older adults who get active and regular mental stimulation tend to display better moods, show better health results, and ultimately enjoy a higher quality of life.
From choosing the right gifts to offering more rewarding activities, there are many strategies you can use to help the older adults in your life stay mentally active.”
Harriette Cole Advice Column
“Here are more ideas on how to handle meanness caused by dementia, including checking to see if the person has a urinary tract infection: dailycaring.com/7-ways-to-respond-to-mean-dementia-behavior.”
How To Buy Gifts For Older Adults With Health Issues
“DailyCaring.com, an advice site for caregivers, has this great list of gifts for seniors with mobility and memory issues.”
Five Strategies For Reducing Anxiety As You Age
“DailyCaring.com, an advice site for caregivers, has this article on gifts for elderly women, and they discuss the pros and cons of different Amazon Echo versions, including the “drop-in” feature that automatically answers calls for you.”
You may not know these things about living with someone with dementia
“Gift-giving is a wonderful act of love. Giving gifts can sometimes be a struggle, but there are plenty of gifts seniors will love. DailyCaring is a great resource that offers a list of gift ideas for seniors with dementia. Their focus is to provide helpful content for caregivers and seniors with dementia.
According to DailyCaring, their list offers ‘dozens of product suggestions for people at all levels of cognitive ability.’”
7 Tips for Visiting Your Loved One In a Memory Care Facility
“Showing someone you care about with a gift can be a wonderful gesture and a great way to spend time together. It might be hard to decide what to get someone who has dementia.
DailyCaring, a site that specializes in advice for family caregivers, has come up with this list of gifts for seniors.
Create a custom photo album with memories of your lives together. Bring playing cards or a puzzle as a fun game you can do together during your visits. It’s all about getting creative and thinking a little outside the box.”
Caregiver and elder-friendly products, services and technology
“Minding Our Elders” columnist Carol Bradley Bursack runs through some services and products that could be helpful for caregivers and the senior citizens they care for.
“Car accessories for older adults: There are all kinds of gadgets available to help people get in and out of cars more easily. Daily Caring, an award-winning resource for caregivers, recently published a list ( www.dailycaring.com/6-simple-auto-aids-for-seniors-make-car-travel-easier ) that is worth looking into.”
Case Study: Digital PR via Traditional Pitching / Campaign Profile: DailyCaring.com
“We soon discovered that the threat of COVID was so severe for older people, assisted living facilities were locked down, preventing relatives from visiting their loved ones. Even independent seniors were staying home in an attempt to avoid the virus. This new dynamic created complex challenges for older adults as they faced unprecedented social isolation. Caregivers also felt helpless because they could no longer show up for their loved ones in person. Because DailyCaring.com exists to be a resource for caregivers, we elected to continue that mission and develop content that helped caregivers navigate the pandemic.”
Elder-friendly tech to stay connected during COVID
“In today’s “Minding Our Elders” column, Carol Bradley Bursack recommends devices that can make things a little easier for seniors and their families during the coronavirus pandemic…
The Echo Show is a success for many caregivers whose older adults have trouble using most face-to-face technology. With this device, once set up, you can “drop-in” on your older loved one at any time, eliminating their need to answer your call. The best guide that I’ve read about getting started is on Daily Caring at https://dailycaring.com/amazon-echo-for-dementia-technology-for-seniors.”
Put Down Your To-Do List and Sleep!
“It’s easy to say that you must prioritize sleep, but how can you actually do that when you feel like you can never stop moving? Here are key tips for whittling down that to-do list…
You may feel like you are simply the only one who can do it right or are too guilt-stricken to reach out, but even Superman turned to Lois Lane once in a while. If friends and family offer to run errands, make meals or support you, say yes. They don’t offer? Then ask. If you can afford to do so, hire help; you may even be eligible for tax credits or deductions for being a full-time nurturer, points out Connie Chow, founder at DailyCaring.com.
‘Following a daily routine can reduce stress, increase the feeling of security and improve sleep. A rigid schedule isn’t necessary; the main goal is to give the day more structure and predictability,’ says Chow, adding that a routine that includes time for exercise and makes sure that naps aren’t taken too late in the day helps seniors sleep better. (The same applies for young children as well.) ‘And a routine saves time and reduces stress by limiting the amount of decisions you have to make during a day,’ adds Chow.”
Tips for combating, preventing and dealing with growing problem of loneliness
“Daily movement can be a lifesaver for aging seniors. Exercises such as walking, chair exercises or age-appropriate workouts can help a senior stay in solid physical, mental, and emotional shape. Check out https://dailycaring.com/tag/exercise for some age-appropriate exercises.”
Do you have a living will or medical directive?
