Caregiving is about as unpredictable a journey as life itself. You need someone on your side! Let these Twitter-ers and their tweets serve as guideposts – maybe even virtual caregivers – to help you maintain your sanity, find new directions, and make the most of this difficult process.
http://twitter.com/caring – The folks at Caring.com strive for simplicity in eldercare, a worthy goal considering how complicated eldercare can be!
http://twitter.com/GilbertGuide – Jill Gilbert, founder of GilbertGuide.com, wants nothing more than for elders to get the best care possible.
http://twitter.com/SeniorHomeCare – Denver-based Adeste (Latin for “to be there, attend to, help, give support”) In Home Care provides in-home care and is an active advocate for caregiving. Even if you don’t live in Denver, the attractive website and its regular tweets offer a wealth of resources for caregivers nationwide.
http://twitter.com/daccarte – An avid traveler, entrepreneur, and self-professed “relationship-building guru,” Dale Carter applies these skills and interests to her work: helping those with aging parents navigate perhaps the most difficult journey of their lifetimes.
http://twitter.com/icarevillage – This new one-stop shop for caregivers of spouses or aging parents boasts that “no topic is left unturned.”
http://twitter.com/mike_gamble – Mike Gamble is a family man fueled by a passion for improving quality of life for aging seniors and family caregivers.
http://www.twitter.com/carebuzz - Carol Marak has a heart for seniors and provides engaging information, resources, and heartfelt advice to caregivers on a daily basis.
http://twitter.com/PattyGrace - Aging With Grace, Patty’s company, is dedicated to easing caregiver stress by providing encouragement, resources, and services dedicated to providing loving care to elders. Her Tweets are informative, helpful, and always honestly insightful.
http://twitter.com/SrHelpersNatl - Senior Helpers is all about connecting seniors to a variety of in-home health care services and information on topics of concern to elders.
http://twitter.com/PT_Advocate - Need someone on your side to help you navigate the care giving labyrinth? Kim Bunker is your woman: she’s a professional geriatric care manager and patient advocate who also provides mediation and conflict management services.
http://twitter.com/FloridaSeniors – Whether you’re a Florida snowbird or a year-round resident, this comprehensive database lays out all your options for senior living in the Sunshine State.
http://twitter.com/caregvr – Knowing the financial and emotional toll that caregiving takes on individuals and families, Virginia-based Tim Griswold’s Foundation for Caregivers stands ready to ease the burden.
http://twitter.com/SternNursing – As a patient advocate, LPN, and geriatric care manager, Lisa Ann Stern is more than qualified to arrange the care and support you need, from pet care services to care plan development.
http://twitter.com/Caregiving – Denise Brown loves biking, sports, travel … and helping family caregivers. As a certified eldercare coach and the founder of Caregiving.com, this author/speaker is truly a caregiving guru.
http://twitter.com/ElderCareRN – Registered nurse Shelley Webb is focused on the three “e’s” – education, encouragement, and empowerment to caregivers.
http://twitter.com/JaneNation – While it might not be focused on caregiver issues, Jane Nation is a community for women of all ages … and we know that women make up the great majority of family caregivers.
http://twitter.com/scvillas – Want to spend your golden years by the sea? San Clemente Villas in San Clemente, Calif., makes it possible. Don’t want to relocate that far? Aileen Brazeau offers some helpful tweets for caregivers at her site.
http://twitter.com/RAHSCWI - Maintaining independence and preserving quality of life are the tenets of this Midwestern organization.
http://www.twitter.com/SandwichINK- Kaye Swain shares daily affirmations, resources, and real-life experiences to inform and encourage those within the Sandwich Generation. Better yet — all her Tweets embody a caregiver’s selflessness. Kudos!
http://twitter.com/ForCaregivers- As co-caregiver to his wife’s mother, Jake Travers Tweets daily with information to empower caregivers.
http://twitter.com/AgeWiseLiving - Barbara Friesner speaks from experience: after caring for her grandmother and then her mother, who had advanced dementia, this New-York based author is ready to tackle even the toughest caregiver issues.
http://twitter.com/MelHaikenhealth – Caregivers often neglect their own health and well-being as they are consumed by the needs of their loved one. Check out helpful tweets from Melanie Haiken, a health writer and senior editor for Caring.com.
http://twitter.com/Inhome_Insights – Want to know more about compassionate caregiving and tips for independent living? Laura Legendary’s tweets will educate you accordingly.
http://twitter.com/IndigoLakeMT – Talk about well-rounded: Joanne Berry is a tech writer, assisted living/hospice/nursing home companion, and a geriatric massage therapist.
http://twitter.com/PaulaRobinsonRN – “Lovin’ life, family and friends” in Marco Island, Florida, Paula Robinson uses her background as an RN to inform her work as a senior/elder care advocate and senior health expert.
