Caregivers of older adults are some of the most selfless, committed people on the planet.   Simply put, not everyone is cut out to be a caregiver.  The problem lies in the fact that some caregivers believe they are the only ones who can care properly for their family member.  This is often referred to as Caregiver Martyr Syndrome.

Losing sleep, poor eating habits, irritability or short tempered - these symptoms may start small and snowball quickly into what is referred to as caregiver burnout.   Professionals and families need to know what to look for and how to help caregivers.  It's a serious matter and growing, as more families are caring for their loved ones at home with little or no help.

The rapid pace of our aging world is changing the face of every facet of our society from health and long term care, to faith communities and business establishments.  Across the spectrum, issues such as these are at the forefront of leadership discussions:

Looking back to my years a family caregiver, I wonder if I'd worn a badge that read "Fragile - Handle with Care",  it might have been easier for others to understand me.  Why I often had puffy eyes from crying, or scatter brained from sleep deprivation.  I can remember a certain period of time when I was issued a number of traffic violations...speeding through a school zone of all things (my children were both in elementary school at the time).  Thank goodness this was before cell phones.  There were times when I simply wasn't myself.  I was emotional, physically and spiritually worn out and burned out.  Thinking clearly was often a challenge because I was overwhelmed.

How Losing A Pet Is Much Like Losing a Loved One

Our pets are like members of the family. Meet Sadie - our vivacious, furry family member pictured here at 3 months old. Labrador Retrievers at this age are a non-stop ball of energy. Leave a sock on the floor and it instantly becomes a pile of thread, or a new game of hide and seek. Strangers? I don't think Sadie ever knew that word existed. Water? That's meant for swimming.. endlessly.

I use the term inside-out a LOT. It just seems to fit many descriptives for me. I also like transformative change. When you look at these together, I believe that so...