by jphilo | Dec 8, 2014 | Family
A month long version of Camp Dorothy begins tonight, which means CD HQ is buzzing this morning. So far the camp director has:
- Moved her wardrobe, bedside reading materials, and toiletry items to the upstairs bedroom and bathroom,
- Reminded the Man of Steel to do the same,
- Changed bedding for the camp’s namesake,
- Checked to make sure the Uno, Skippo, and regular card decks are ready to go,
- Pulled a meal from the freezer for supper.
Next on the list is to:
- Make sure the TV is turned to Wheel of Fortune’s channel,
- Put extra blankets on the camper’s bed because she is always cold,
- Decide whether to be magnanimous and give the celebrity camper the good ottoman or the makeshift one for the duration of her stay,
- Create a comfy nest on the couch, complete with extra pillows, pencils, and tissues.
Once all that’s done, it will be time to:
- Drive down to where the camper lives,
- Take her for a pre-camp physical at the doctor’s office,
- Check to be sure she packed some of the new shirts and sweaters she received as Christmas gifts instead of the old, dingy ones she can’t part with,
- Load her, along with her walker, cane, suitcase, bath chair, purse, crossword puzzle books, and library books into the car,
- Be very thankful the camp provides linens so there’s no need to pack a sleeping bag, pillow, and towels, too,
- Drive to CD HQ.
Upon arrival at camp, the director will be wishing for a Wheel of Fortune marathon to occupy the camp’s namesake while:
- Unloading the car,
- Unpacking the camper’s clothes,
- Running to the store to purchase someone’s favorite snack items,
- Fixing supper,
- Sending apologetic replies to all the emailed ignored on the gala opening day of Camp Dorothy,
- Reminding herself how blessed she is to have these days with the camp’s namesake because one day, perhaps sooner than later, Camp Dorothy will be a thing of the past.
by jphilo | Nov 28, 2014 | How to Use the Caregiver's Notebook, Vlog Series
Hello again and welcome to episode 4 in The Caregiver’s Notebook vlog series. The Caregiver’s Notebook: An Organizational Tool and Support to Help You Care for Others was officially released by Discovery House Publishers on November 1, 2014. This series began a week later as a way to offer support to caregivers and relieve their stress. To access previous episodes in the series, type “The Caregiver’s Notebook Vlog Series” in the search box at the top of the page.
What Kinds of Caregivers?
This book was designed to be used by caregivers in a variety of different situations. It works for adult children caring for aging parents, spouses caring for husbands or wives, and for parents caring for babies, toddlers, young children, and teens with special needs. It also can be used by parents caring for adult children with special needs, parents caring for typical babies from birth through age 3, and by senior citizens in good health who want to have their affairs in order for whoever will care for them in case of sudden illness or accident.
The Caregiver’s Notebook Vlog Series Episode 4: Contact Tips
In this episode, caregivers learn how to customize the contact section to keep track of family members, personal friends, professionals, organizations, and anyone else important to your loved one’s life and care. This episode shares tips about how to find and record the names and numbers of people who can quickly carry your message to doctors and other professionals. It also offers hints about how to gather contact information and who should be included as a contact.
Click here to view episode 4 on The Gravel Road’s sister site, DifferentDream.com.
by jphilo | Nov 7, 2014 | How to Use the Caregiver's Notebook
In case you didn’t hear the big YAHOO at our house on November 1, Discovery House Publishers has officially released The Caregiver’s Notebook: An Organizational Tool and Support to Help You Care for Others. With the cat book officially out of the bag and caregivers can actually purchase the book online and at bookstores, it’s time to offer even more support.
What kind of support? How about a vlog series that walks caregivers through each section of the notebook? Think of it as week-by-week virtual hand holding sessions that allow you to complete the notebook at your own pace and according to your own schedule. Today’s vlog introduces the series. It offers information about what’s in the notebook, who it’s for, and when to begin using it. That gives those who don’t yet have the notebook time to purchase it before the next vlog post goes live next Friday. Sound good? Then let’s get started.
To watch the first Caregiver’s Notebook episode, click on over to DifferentDream.com.
by jphilo | Oct 20, 2014 | Book Updates
Yes, The Caregiver’s Notebook has arrived here on the gravel road. The official release date is November 1, 2014, but this post gives a sneak peek at what’s inside. You’ll see why the notebook can be used by parents of kids with special needs, adult children caring for aging parents, and those caring for adults with disabilities or special needs. Even healthy adults like the Man of Steel and I are compiling our own notebooks, so our affairs are in order just in case something happens to one of us.
Sound good? Then here’s a look inside the notebook. If you read to the very end, you’ll also learn how to enter the give away for a free copy.
The Inside Scoop on The Caregiver’s Notebook
The tour begins with a close up of the front cover.
Next, the table of contents…there’s a corresponding tab for each section.
Each section begins with a excerpt from caregiver’s devotionals by Discovery House Publisher authors Shelly Beach, Wendy Wallace, or me. The one pictured below is by Wendy.
Tabbed pages make it easy to flip to the different sections…
…followed by instructions on how to use each section.
Every section contains forms that make collecting and recording your loved one’s information as easy as possible. This form is for emergency information.
Some how-to sections also have completed sample pages to you can see exactly how to fill them out.
The notebook has a blank three year calendar for caregivers to fill in and use to keep track of a loved one’s appointments and activities. Each monthly two page spread has room for notes on the side, too.
At the end of the notebook there’s a pocket page where you can tuck all the business cards, information sheets, and test results received at your loved one’s appointment. That way you can find and file them once you’re back home.
Finally, because it’s hard for the back cover to watch the front cover get all the attention, here’s a lovely shot of the lowly backside.
The Caregiver’s Notebook Give Away
If you like what’s inside The Caregiver’s Notebook, you’re invited enter a drawing to win a free copy. Just leave a comment in the box below about how you will use the notebook. The contest ends at midnight on October 31, 2014, so leave your comment before then. The winner will be chosen and contacted on November 1.
by jphilo | Aug 18, 2014 | Book Updates
The November 1, 2014 release date for The Caregiver’s Notebook is getting closer by the day. I’m getting so excited about introducing you to this new baby which has been gestating for almost a year. Today you get the publishing industry’s equivalent of an ultrasound image of a yet-to-be-born-baby. It’s a prepublication interview that ran on the More To Life (MTL) blog not too long ago. If you’re excited about the arrival of this sweet thing, you’re invited to leave a comment in the box below!
How would you describe your writing in general to someone who hasn’t read any of your books?
My books provide spiritual encouragement and practical resources for caregivers.
What inspired you to write The Caregiver’s Notebook: An Organizational Tool and Support to Help You Care for Others?
I flirted with the idea off and on after receiving feedback from readers about the Different Dream books I’d written for parents of kids with special needs. Then, the Discovery House Publishers (DHP) editor of the second book emailed. She said several of her colleagues were caring for elderly parents or ill spouses. They’d been talking about how helpful it would be to have a spiritually-oriented notebook to organize vital information they could take to appointments and leave with others who sometimes cared for their loved ones. The idea intrigued her. So she emailed to ask if I would consider writing a proposal for such a notebook. I jumped at the chance!
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30 second blurb?
The Caregiver’s Notebook is a portable planner/organizer for those caring for children with special needs, adults with disabilities, and aging parents. It can also be used by healthy adults to organize their medical, insurance, and legal information. It’s small enough to take to appointments and detailed enough to passed between all the caregivers working with a loved one. The notebook also offers devotional excerpts, prayer guides, and a Bible reading plan to meet the spiritual needs of caregivers.
The rest of this interview can be found at MLTMagazine.com.
