Tag Archives: The Bow-Tie-Guy

August 17, 2016 · 4:35 pm

Caregivers: When You Need A Lyft!

Man is free at the moment he wishes to be. Voltaire

Have you seen a car driving down the street a featuring a pink mustache on the front of the hood, or maybe resting on the front of a windshield? Those pink mustaches would be your next LYFT, arriving to pick you up to take you to your next destination.

Dan Trigub

While attending the Florida Council on Aging in Orlando, FL I had the opportunity to visit with Dan Trigub Strategic Account Executive at LYFT. Dan and his team at LYFT recognize the need for Caregivers and their Caree’s to have safe and adequate transportation to help make their caregiving day just a little easier. Transportation is one of the biggest issues family caregivers face when juggling their caree’s appointments. I know from personal experience, finding a ride in order for Richard to go to radiation was challenging. My time spent on the road, driving back to the house, then to the doctor’s appointments…Whew…I spent quite a bit of time on the road that no can be eliminated with a LYFT!

LYFT recognizes the need for Caregivers to have additional transportation assistance, and they are doing something about it. Don’t just take my word for it, take it first hand from Dan.

On this episode of Healing Ties, Dan Trigub and me chat about LYFT, the pink mustache and how LYFT can make a Caregivers day just a little less stressful. Listen in and learn how Dan and the entire staff at LYFT are creating Healing Ties all around us!

Just as Voltaire said, “Man is free at the moment he wishes to be” LYFT free’s up a Caregivers moment, in order to make the Caregiver’s life just a littler easier.

Chris MacLellan is the author of “What’s The Deal with Caregiving?” and the Host of Healing Ties featured on Spreaker, iTunes, iHeart and UK Health Radio. Healing Ties and The Purple Jacket are a part of the Whole Care Network, Inc

Join us in Chicago for the 1st National Caregiving Conference hosted by Denise Brown from Caregiving.com. Now through August 25, register to win cash prizes to help with your travel cost to the conference. Visit our conference hub by clicking here. Contact me direct about becoming a sponsor or exhibitor at the conference!

Happy Thanks CareGiving

Feeling Gratitude and Not Expressing it is Like Wrapping a Present and Not Giving it! – William Asher Ward

Thanksgiving comes around once a year, but giving thanks and showing gratitude is a daily practice that I want to create in my life.

I am thankful for 11 wonderful years with Richard and as I think about the past 18 month since he made his life transition, I am reminded about not taking life so seriously while learning to live life in the moment. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow has not arrived, what is important is today.

These last 18 months have been filled with lots of different challenges, many of which have been self-afflicted. But we move on with our head held high, knowing that bumpy roads do smooth out.

I don’t miss being a Caregiver, I miss the person I was caring for, because Caregiving is a two-way street. When Caregiving ends, the realization that what once was, is now different, is obvious. However, what I have come to know, now that Caregiving is over, the good days far out weigh the bad days and memories last forever.

So Happy Thanks-Caregiving to you, not only on this special day of thanks, but for everyday, in gratitude for all that you do!

Chris MacLellan is the Author of “What’s The Deal With Caregiving” and the host of “Healing Ties” radio program.

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Filed under Caregiving, The Purple Jacket

Tagged as Caregiving, Life AFTER Caregiving, The Bow-Tie-Guy

November 20, 2015 · 9:30 am

Managing a Loved One’s Care from Out of State

Today we welcome guest blogger Max Gottlieb, content manager of Senior Planning in Phoenix, Arizona.

Managing a Loved One’s Care from Out of State

Whether you are in the same house, same town, or out of state, successfully caring for a loved one can be a challenge. Obviously, it is much easier to care for someone in the same city, but unfortunately families live in different states, oftentimes across the country. It may seem unmanageable at first, but there are many things you can do to provide support and maintain a better quality of life for the person in need of care.

1.) Keep on Top of your Loved One’s Health

The most important way to keep track of a loved one’s health is to create a schedule where your loved one is evaluated at designated intervals. This could mean that after each doctor’s appointment you call the doctor or that once a month, you check in with a care manager. It’s best to have more than one person doing assessments so you can hear multiple opinions. A primary physician is a good option since they’ll be most familiar with medical records, but people like physical therapists, care managers, social workers, or in-home caregivers can also offer valuable information. The important thing is to keep in constant communication with the people most frequently in contact with your loved one.

