Since this pandemic started almost 2 years ago, we have been coaching remotely through telephone, Zoom and Facetime. The response has been overwhelming good. The family can choose a time ...   Learn More >>

I just perused previous blogs. I found one from 2015, saying I was ending my nursing career in a year or two. Well, it came this year on December 1st. ...   Learn More >>

The holidays are coming up again. Have you learned to KISS? I mean to keep it super simple? Caregiving is a full time job; adding stress to the daily routine by ...   Learn More >>

There is an under valued negative symptom of dementia; it is apathy. When a person becomes unable to think up something pleasurable to do and/or lacks ability to organize it, ...   Learn More >>

When I first started this service in 2000 the concept of coach was more or less confined to sports. Today one can find a life coach, a business coach and ...   Learn More >>

Summer is winding down with its abundance of early sunrise and late sunset, making room for lots of activity. My husband and I have fit in golf a few times ...   Learn More >>

Support groups are a lifeline for dementia caregivers. People who attend the groups I facilitate consistently say, "This is the only place where everyone knows what I'm talking about." Participants ...   Learn More >>

I turned 75 this past May and started to think about the future of StilMee's service to caregivers. There are other agencies offering coaching through the ASAPs (state funded agencies) ...   Learn More >>

It has been almost a year (shame on me) since my last blog. I thought I had said it all and sloughed off. I have resumed seeing many new families ...   Learn More >>

I've been going through a strange time in my life emotionally lately. My nursing career is coming to an end within a year or two, and I am grieving that ...   Learn More >>

If you live in New England you are relieved to see spring come after an unprecedented winter of snow. Spring is always a time of renewal. My garden is already ...   Learn More >>

I share ideas for caring for a person with dementia with someone in Wisconsin. He seems to get assignments with very challenging people. He is currently caring for a gentleman ...   Learn More >>

Yesterday I went to two couples' homes to coach the caregiver. In both instances the person with dementia was invited to be present (one simply sat down intending to be ...   Learn More >>

I was talking with Mark recently who remarked about the challenges of communicating with a person with dementia, especially if an accent or speech impediment added to the difficulty. I ...   Learn More >>

This coming Saturday we are having a team meeting after a long hiatus (several months). I love these meetings; we exchange ideas on improvement of services we offer, we support ...   Learn More >>

Recently there have been many studies on the value of music as a treatment for dementia. No, it doesn't slow it or cure it, but instead brings joy to an ...   Learn More >>

I was excited a few months back to be involved with the A4 study for a drug to be given to pre-symptomatic dementia. Unfortunately I was screened out. My husband ...   Learn More >>

Recently I was witness to a joyous several moments. Sue's dad Bill is indeed failing in physical strength and cognitive abilities. She grieves this loss, but is always able to ...   Learn More >>

I was called to see a client in Bristol County a few years ago. The caregiver said "I don't think I need coaching. I have the internet and have studied ...   Learn More >>

Just a reminder to those living in the south shore of Boston; StilMee is honored to be at two Councils on Aging; Avon and Braintree, in the fall to present ...   Learn More >>

I was recently invited to be a subject in research for treatment of pre-symptomatic dementia of the Alzheimer's type. I read over the requirements of time (one day a month ...   Learn More >>

Starting in the fall, StilMee will be offering what we call Dementia Family Forums at south shore area churches and councils on aging. The forum is a chance for families ...   Learn More >>

Each time I come home my husband asks, "So who did you talk to today?". He has been known to call me Constant Comment or Chatty Cathy. One co-worker recently ...   Learn More >>

I attended a conference for professionals this past week. The keynote speaker was Mary Sharp from the Edcon Group. She reiterated many of the ways we here at StilMee have ...   Learn More >>

Recently I spoke at a caregiver conference in Plymouth for the South Shore Alzheimer Partnership. It was a wonderful experience; I felt one with the audience of 400 as if ...   Learn More >>

I recently talked by phone to a candidate for being a StilMee dementia coach from Minnesota. I was impressed by his compassion for his homecare clients and his eagerness for ...   Learn More >>

This winter has been tough on all of us, but I think of the many times homecare workers cannot get to your family member due to weather or illness, or ...   Learn More >>

I am working with couples of whom one partner has a progressive dementia like Alzheimer's. A 60 year loving relationship is hard to give up and adjust to a new ...   Learn More >>

As an Alzheimer caregiver you are called on to do many things you've never done before in the same way; manage doctors visits, learn new ways to relating to your ...   Learn More >>

I realize I haven't let it be known that I've written two books for caregivers, at least not on this blog. I get consistently positive feedback from readers about it ...   Learn More >>

