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Hello & Welcome

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. IN MEMORY .

My Love left us January 2022. He was 82. His years with memory loss and all his associated senior ailments were over.

Things happened so quickly. In that moment it seemed like our nearly 29 years together had been blown away by a wisp of air … gone.

Remember as you read and learn that caregiving is a gift we have been given to share with our loved ones. Be the best caregiver, give love with every effort you make, every task you accomplish, every thought you think, or service you provide. We get no do-overs. Be present when caring for those you love.

I am ever grateful I was the one who cared for my love 24/7. I understand the heartache,
but love never dies; keep loving.
Love, ❤ Judy Shone

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Hey there – Yes, you…

Bring your coffee or a cup of tea and spend a few moments with me to see what we are about!

We have static pages shown in the top menu. Our blog has pages, noted on the side bar, which are added periodically. Both have information relating to caregivers or caregiving specifically for those with memory loss.

Somedays I feel the need to tell it like it really feels, and want to help readers understand that many caregivers face the unexpected bumps in life. We caregivers are human, too, and have reactions we wish we could change! It always seems better if we have someone to talk to, or who listens, or who understands!

Reach out and hold my hand and the hands of others who have shared their stories here because they know the value of sharing.
We know the road you walk is not easy and are here to help.

I will be your host and I hope you will feel welcome here, and will come back often!

The potential is great that, at some point in life, most of us will, unexpectedly, be accepting the gift of caregiving for a loved one with memory loss, as an encourager, as support, as a professional, or as a caregiver.

It does not matter what you call a caring person –
a caregiver, caretaker, care partner, carer, principal, la cuidadora, or angel of mercy, guardian, minder or one of others meaning ‘someone responsible for the care of another.’

…the question is, will you be ready?

Browse
Find inspiration
Ask specific questions

We focus on caregivers for loved ones with memory loss
and their support, encouragers, families and friends.
My wish is that you discover connection and reassurance here!
💖

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“I am drawn to Judith’s telling of her caregiving experiences
because of the touching sincerity of her words.
But now that I am digging more deeply into the
Accepting the Gift of Caregiving blogsite,
I find that I am also wowed by Judith’s technological capabilities!”

Barbara G. Matthews, caregiver, blogger
“What to do About Mama?”

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I invite you to walk with us and learn from those who taught us, who supported us, who befriended us, and who cared for us on our 10-year journey. 💝

Grab hold of my hand, lean on me and the authors here on this site, so you will know you are not alone.

Discover through essays, stories, and expressive writing; uncover what might be ahead in another caregiver’s world. 

Share joys and sorrows of a spouse-caregiving life that began when My Love was first diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, when I was truly scared and lonely.

As you witness my unfolding growth
in empathy and compassion, I hope my words
…will lift spirits,
…resonate,
…make you laugh or cry,
…make a human connection
so, ultimately, neither of us will feel alone. 💖

In addition, it is exciting to share the wisdom from guest authors to help illuminate the world of caregiving through their thoughts and experiences.

At the moment of My Love’s diagnosis, I was plunged, untrained and scared, into the darkness of the most demanding phase of my life, the role of spouse-caregiver.

In the world of caregiving for one with memory loss, you will find,
“It ain’t what you do, it’s the way you do it“*
that makes all the difference.

Uncover ‘how,” in terms of getting results in dementia,
as you explore this site, as you
read and vicariously experience this unique realm with us.

We hope our words become a connection between us, as the light shines on our path, our experiences, in order to stretch and enhance your perception of the caregiver role.

There is no better teacher than life’s emotional experiences, your own, and especially those shared by a storyteller. 

Thank you for visiting.
My wish is that we have helpful information for you.

* taken from Understanding Dementia

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While you are here, take time to read
ABOUT THE AUTHOR — Judith Allen Shone —
to become familiar with her caregiver perspective
for her loved one.

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Questions?

See Education & Resources and Reading Options

Email me if you wish to share a story, a comment,
a caregiver tip, or to ask questions.
! 🥰 !

🍦 Thank you for your encouragement,
your time to visit, and to connect. 🍪

~ 💙💛💚 ~

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HOW THE SITE IS SET UP

The Conversation with a Caregiver video is helpful to hear discussion with a caregiver of 10 years!

The Post Excerpts, will guide you through the BLOG section posts. They are similar to day-to-day story telling.

Then see Stories and All Titles listing that show the articles, essays and stories about specific topics, plus education, research, exercise and entertainment! 😊

Take time to look around so you can come back when you want to feel connected to caregivers. 💜

We even have 🎵 relaxing music 🎵 to listen to for a relaxed visit to our site!

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Share our LINK

Do not wait. YOU BE THE ONE who responds to a caregiver’s plea, you be the one who reaches out with encouragement to that caregiver who needs your friendship. You’ll know the one.

It feels good to discover others have been angry or sad, have experienced similar guilt,  and made the same mistakes and wondered about the same unanswered questions.

These stories can be like a hand-to-hold for any caregiver who is floundering in the darkness of unfamiliarity. They will not have to feel alone.

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** A REMINDER before you go, these stories are copyrighted with all rights reserved. If you choose to copy any words from this site, for education purposes, for your school project, for sharing with other caregivers, for inclusion in a speech, please, please honor the rights of authors, as you wish to be honored and include the author’s name, mine or the guest, the article name and the date, the name and link of this blog. THANK YOU.

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Are you a caregiver?

Do you wonder what another caregiver
might be experiencing?
Could learning from others help you on your journey?

Consider reading these books
specifically written for caregivers.

Understand the caregiver’s life!
Those who yearned to feel encouragement and support
have resonated with the shared experiences,
both here and in these two books.

BE PREPARED for the role of caregiver…
Many stories here are from my life as a spouse-caregiver, some even written almost as they are happening. Read the stories I share to become prepared for life in the world of Alzheimer’s!
Send me questions if you wish.
I will try my best to get you answers.
Thank you.

Where to next?
Learn About this Site . . . see the menu items you might be interested to review.

1. Browse the menu; let us erase the stigma of Alzheimer’s disease and those who care for them through understanding.
2. Read more about the book, Is There Any Ice Cream?
3. READ REVIEWS of the book Is There Any Ice Cream?
4. Learn More about Judith Allen Shone, author.

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~jas

“Caregivers Encouraging One Another” Copyright © 2019 – 2023 Judith Allen Shone

This site, “Accepting the Gift of Caregiving”,  first posted articles to help caregivers in 2017 on Blogger and transferred to WordPress in 2019.Thank you visiting.

NOTE: All illustrations for book cover, the lilacs, and the illustrations for the Caregiver Feels image are originally created by ©Tatiana Mitrushova, with license from fotolia.com. @MitrushovaArt on Etsy. The cone of the book cover original by Jiri Hera, with license from dreamstime.com

Many of the graphic images in this site are from Pexels.com and Pixabay.com. We are grateful to the creators, photographers, illustrators and artists for permission to use them.

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