2.) Have a Plan in Place

Planning ahead is essential. Rather than waiting until a physical decline or medical emergency occurs, make sure you know what the next step is. That may mean you’ve scheduled a home health aid to come in or you’ve hired a care manager to manage your loved one’s care. Whether your loved one has a homecare professional coming in every day or once a week, make sure the caregiver is familiar with what their patient can and can’t do physically. This means talking to the caregiver on the phone and bringing them up to speed with your loved one’s conditions.

If there are any memory or behavioral issues, be sure to let the aid or caregiver know so they can monitor to see if anything changes. If there are no memory issues you are aware of, it’s still a good idea to ask a caregiver to keep a close eye on whether or not there are changes. Also, if there are times when a caregiver is not there, an emergency medical alert could be a good idea.

In the event that a physical decline or an emergency occurs, full time home health might be a good option, which can be recommended from the patient’s primary care physician. Additionally, adding on caregiving hours will help ease the effects of a physical decline. Depending upon the medically needy person’s income, assets, and condition, they may qualify for Medicaid, which will pay for a certain amount of caregiving hours per week. See this Medicaid guide for your state’s exact requirements as it does vary state by state.

3.) Around the Clock Caregiving:

Sometimes, depending upon the circumstances, patients may need a caregiving aid 24/7. Many caregiving agencies are readily able to provide 24/7 care and patients are able to age in place. For an out of state family member, this alleviates some worry about their loved one because there is always a caregiver around to assist. Many people forget to consider around the clock caregiving and usually believe assisted living or skilled nursing facilities are better options. Most of the time, however, these types of facilities aren’t staffed at the ratio of one caregiver to one patient. The major benefit of having a private caregiving aid is the one-to-one care provided, which equals a greater level of care in most cases. There is of course cost to consider and what works for some people may not work for others. Be open to your loved one’s changing needs and don’t be afraid to seek the help of private or state professionals.

Max Gottlieb is the content manager of Senior Planning in Phoenix, Arizona. Senior Planning provides free assistance to seniors and the disabled who need help finding and arranging care services, finding Phoenix assisted living, or applying for state and federal benefits.

Thanks Max for your timely suggestions!

Chris MacLellan is the Author of “What’s The Deal With Caregiving” and Host of “Healing Ties” Radio.

To purchase a copy of “What’s The Deal With Caregiving” simply click here!

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Tagged as Caregiving, Family Caregiver, Max Gottlieb, Phoenix AZ, Senior Living, The Bow-Tie-Guy

November 19, 2015 · 4:54 pm

New Station, Same Great Show!

Everyone has a story, but not everyone gets to share their story.

Healing Ties radio returns in January with new guests, new topics, new format, and a new station.

It is about creating a life to love after Caregiving ends through advocacy, leadership, writing, radio, travel, cruises

What’s coming up?
Radio: Have a story to share, an idea for a show, or would you like to be a guest on the show…contact me!
Whole Care Network: Looking to list you product or business in our resource guide…contact me! (rates vary: reserve your premium location now on the Whole Care Network)

Hire Me: Looking for a Key Note Speaker, Lunch in Learn, I have a variety of topics to choose from or I can customize a presentation to meet your organization needs.

Coming Soon:
Travel With The Bow Tie Guy
Custom Bow Ties to support charity!

You can also visit our FB page at The Bow Tie Guy

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Filed under Caregiving, The Purple Jacket

Tagged as advocacy, Caregiving, Family Caregiver, HealingTies, LGBT, Prosperity, Senior Health, The Bow-Tie-Guy

November 17, 2015 · 9:14 am

The Reviews Are Coming In!

Progress is man’s ability to complicate simplicity. Thor Heyerdahl

I have to admit, that I have tried my best not to peek at the reviews on Amazon about my book “What’s The Deal With Caregiving” , but today I took a look and was quite surprised and pleased by all who have taken the time to write a review of the book.

