“Let’s Talk Transitions” Blog
Welcome to “Let’s Talk Transitions,” Transitions LifeCare’s blog. Content on caregiving, bereavement, volunteers, and clinical findings are included. We hope you will post comments and follow us.
National Nonprofit Day: Differences Between Nonprofit and For-Profit Hospices
Transitions LifeCare receives grant from 4 Others Foundation
Transitions LifeCare appoints Dr. Adam Wolk as new CEO
Transitions LifeCare’s Mary Lucas Honored With Triangle Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award
Movement. Awareness. You. Attention.
Dr. Rachel Lipner Announced as Chief Medical Officer
TL Board Begins Search for New CEO
What Can I Donate to Transitions LifeCare?
“When There Are No Words”
The Yeargan Charitable Foundation Announces $1,000,000 Gift to the Transitions Kids Program
Transitions LifeCare receives a $100,000 grant from The Leon Levine Foundation!
New Transitions LifeCare Board Members
View from the Doorway
Poems: For you & here
SearStone/LSC Awards $65,000 to Transitions LifeCare
The Leon Levine Foundation Matching Grant
Have Yourself An Okay(ish) Little Holiday
What is Total Pain?
Grief Gone Public
Why We All Need a Will – Today.
The Leon Levine Foundation Offers Matching Grant
Daniel’s Story
How To Talk About Dying
In The Weeds
Dear Michael
Poetry by Grace
The Four Things that Matter Most
Transitions LifeCare receives $500,000 grant
One Hundred and Twenty-Six Days: The Unthinkable Journey
Linda and Howard’s story
Transitions LifeCare receives portion of Searstone/Lutheran Services Carolinas award
When the “H” Word Means “Gratitude”
Honoring Rebecca – my grief journey
What’s your “warm bottom” moment?
Transitions LifeCare’s board announces CEO John Thoma’s 2022 retirement and successor
Stanley’s Story
How Limericks Soothe My Soul
Caregiver Burnout: What it is and what to do about it
Cultural Humility
Stephen & Ruth
Don’t Forget to Call
Working Together to Transform End-of-Life Care
A Loving Tribute to Paul V. Bamford
Aging Matters airs weekly on WPTF
Mama Kept Short Accounts
Six Ways for You to Save Money as a Retired Senior
Allan’s Final Days
Transitions LifeCare receives $100,000 grant from The Leon Levine Foundation
Writing Workshop: A Letter to My Loved One
Comeback Fest Expected to Raise $2 Million
5 Practical Time Management Tips for the Caregiver
10 Tips to Keep Seniors Safe at Home
Happy Birthday Dad!
The Reality of Being a Caregiver
Why I Am An Organ Donor
Caring For A Loved One: The Letter Each Caregiver Should Write
Six Ways Writing a Journal Helps Caregivers
The Importance of a Care Plan for an Aging Family Member
Transitions LifeCare Staff Updates
Toaster Time Machine
The Operation
10 Myths About Aging
The Rhythm of Respiration
How Seniors Can Benefit from Telehealth
How to Keep Your Calm When Dealing with the Difficulties of Aging Parents
2020 LeAP Award Winner
Virtual Funeral Arrangements: What You Need To Know
My Dear Pre-COVID Life
10 Stress-Relieving Techniques For Caregivers
The Do’s and Don’ts of Supporting a Friend Through Their Grief Journey
Transitions LifeCare and Guiding Lights Caregiver Support Center Merger Complete
What You Need to Know About a Career in Caregiving
6 Children’s Books to Help You Understand Grief and Loss
What Makes a Dog Suitable for Senior Citizens?
Hospice: Sprint Versus Marathon
The Holidays and Grief
Ten Tips for Family Caregivers
How to Balance Academics and Caregiving
What Happens in the Space Where Hospice and COVID-19 Meet
“I did what my country asked me to do”
The Season to Shop Your Virtual Gift Closet
How to Restore Sleep After Losing Someone
Mindfulness For Stress Reduction: Body Scan
Traditional Caregivers Summit Goes Virtual for 2020
Transitions LifeCare Receives $25,000 Grant from UNC REX Healthcare
The Importance of Pets in Our Lives
Transitions LifeCare Receives $400,000 Grant from The Duke Endowment
How to Create Accessible Gardens
Ten Tips for Family Caregivers
Five Touches
When a Loved One Dies
To Plan or Not to Plan? That is the Question
Paying it Forward (The Gift of Advance Directives)
Guilt and Regret
Learning to Accept Happiness Without Guilt
Drs. Patel and Thompson Earn Fellow Status
Staff Educator Connie Montgomery Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
The Orphaned Adult
With the death of my mom, I lost my last parent. Being 32 and parentless is a punch to the gut, one that knocks you to the ground and leaves you bloodied to face the world ahead. It makes you face yourself in ways you weren’t prepared for; it forces you to look in the mirror and see who you are, maybe even for the first time.
How to Avoid Losing Sleep When You Lose a Loved One
The loss of a loved one can have a multitude of negative effects on your life. If the loss of a loved one is keeping you up at night, take a look at this list of ideas for improving your sleep. Hopefully at least one will offer some respite.