It has been just short of one month since my last inconsistent blog entry. I have little excuse; business has been slow as it often is during the winter holiday ...   Learn More >>

Often families know little to nothing of the resources in their area (and beyond) when a family member is ill or develops a condition requiring specialized treatment. Alzheimer's is such ...   Learn More >>

Probably the biggest problem for a writer is to come up with new material. I have spoken over the years to several columnists and they've all said the same. "I ...   Learn More >>

I cannot believe how long I neglect this blog! And now the holidays are fast approaching with so much to think about; shopping, cooking, baking, visiting. These are days when ...   Learn More >>

I will be writing my column in the South Shore Senior News this month on hospitalization and delirium in the elder with dementia. It is an important subject as 50 ...   Learn More >>

What is burnout? It feels like insanity sometimes; tired, disinterested, annoyed with work, blaming, disgust. All these feelings can be normal expressions of caregiver burnout. This happens when the caregiver ...   Learn More >>

Recently I gave a talk entitled Why can't I remember? There were about 25 seniors who came joking about 'old-timers disease' and memory problems as they streamed into the room. ...   Learn More >>

I heard of a woman with Alzheimer's who stares up into the sunlight and raises her hands in appreciation. I can do that too. Autumn is a glorious time of ...   Learn More >>

I don't know why time gets away from me and I forget to blog. But, I do. I've been doing some trainings at the hospital on trauma informed care and ...   Learn More >>

I teach a course with the objective of understanding how trauma affects behavior, cognition, development, thinking, and brain function. It is usually geared for mental health workers but I believe ...   Learn More >>

Since as far back as I can remember I've been fascinated by people's behavior. As a kid in a fairly normal family I'd wonder why, for example, my sister was ...   Learn More >>

When I decided to start a coaching business I had been laid off from a job I really enjoyed and felt in it I was making a difference in the ...   Learn More >>

How hot is it? 100 degrees here in Boston. My hubby and I were to go sailing today to Gloucester, Salem then home today through Sunday. With questionable winds and ...   Learn More >>

Go to our NEWS page and enjoy the description of one of the members of our group Resources To Remember. I'll be featuring members' services. If you are reading from ...   Learn More >>

Doctors are noticing enough evidence in people of all ages that they have labeled it Digital Dementia. Evidently when electronics are overused for instant communication (as we are all doing ...   Learn More >>

Someone once said caregiving is both mundane and mystical. I have learned that caregivers are too. Some just do what they need to do with no fanfare; they care because ...   Learn More >>

Today our team meets as usual to generate new ideas for coaching caregivers. Since re-entering the coaching field again (instead of just being the company's administrator) I am very aware ...   Learn More >>

Groups share the joy and halve the sorrow. I seek a group that shares like concerns as I do. I have joined a group locally of trusted professionals called Resources ...   Learn More >>

Our next Virtual Dementia Tour is at Care Well Adult Day Program in Norwell on June 12th. Call for information. We'll be there helping out as usual. ...   Learn More >>

Coach Francesca and I attended a wonderful seminar at Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology last Friday entitled' Cognitive and Emotional Aging'. One speaker likened the brain to an orchestra. "If ...   Learn More >>

I was invited to give a talk for an hour at a health fair. I decided on the title The Caregiving Journey and intended to make it general to any ...   Learn More >>

Back at coaching, I'm meeting the most dedicated brave, patient people! And I find I have so much more to give in the way of information and support than I ...   Learn More >>

It is April 20 already. I have to digress today from speaking about dementia coaching to say how very proud I am of our city Boston. To apprehend the Marathon ...   Learn More >>

I just got a call from Ken Cheo who helped me design how I wanted to conduct my fledgling busines back in 2008 when we incorporated. He sent me a ...   Learn More >>

Well, Francesca and I co-led our first support group for people concerned about their memory. A surprising turn of events was that most came to learn how to treat others ...   Learn More >>

With the increase in referrals for Alzheimer coaching, I've resumed being a coach myself instead of doing just the administrative 'stuff' (ah, so boring!). I had forgotten the effort and ...   Learn More >>

Imagine running a business with laryngitis! That was me this week past. If it had not been for email I would have been in deep water. Several referrals came in ...   Learn More >>

You can see on our news page that we are partnering with several fine companies to offer Virtual Dementia Tours. The people who take this tour say they can never ...   Learn More >>

Hello. This is where our blog will be from now on. You won't have to leave our site and can catch up on all Stilmee's goings on. There is a ...   Learn More >>

Today at team we looked at how the Virtual Dementia Tour depicted the plight of the person with dementia and compared it to John Zeisel's Hopeful Aging view. Zeisel appears ...   Learn More >>

I will be posting blog posts here soon. ...   Learn More >>