“Have you ever thought, I don’t want to end up in the hospital with a bunch of tubes keeping me alive? If that’s the case, have you written this down so your desires are clear to family or friends?…
Living wills and other advance directives are written, legal instructions spelling out your preferences for medical care if you are unable to make decisions for yourself (according to the Mayo Clinic). Advance directives guide choices for doctors and caregivers if you’re terminally ill, seriously injured and in a coma, in the later stages of dementia or near the end of life…
Since the POST is a doctor’s order, you may want to supplement it with a living will, which is a legal document according to https://dailycaring.com”
CambridgeACT on Alzheimer’s: Therapeutic Fibbing
For their monthly article about Alzheimer’s disease, County News Review shares an excerpt of our article Therapeutic Fibbing: Why Experts Recommend Lying to Someone with Dementia
The Importance of Curated Caregiver Resources
“Then there’s Connie Chow’s Daily Caring website. It recognizes that caregivers need practical answers, fast. As they state: ‘We help you solve the frustrating day-to-day problems that make you lose your temper or keep you up at night.’
Daily Caring recognizes that there’s no shortage of information available to family caregivers. But who has time to dig through everything on the Internet just to find that one nugget of info that can help you? They do the digging for you. They search to find the most practical and useful tips, advice, personal stories and resources related to caregiving and aging. Then, they boil it down to the most important points you’ll want to know.”
Unpaid Family Caregivers Recognized With First-Ever Family Caregiver Awards
“…this week, Carewell announced the winners of its first-ever Family Caregiver of the Year Awards.
The awards recognize U.S.-based unpaid family caregivers for exceptional diligence and support in caregiving. The first-place winner was awarded $1,500; second- and third-place winners received $750 and $250, respectively.
…The award judges included Padilla and her cofounder Jonathan Magolnick; Abby Levy, managing partner and cofounder of Primetime Partners (one of Carewell’s investors); and Connie Chow, founder of DailyCaring.”
Inaugural Family Caregiver of the Year Award Winners Announced
“Winners were announced today for the first-ever Family Caregiver of the Year Awards, which recognizes unpaid family caregivers in the United States who exhibit exceptional diligence and support through the act of caregiving. The awards program was sponsored by Carewell, a leading advocate for caregivers and online supplier of home health products.
…Judging for The Family Caregiver of the Year Awards was conducted by Bianca Padilla and Jonathan Magolnick, co-founders of Carewell; Abby Levy, managing partner and co-founder of Primetime Partners, an early stage venture capital firm focused on transforming the quality of living for older adults; and Connie Chow, founder of DailyCaring, a website dedicated to providing tips and advice to independent caregivers.”
Nominations Open for Carewell’s Inaugural “Family Caregiver of the Year” Awards: Recognizing Caregivers for Resilience, Adaptability, and Unconditional Support
“Winners will be selected by a panel of Carewell leaders and caregiving experts, including Bianca Padilla and Jonathan Magolnick, Carewell Co-Founders; Abby Levy, Managing Partner and Founder of Primetime Partners, an early stage venture capital firm focused on transforming the quality of living for older adults; and Connie Chow, Founder of DailyCaring, a top caregiving resource for caregivers.”
DIY Pill Board: Making It Easier to Take Your Meds
If you’re taking medication, you probably use a pill box. It’s a helpful tool, but if you make a mistake or miss a dose, especially if you’re taking a lot of medication, that could land you in the hospital.
Fortunately, tech lawyer Paul Rothstein came up with a solution while taking care of his mother: a do-it-yourself Pill Board. His idea was first published on the DailyCaring website for caregivers. This guide will help you create one for yourself or someone you’re caring for.
ASK ASA: Reinventing Mother’s Day for the era of COVID-19
How can you honor the special women in your life on Mother’s Day without risking your family’s health from the risk of the novel coronavirus?
Asa Aarons Smith reports, “Connie Chow is an MBA, former corporate executive and the founder of DailyCaring, a website specializing in tips and information for people caring for older adults. Connie spent 20 years as a hands-on caregiver for her grandmother, who lived to 101.
She says pandemic or not, the special women in our lives still deserve recognition…”
After month-long shutdown, some florists struggle to keep up with Mother’s Day demand
ABC7 reporter Lance Hernandez says, “Connie Chow, founder of DailyCaring.com, an information source for primary care-givers, wrote an article listing 15 thoughtful activity and gift ideas for Mother’s Day.
She suggests sharing a meal together, even if it’s not at the same table, or in the same town…”
Mother’s Day: How to celebrate during the coronavirus
KRON 4 in San Francisco reports, “Connie Chow, founder of DailyCaring.com, suggests an afternoon with nature and mom. Sit together on the porch or in front of an open window and just enjoy nature together. If you’re not in the same household, do this virtually via video call or telephone.
Chow also suggests making some big signs for Mother’s Day to place in her front yard. Then plan a visit from the sidewalk, or outside a closed window and place a mobile call so she can hear you.”