Things I Wish I Knew as a Caregiver
You can never be fully prepared to take on the role of a caregiver. Whether it is caring for an elderly adult in your life or a child with special…
Tips for Helping Kids Transition Back to School after a Death Has Occurred
This post originally appeared on August 22, 2018. We’ve updated dates for our child and teen grief offerings found at the end of this post. It’s typical for parents and…
Pet Therapy Volunteer “Maggie”
Being a pet therapy volunteer has been an experience like no other. Maggie is a calm and lazy girl who makes a perfect therapy dog. She has visited dozens of…
How to Prepare Your Home for a Senior Loved One on a Budget
Preparing your home to make room for a senior loved one to move in is often a big process that requires a lot of time and energy, so it’s important…
How to Be an Effective Caregiver
It only took one diagnosis for my life to be completely altered. The first time I heard that my father was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy I knew immediately that…
Paying Homage to My Dad on Father’s Day
I was 10 when Dances with Wolves came out. I thought it was a beautiful film, but all my family took from it was the humor in nicknaming people after their…
Sound Advice for Covering the Costs of Alzheimer’s Care
Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, gradually eroding both the mind and body of those suffering with the condition. That means people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s often need assistance for an extended…
Best Ways to Stay Happy and Healthy as You Age
Taking care of yourself is a continuously evolving strategy—there’s no right way to do it. Your needs change over time so it’s natural to adjust the way you stay happy and…
Let Me Tell You Who I Am Now
I am still a person like you, with a life like yours, yet not. I am still a mother like you, yet not at all like you, all at the…
Why I gave up my manufacturing industry career to work in home-based care
Sixteen years ago, I lost someone very close to me, a man who was like a father. When he was diagnosed with cancer, his disease was so advanced doctors couldn’t…
Managing Sleep While Grieving
Losing a loved one can take a large toll on your emotional well-being. It’s very common to experience many challenges going through daily life activities while you’re in a period…
Chiropractic Adjustments and Lowered Blood Pressure
If you are looking for a way to lower your blood pressure, chiropractic adjustments may be a viable option for you. Instead of filling your body with medications loaded with…
Reuse, Repair, Reimagine, Reclaim
While on a recent vacation, I walked past a thrift store with the words, “Reuse, Repair, Reimagine, Reclaim It!” emblazoned across the outer walls of the building. I was so…
An Angel Grew Wings
As Transitions LifeCare recognizes 40 years of service to our community, we reached out to staff for their memories through the years. #TLturns40 In 1985 my beloved Grandfather was diagnosed…
Your Guide to Paying for Alzheimer’s Disease Care
No matter how prepared you may think you are, long-term care and end-of-life care require a massive investment of money that may be spread out over months or even years….
Difficult Decisions: What to Do After a Terminal Diagnosis
Being diagnosed with a terminal illness changes everything in an instant. Priorities immediately shift, questions about insurance and your estate arise, and final dispositions must be made for end-of-life care…
What You May Not Know About Mesothelioma
Healthy Lung Month, observed each October, reminds us how important our lung health is and how lung diseases affect millions of Americans. For those with mesothelioma, October means something extra…
“Give me the words, and show me what I need to do.”
On the day Avery Neill died, Shelly Wenzel helped Emily Neill wrap the girl in a blanket. She held Avery and Emily for a long time. “I want you to…
Paying for Long-Term Care When Living Alone Isn’t an Option
Realizing it’s no longer safe to live independently is one of the hardest parts of growing older. It’s even harder if you can’t afford to pay for the care…
COMPASSION = COMmunicate + PASSION
TL staff recently had the privilege to hear from the husband of a hospice patient we served a few years ago. Many thanks to Don W. for his kind words…
Tips for Helping Kids Transition Back to School after a Death Has Occurred
It’s typical for parents and caregivers to feel apprehension about kids heading back to school after they’ve experienced the death of someone they love. After all, the lazy days of…
“Nothing is guaranteed”
“Nothing is guaranteed.” Kelly said it, and she believes it with all her heart. But what Kelly does with this belief is pretty amazing. Since a diagnosis of stage 1B1…
“I did what my country asked me to do”
Master Sergeant John Y., United States Marine Corps veteran was honored on July 15, 2018, with a “We Honor Veterans” ceremony held at the American Legion Post 116 in Fuquay-Varina. Paul…
Gabby: From Feral to Family
When I started working at Transitions LifeCare (TL) I didn’t realize I’d receive far more than a paycheck. I’ve been blessed with so much more. I’ve made such wonderful friends…
Disenfranchised Grief
“Disenfranchised grief” is a term coined by Kenneth Doka in the 1980s. It refers to a loss that the griever feels unable to fully mourn because of societal views about…
Tips for Supporting Someone in Grief (repost)
#TBT to June 24, 2015 Someone you know is grieving. Perhaps it is a friend, a colleague, a family member, a spouse. Offering support to someone who has had a…
Tips for Coping with Sleeplessness
Research indicates that grief and loss can have a significant impact on sleep. Sleep is disrupted in many ways: in the struggle to fall asleep, poor sleep quality, and difficulty…
The Opioid Epidemic: A National Public Health Emergency
Background In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) declared opioid-induced deaths as a national epidemic. 91 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. Drug overdose is now the…
A Special Night Out
It was an exciting game. The Dean E. Smith Center was a sea of Carolina blue and the men’s basketball team didn’t disappoint. Together with more than 20,000 other fans…
What No One Tells You About Grief
Grief it brings need the naked freeze caught in the frost Numb unbearable thoughts your inner need fire not lost –Tori Amos – Reindeer King (Native Invader, 2017) I lost my…
W-I-N-T-E-R: How to Honor Your Grief
Things tend to slow down in the winter. The holiday bustle wraps up in a flurry and in settles the cold, quiet calm of winter. In grief, the season can…