Winning Article
The winner of the 2013 ALTY Award for “Best Senior Caregiving Article” is:
A Caregiver’s Credo for 2013 — by Carrie Steckl, ChicagoNow.com
Congratulations to our winner, Carrie Steckl! You can grab a winner’s badge here.
Runner-Up Article
How to Deal with Caregiver Stress — by Tim Watt, Sunrise Senior Living
Congratulations to our runner-up as well. Nice work! Get your runner-up badge here.
Finalist Articles
And hats off to all the finalists as well, whose articles stood out from hundreds of blog posts in the senior care space.
Caregivers in the Workplace — by Margery Pabst, e-care Diary
Embracing the Caregiver Role — by Tania Richard, alz.org blog
The Waiting Game — by Sue Salach, The Working Caregiver
Caregiving and Compassion Fatigue — by Brenda Avadian, the Caregiver’s Voice
The Formula for the Meaningful Conversation — by Vicki Rackner, M.D., the Senior Care Blog
One Moment Does Not Make a Journey — by Cat Koehler, Caregiver Stress Blog
Congratulations to our finalists. Nice work! Finalists can get a finalist badge here.
Final Voting Results
Here’s a look at how all the blogs fared in the public voting.
[poll id=”12″ type=”result”]
Thanks to everyone who voted, and congratulations again to the winner, the runner-up and all the ALTY finalists.
Nominated Article Descriptions
The following is a full list of all nominees for the 2013 ALTY Awards for the “Best Senior Caregiving Articles” category.
A Caregiver’s Credo for 2013 — by Carrie Steckl, ChicagoNow.com
I am… competent, compassionate, strong, resourceful, confident. These are the components of Carrie Steckl’s (a.k.a. Dr. Chill) credo for 2013. Less of a list of resolutions, rather a reminder to the caregivers struggling day in and day out to provide while finding energy to care for themselves.
How to Deal with Caregiver Stress — by Tim Watt, Sunrise Senior Living
So many situations in life cause stress, but caregiving is unique. It’s a selfless giving, often making the giver feel the urge to be selfish. Tim Watt delivers three concise tips on dealing with the stress of caregiving, including finding help, connection and time for themselves.
The Formula for the Meaningful Conversation — by Vicki Rackner, M.D., the Senior Care Blog
Dr. Rackner compares a meaningful conversation between caregiver and a loved one as a song. You agree to sing together, but let your loved one choose the key and you adjust your tone to fit their lead. This blog post offers solid tips to ensuring the conversation–whether to discuss a move to an assisted living facility, to persuade your loved one to take his medicine, whatever it is–hits the mark.
One Moment Does Not Make a Journey — by Cat Koehler, Caregiver Stress Blog
Will you be able to rise to the occasion when your loved one needs help? For Cat Koehler, an early experience made her fear her own abilities. She faltered when her father needed help and doubts came in. But she learned that that one experience did not define her; that rising to the occasion sometimes takes a journey, not a moment.
Caregiving and Compassion Fatigue — by Brenda Avadian, the Caregiver’s Voice
Compassion fatigue, or empathetic exhaustion can befall any caregiver–family or professional. Beyond feeling a physical exhaustion, compassion fatigue chips away at the joy of caregiving. Brenda Avadian, MA, offers tips to fend off compassion fatigue, including learning about the illness or disease, determining how you would want to be treated or cared for in their place and taking a break.
Caregivers in the Workplace — by Margery Pabst, e-care Diary
Do you work both outside the home and in your personal life as a caregiver? Margery Pabst explains why it’s not a good idea to keep your role as a caregiver a secret, especially if the situation is long-term. Proactive planning will show your employer that you have given the situation thought, and will help start the discussion on a positive note.
The Waiting Game — by Sue Salach, The Working Caregiver
When you’re a caregiver, you may spend some time in hospital waiting rooms, as Sue Salach found herself doing. Racking up all of that experience waiting, she developed a good checklist for spending time in a doctor’s office or hospital waiting room, which she shares on The Working Caregiver. From common sense tips like dressing comfortably, to less obvious considerations like creating a mass communication system, her tips can help a day spent waiting go more smoothly.
Embracing the Caregiver Role — by Tania Richard, alz.org blog
A woman with a “to-do” list longer than the Great Wall, Tania Richard had to make a definitive choice to be a caregiver to her mother without feeling as if she was letting other parts of her life down. Once she embraced her role, it became easier–in fact, important–to include caregiver as one of her hats. Tania’s story drew many comments from fellow caregivers who found the reciprocal relationship to be rewarding.