It took me months to sit down and focus on finishing the book. It has been a labor of love and goodness, and along the way, I have met new friends while remembering Richard in a very special way. In the process, I guess I did complicate simplicity!

I want to thank everyone who has purchased the book, along with thanks to those those who have taken the time to write a review.

Visit Chris’s Authors Page on Amazon.

See all the Amazon Reviews.

I’m creating a life to love after Caregiving ends through Advocacy, Leadership, Writing, Radio, Travel and Cruises…and you can create a new life to love too!

Everyone has a story to share, but not everyone gets a chance to tell there story! Well now, here is your chance as Healing Ties radio is is returning to the air in January! Interested in being a guest? Have a topic for a show? Simply email me at Chris@thepurplejacket.com

Caregivers and Servant Leadership

A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way ~ John C. Maxwell

In November we celebrate National Caregiving month and it is always a good time to reflect and reconnect with good friends along the road during our Caregiving journey. As I read through many of the national organization who are running promotions this month to signify National Caregiving month, I started to think about my role as a family Caregiver and what being a family Caregiver meant to me. Being a family Caregiver taught me a number of valuable lessons, but the most important lesson I learned was after Caregiving ended and Richard was no longer with us, and that lesson is the importance of self-care. It is common for family Caregivers to lose themselves in the midst of Caregiving because our focus is so intense on our Caree. Now 18 months after Richard made his life transition, I am learning how to take better care of myself, (It is an up hill battle, that I will eventually win!)

Just recently I have come across a new meaning for family Caregivers, one that I have learned while finishing my masters degree in Leadership and Communication at Gonzaga University and that is the connection Caregivers have to Servant Leadership. With my ministerial background and theology training, I had been looking forward to my class in Servant Leadership. I was not disappointed.

Robert Greenleaf is known as the founder of Servant Leadership and once said: “The servant-leader is servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. The conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is a leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions.” While our class in Servant Leadership often focused on Business, Managers and Work Place Culture, I often commented in our classroom discussions about how Caregivers are Servant Leaders, because of our role to serve first, to advocate, to be the voice for those who could not speak, to put ourselves second.

Some of the characteristics of a work-place driven by Servant Leadership is that staff is fully engaged, feel a strong commitment to the cause, find purpose and have passion. Servant Leaders are mindful of the whole, while understanding that people have to feel empowered, lovable, connected and contributing. I see quite a bit of philosophy entwined with Servant Leadership and Caregiving. Caregivers are commitment to the cause, and do find purpose and have passion to care. Caregivers are mindful of their Caree, while understanding that their Caree needs to feel empowered, loved, connected and contributing. Caregiving and Servant Leadership goes hand-in-hand because of the innate ability to think beyond our self.

In essence, we are all Servant Leaders in training and our training in Servant Leadership is on going, it never stops. Servant Leadership is about relationships. Even after Caregiving has ended for me, I still in training, learning how to care for myself, while in the midst of being present to my family, friends and co-workers. Caregiving and Life After Caregiving is about Relationships, too!

I see the connection to Servant Leadership and Caregiving, do you?

Oh…what did being a family Caregiver mean to me? It meant the world! Because in the end, just as in the beginning, we were fortunate to have some of the most meaningful conversations with each other, while spending every second, minute, hour, day, month and year together. I would do it again with him, all over, with no regrets!

Chris MacLellan is the Author of “What’s The Deal With Caregiving” and Host of “Healing Ties: Creating A Life to Love After Caregiving Ends.”

To purchase the book, simply click here!

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Tagged as advocacy, Caregiver Support, Caregivers, Gonzaga University, Leadership, LGBTCaregiving, National Caregiving MOnth, RobertGreenleaf, ServantLeadership, The Bow-Tie-Guy

October 23, 2015 · 2:13 pm

Finding Purpose In Life

Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. George Bernard Shaw

Creating a life to love after your love one makes their life transition can be difficult to achieve, but it is critical to our own health and well-being. Sure, our fond memories of the love we shared linger on in our hearts, but we have to find a way to move on, find purpose, and create a new life to love.