Ideas to celebrate your mom this Mother’s Day
23ABC News reports, “We are only days away from celebrating the woman you call Mom. Mother’s Day is this Sunday and if you’re at a loss for ideas, we’ve got you covered.
Connie Chow is the Founder of DailyCaring.com, a leading information provider for primary caregivers. She’s offering 10 activity and five gift ideas for this Mother’s Day.”
Tips to celebrate Mother’s Day during pandemic
Kenton Brooks writes, “Connie Chow, founder of the San Francisco-based DailyCaring.com, understands this and that why she’s come up with activities to celebrate Mother’s Day during the coronavirus.
Chow started the website originally as an information provider for caregivers, but she’s also using it to help families stay connected, particularly during Mother’s Day…”
In a year that’s been anything but normal, Easter traditions are forced to adapt
“You may be stuck at home this Easter, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do.
Connie Chow, the founder of dailycaring.com, says it’s important to connect to one another right now more than ever.
Chow is a leading information provider to primary caregivers around the country. She says zoom, skype or facetime, or just a simple phone call can go a long way.”
Most Unusual Holy Weeks in Memory
Holy Week in Philadelphia has never been quite like this year, NBC10’s Drew Smith reports. He shares suggestions from Connie Chow, DailyCaring’s founder, on how to celebrate with older adults from a safe distance. (1:12 in video)
7 Tips For Celebrating Easter During COVID-19
During these dark times, Connie Chow of DailyCaring.com has created a lighter-hearted list of seven things everyone can do to safely and festively celebrate Easter.
Many facilities that care for the elderly are not taking visitors anymore, here’s what you can do to keep a smile on their faces
KAGS TV’s Sunny Tsai reports, “If they’re not set up with video calling, don’t worry about it,” said founder of dailycaring.com, Connie Chow. “Most people I think do have a telephone available to them and are available to use the telephone. It’s a great way to stay connected. Another thing I would suggest is set up a regular schedule for keeping in touch so that gives them another measure for security, when somebody knows, oh at 10 o clock every day, this person is going to call me. And that gives them comfort. To both sides, so if you can do that, that’s another great way to stay in touch.”
How to celebrate Easter in quarantine
Valley News Live reports, “With all the uncertainty and confusion, and the major change in lifestyle that we are all going through, I think it’s nice to find a happy distraction,” Daily Caring Founder Connie Chow says. “Focus on ourselves and lifting our spirits and getting together with family and friends.”
Michigan Chronicle’s April 2020 Special COVID-19 Section, pages 4 – 5
Coronavirus Senior Care: Top Caregiver Questions Answered – In collaboration with the Detroit Area Agency on Aging, providing answers to keep older adults safe during COVID-19.
Caring for caregivers: Outbreak adding to stress
Patt Keith writes, “Even under normal circumstances, caregiving is stressful, said Connie Chow, founder of DailyCaring.com, and stress is exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis.
‘It’s tough — especially when the usual support systems are closed,’ Chow said in a phone interview from San Francisco, Calif.
‘If you care for an older adult who usually attends an adult day program, but now that program is closed, then the caregiver may be working from home and providing full-time care at home — it’s really tough,’ Chow said.
Chow said establishing a daily routine helps all under stay-at-home orders — seniors and those caring for them…”
Do Alternative Medicines For Alzheimer’s Really Work? Does Anything?
Robin Seaton Jefferson writes, “DailyCaring—an Internet-based resource for adult family caregivers—explains what medications for Alzheimer’s can and can’t do, scams to watch out for, and which drugs are used in which stages of the disease.”
What’s the best shower frequency?
Medical News Today cites DailyCaring as a source in this article discussing how often people, including older adults, need to shower or bathe.
Caring for baby dolls lessens anxiety in nursing home residents
John Fitzhugh of WLOX reports, “If you’re interested in introducing doll therapy to your senior, here are a few tips from DailyCaring.com. Their experts say it’s best to casually introduce the doll to your senior and let them decide if they like it or not. Don’t act like the doll is a doll, refer to it as a baby and treat it like a real child. Get a lifelike doll, but one that doesn’t cry, which could be upsetting. And most importantly, if they have no interest in the doll, don’t make an issue out of it. They could change their minds in the future.
Active Life with Bob Larson: Medication Management
Bob Larson reports, “At least 87% of seniors take one medication, and many take more than that. So dailycaring.com is sharing ways you can make sure you’re safely managing your medications.”
City solutions for elder orphans
Trends that disrupt healthcare
How Social Media Can Help Stamp Out Ageism
15 Reasons that Motivate You to WANT to Grow Old
WHCOA: 5 months later, Experts report in
How to Find The Humor in Caregiving
Elder Orphans: Tough Questions Answered
DailyCaring contributed articles
A Look at America’s Aging Future
New Insurance Programs Cover Gap in End-Of-Life Care