http://twitter.com/seniorlivingexp – If you live in “Chicagoland” and need to know your senior living options, look up Lisa Sneddon’s Senior Living Experts for free advice.
http://twitter.com/AmiePeeleCarter – Are you a Sandwich Generation caregiver? Amie Peele Carter blogs and tweets for you!
http://twitter.com/RickGrimes - Rick Grimes is the President and CEO of the Assisted Living Federation of America, so you can be sure he knows a thing or two about caregiving.
http://twitter.com/DrDavidBallard – Caregiving can definitely do some damage to your psychological health. Dr. David Ballard tweets on this and other related topics.
http://twitter.com/nanonavi - How cool (or Big Brother) is this? Get the latest nano-device and keep track, virtually, of the ones you love (pets included)!
http://twitter.com/CaregiversJourn – Want to share your insights on caregiving with others on the journey? Valerie Johnson in Atlanta provides the forum to do so at her Caregiver’s Journal site.
http://twitter.com/agingfamilies – Keeping the peace is not always easy in certain caregiving situations. Beverly Parsons offers creative ways to help aging parents without stepping on their toes.
http://twitter.com/steveeldercare – Canadian Steve Joyce is credited with the creation of this online community for caregivers of aging parents.
http://twitter.com/RetireLife – After Megan Shea’s involvement with her grandparent’s care, she wanted to help others find the resources they need … and RetireLife was born.
http://twitter.com/FamCareGiversU – Joining forces with Internet talk radio’s Voice America, Family Caregivers Unite hosts a virtual gathering on Tuesdays to promote the honorable cause of family caregiving.
http://twitter.com/CaregiverRebate - Here’s one that all caregivers should check out: Caregivers Marketplace offers a free cash back service that provides rebates on a number of caregiving products, ranging from incontinence care to foot health. Find out what products are eligible and put some cash back in your pocket!
http://twitter.com/stancohen – Stan Cohen and the folks at www.maturitymatters.net want to help older adults find passion in aging – and the right senior living setting to foster that passion.
http://twitter.com/seniorsos – No need to resort to smoke signals – contact Senior Care Organizational Systems (SOS) for your senior care advocacy and advisory needs.
http://twitter.com/boomerandbabe – Share your stories about grandparenting, leaving a legacy, fitness, and “all things boomer” on The Boomer and the Babe Show.
http://twitter.com/topazinteriors – Joyce Joneschiet knows the importance of the physical environment as a key factor in successful caregiving. Her tweets will help you create spaces that are inviting, comfortable, and enable the senior in your life to live as independently as possible.
http://twitter.com/connect4craig – What an excellent service for long-distance (and local) caregivers of seniors living at home or in senior care facilities: receive regular wellness notifications via text or email from Connect for Healthcare.
http://twitter.com/caringtrans – Sometimes a change in a caregiving situation means a change of location. The experts at Caring Transitions will help move things forward, literally.
http://twitter.com/lifebio – Take a break in your 36-hour day and jot down those stories you want your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to hear. Beth Sanders is happy to be your “personal trainer for personal history.”
http://twitter.com/ageinplacepros – This one-stop-shop is for those offering and seeking goods and services to help seniors successfully age in place.
http://twitter.com/karensadler – Can’t say I’ve ever heard of a wordologist, but it sounds pretty cool, and it’s just one of the many hats Karen Sadler wears. Also an “age communication specialist,” Sadler helps bridge the generation gaps between boomers and seniors trying to keep pace in the ever-changing communications world.
http://twitter.com/caregiverlist – If you need senior care or want a caregiving job, consult the free referral service at Caregiver List.
http://twitter.com/nslgames – Maybe you’re a caregiver in a senior living community and need an outlet. Then check out the Atlanta-based National Senior League, which is dedicated to senior living residents with a competitive side…that is, when it comes to Wii sports.
http://twitter.com/YourParentsToo – Sibling rivalry can rear its ugly head when the responsibilities of caring for Mom and Dad fall on the adult children. Francine Russo offers advice on keeping the peace.
http://twitter.com/CaregiversCafe – Incontinence is a huge challenge for caregivers, and one that is not easy to discuss. Check out TENA’s Caregiver Café for resources and advice on this sensitive topic.
http://twitter.com/keepingussafe – Driving is another hot button issue for caregivers of seniors. Get tweets on driver safety tips and presentations.
http://twitter.com/TabSafe – Medication management is a HUGE piece of the caregiving puzzle. Keep tabs with this simple device.
And don’t forget us — Here at SeniorsforLiving, we utilize our Twitter feed to share news and resources about many aspects of senior care, and caregiving is a very big part of that. Follow us now, and let us know in the comments section below any other caregiving resources you find helpful on Twitter!