Finding purpose in life is one of the critical components enhancing our happiness. Happiness is not predicated on having the biggest car, fancy house, or the most money in the bank. Happiness is predicated on finding purpose in life.

“There is one aspect of grief that I think all of us will experience in one way or another. We stop living! Once you come to the realization that you have stopped living, then you realize the time has come to move on and live your life in the present, with health, happiness and confidence… Like a plant that needs to be watered to regain blooms, we too, in our grief process, need to be watered so we can bloom again. There is no timetable for a new bloom, but without the proper nurturing and care, our soil will become dry and we start to wither away” (p. 95).

In order to live again, we have to find purpose in our life while living in the present with health, happiness and confidence. That is why it was important for me to write “What’s The Deal With Caregiving” in order to give back to the vast community of family Caregivers across the nation. Because it is through giving back where we find purpose and meaning in life.

Amazon Prime members with free shipping of “What’s The Deal With Caregiving” is available by clicking here!

You can also purchase “What’s The Deal With Caregiving” on this website by clicking here!

“What’s The Deal With Caregiving” is a People Tested Publication

For media inquires and bulk purchases please contact me at Chris@thepurplejacket.com

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Tagged as Bernard Richard Schiffer, Caregiver Support, Caregivers, Caregiving, LGBT Caregiving, The Bow-Tie-Guy

October 12, 2015 · 4:24 pm

Coming Soon: A New Book and A New Look

Exciting Times are about to happen at “The Purple Jacket” as my first book, “What’s The Deal With Caregiving” will be available this weekend (October 17th) on Amazon.com. Check back here on the Purple Jacket for a direct link to purchase the book on Amazon when we go live this weekend.

“Here are a couple of testimonials from my upcoming book: “What’s The Deal With Caregiving”

Chris MacLellan, masterfully compiled advantageous information and resources that caregivers are desperately searching for. This book will help you make it through your caregiving campaign and survive in one piece. Having authored several dementia caregiving books myself, I constantly found myself nodding yes, and saying, “This book is right on the money.” This is a great collective wealth of resources for all caregivers, no matter what disease your loved one is ailing from. Author, Caregiver, Gary Joseph LeBlanc”

“I really love the approach you took with this – it’s different and of great interest to me as someone who was caregiving a loved one. It’s different because you are approaching it from angles that I don’t remember reading about before. You highlight important issues that sat at periphery of my awareness. I wish I had read this the year Kris started to wind down. Unfortunately I can’t go backwards, but for those now embarking on the caregiving journey it will be of immeasurable value.” Ira Woods, President and CEO of One World Memorials. Author’s Note: Please visit Ira Woods’ blog, Conscious Departures.com for his well-written and compelling story when Caregiving ends.

What else is new you might ask? Well, we are moving domains to ‘The Bow Tie Guy.com” This transition will happen over the next month where we will be able to house all our podcasts, blog posts and our new resource area called the “Whole Care Network.” The “Whole Care Network will be a mixture of podcasts, guest blog posts, and most importantly, trusted resources for you!

The resources in the “Whole Care Network” will center around the five pillars which I write about in my book, here is an exert:

“It is easy to get lost in Caregiving, I know it happened to me! Find purpose in the midst of Caregiving. Do not let your own health lag. Take care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and financially. These five pillars can get out of whack quickly, and when they do, it is all you can do to stay afloat. If there was one thing I could go back and change about my Caregiving experience, I would have taken better care of myself in all five of these areas. It’s “funny” the person who was insisting I take better care of myself, was the one I was caring for, my partner Richard.”

The “Whole Care Network” will feature trusted resources from professionals in all these area who will share their expertise with you. But you know what is even more important? For you to share your Caregiving expertise with them! How can you do that you might ask? Easy…share your story through a podcast with me on “Healing Ties!” Everyone (Caregiver) has a story, but not everyone gets to share their story” now you have an outlet to share your story with me on a podcast! For more details on how you can sign up for a podcast, simply email me at Chris@thepurplejacket.com. Are you a professional who has a resource you would like to share? Please, email me at Chris@thepurplejacket.com!

