TRAVEL TIPS
My mom is getting ready to visit our family and, although the flight isn’t excessively long, it still works out to be about a 12-hour day including layovers, flight time and getting to and from airports. She doesn’t complain about her physical challenges: a sore knee aggravated by tight spaces; walking long distances; standing for lengthy periods and on uneven surfaces; edema in her leg due to previous radiation treatments for cancer; and a shoulder prone to dislocation. Travelling often exacerbates her symptoms, but she doesn’t always vocalize these challenges. [Read more…]
This is a team tribute to Katherine Willett who was fondly known by many nicknames in our Victoria Office at Family Caregivers of BC (FCBC). Self-referenced as “Weedy Willett”, Katherine was tireless in her quest for family caregivers. She dug into details and as the “Networking Guru” spread the word wherever she could about the need to get caregivers the attention they deserve in the health care system. 
By Wendy Johnstone
A friend in his mid-50s cared for his wife for over 10 years before she died from complications related to her chronic and often unpredictable disease. He juggled being a business owner, a husband and a caregiver. After the initial shock and grief of losing his wife, he found himself wondering what his life was going to look like if he was no longer a husband or caregiver. 
Tax season is a reminder to family caregivers to check on the necessary legal authority that allows them to help a spouse, aging parent or other person they support. Many people tend to focus on estate planning and making a Will. This type of planning is for after death. It is also important to do personal planning – in case help is needed when a person is alive.