So what lies ahead for “The Bow Tie Guy”…

New Book, “What’s The Deal With Caregiving”

New Podcast format for “Healing Ties”

New Website “TheBowTieGuy.com” (of course we will keep “The Purple Jacket” as this is where our Caregiving Story with my partner started”

I am available to speak to your company, organization or church on a variety of topics, email me at Chris@thepurplejacket.com for details.

Second Book in the works: “Healing Ties” A Story about Love, Care, Cancer and Commitment in 2016.

Thesis project in conjunction with Gonzaga University (we are hoping to partner with another well-known Caregiving advocate and website, when that is formalized, I will be sure to let you know). The thesis project will center around Caregiving, Stress and the financial impact to employers and employees.

Last but now least, we are your go to for travel planning. In my book, there is an entire section geared toward how to travel with your Caree. With that, I have become a group cruise specialist. Be on the lookout for an announcement on our first After Caregiving cruise in 2016!

As I write in my book: “Richard would want me to create a new life to love”…and while I wish he was here with me now, I know that he is standing right beside me!

Remember our slogan…”We might have (had) cancer, but cancer never had us!”

Thanks for all your continued support as we move in with life after Caregiving ends!

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Filed under Caregiving, The Purple Jacket

Tagged as Gary Joseph LeBlanc, Ira Woods, The Bow-Tie-Guy, Whole Care Network

August 28, 2015 · 3:53 pm

A Book Cover Preview: On National Bow Tie Day

As you might have noticed, I have not spent much time blogging on The Purple Jacket over the past six weeks or so. However, that does not mean that I have stopped writing. As The Bow Tie Guy, it seems fitting on National Bow Tie Day I share with you with a preview of the cover of my first book, ‘What’s The Deal With Caregiving’ published Jack Tatar at People Tested Media.

Photo Credit: Photo Journalist Carline Jean with permission from the Sun-Sentinel

Now in our final edits, my goal in writing “What’s The Deal With Caregiving” is to bring readers a comfort zone to reflect, re-energize, and find reassurance, knowing there are other Caregivers out there, just like you, who understands your journey, who cares for you, and simply loves you because you care. As a Caregiver, I’ve been there and because of my personal experience, I want to guide and assist your journey

I will be sure to keep you informed as we get closer to publishing this fall. Here is just one of the many testimonials that have been sent in to me.

A special thanks to my family, Richard’s family and my friends in both South Florida and St. Louis for their continued support as I finish this first project.

Writing this book has been cathartic!

We are already working on book number 2 ‘Healing Ties: A Story about Love, Care, Cancer and Commitment’ which will delve deeper into our Caregiving story with personal accounts of the five pillars: our physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial health. I will write openly about our joys, laughter and struggles, because in the end, our story is about the meaning of love. Look for book 2 to be published early 2016.

We Might Have (had) Cancer, but Cancer Never Had Us!

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Filed under Caregiving, The Purple Jacket

Tagged as advocacy, Be A Healthy Caregiver, Caregiving, Family Caregiver, LGBT Caregivers, LGBT Caregiving, The Bow-Tie-Guy

July 21, 2015 · 4:21 pm

On Becoming A Fearless Caregiver

Join us on Wednesday, July 22nd on Health Café Live.com at 7:00 pm (EST) as we visit with Gary Barg, Editor-in-Chief of Caregiver Magazine & Caregiver.com. A noted speaker, writer and publisher on caregiving issues since 1995, Gary is Founder of the first national magazine for caregivers, Today’s Caregiver, as well the original online caregiver community, caregiver.com. Gary created The Fearless Caregiver Conferences, hosted across the country, which brings together caregivers to share their knowledge, experience and wisdom as well as learning about vital products, services and technologies. Listen in and learn how Gary is creating Healing Ties all around us!

Cannot listen live? NO Worries! Healing Ties Radio is available on demand on our iHeart Channel by simply clicking here.

You can also find Healing Ties Radio on UK Health Radio by clicking here.

Visit ‘HealingTie.com/guest-appearances for all our shows by clicking here.

Or visit our Healing Ties Facebook Page to listen to all our shows by clicking here!