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Wildfire Preparedness for Caregivers: Helping Older Adults Stay Safe

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When you care for an older adult, emergency planning involves more than knowing where the nearest exit is. Medications, mobility limitations, medical equipment, transportation needs and even changes in routine can make evacuating during a wildfire more complicated. Wildfires can also move quickly. A plan that depends on figuring things out after an evacuation order arrives may leave caregivers with too many decisions to make when time matters most. Fortunately, much of the work can be done ahead of time. Preparing for a wildfire before one threatens your community can make it easier to protect an older loved one and maintain the care they depend on throughout an emergency. Understand Your Loved One’s Individual Needs Start by thinking through what your loved one would need if they had to leave home with little notice. For example, can they get into a vehicle without assistance? Do they use a walker, wheelchair or other mobility device? Do they depend on oxygen, a CPAP machine or anothe...
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Too Tired to Wait?

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 Who hasn't heard Isaiah 40:31? It was one of our favorite verses to sing back in the 70's when the practice was to put music to scriptures. We sang everything! And most of the time, it was old King James Version, too! You could hear it ringing out, They that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.  But some days, waiting sounds like a lot of work, especially if I am going to have to fly like an eagle, run any distance, or walk across the room. :-) I literally think there are some times when waiting seems like it takes way too much energy. Caregiver exhaustion is no joke.  Maybe that's a good time to back up a couple of verses. In verse 28, Isaiah reminds us that God does not get tired like us. In fact, in Isaiah 30:18, the prophet explains that God is waiting on us.  And He still doesn't get tired or weary. Obviously, that's two different levels. Tired....
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Divine Declarations

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 There have been many times when I'm sure God has carried me through situations. I'm pretty sure there have been some times that He's carried me kicking and screaming. Lol. As caregivers, we all have those times when we feel like we can't go on. Sometimes, it can seem like we can't even move, especially emotionally. Somehow, we make it. But we know that it is only because He is carrying us. Well, I finally found it in a scripture!  The last part of Isaiah 46:4 (NLT 1996) says I will carry you along and save you. I was so excited to be reminded of this truth. It's funny how we can read something just when we need it. I'm sure I've read it before; I've probably even written about it before. LOL. But there it sits in black and white.  In some strange way, it brings comfort just knowing that God is close enough to scoop me up as needed. But there is so much more to this verse. I've focused on how David regularly made declarations. In fact, all throug...
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When Others See a Caregiver

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 Romans 8:28 is a popular go-to scripture. Mostly, we use it for everything in life that we don't understand. Nothing wrong with that, really. It can be encouraging to know that God can use adverse circumstances for good. It's meant to bring comfort, but sometimes, it feels more like salt in a wound. Why? Because it doesn't "fix" our situations. It still gives us hope that there are "better" days ahead, whatever that might look like. As caregivers, we can use this verse as a reminder that God will bring good out of our lives. I mean, think of it this way. The verse doesn't say God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose, unless  you're a caregiver. So, it does bring some hope, even if it doesn't provide direct answers. However, sometimes we stop with verse 28 without realizing there's a whole lot of chapter left! Verse 29 continues the thought in the NLT, with for... th...
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Emotional Exile

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 John was exiled to the Island of Patmos for preaching the Word. They had tried to kill John three times and he had survived all three. Since they weren't sure how to get rid of him, he was bannished to the deserted island to live out his days. Talk about social isolation!  He had lost everything. He was separated from his physical and spiritual family. Life had taken a hard turn away from anything "normal." John was alone, as far as we know. There may have been a few other "crazies" bannished there with him. If so, they were likely what we would consider hardened criminals. John could have curled up in the fetal position in the back of a cave. We really have no clue as to how he may have processed these major, traumatic, life changes.  What we do know is that on the Lord's Day, John was worshipping in the Spirit. (Revelation 1:10)  A quick look back at the previous nine verses reveal a lot about John. Firstly, he had an outward view. In verse 4, he says he ...
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A Work in Progress

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  Today, my son had a great day at The 34 Project. They focus on mobility and movement for survivors of SCI and TBI. The lady who works with Chris most of the time is a brain integration therapist. His progress has been slow, but it's very noticeable. Today, as we were driving home, I thought of how much progress he is making and how everyone is noticing it. He's regaining control and building strength, and it's beautiful to watch. So, I had this thought about how it all builds on the former progress. It all eventually starts working together. That thought led me straight to Romans 8:28, where Paul reminds us that God causes all things to work together for the good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. Like my son's physical progress, God's work is a process. He doesn't push a magic button and suddenly make all right in our little worlds. But over time... He causes things to work  together... And work? Work takes time. God continues wor...
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Unlimited Resources

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 I'll admit it. Lately, I've been standing a bit too close to the worry line. Okay. So, it's more accurate to say I crawled over it and collapsed on the wrong side of worry. Lol. I can talk about it now, though. It got really tough. The company I work for didn't pay me for nearly a month, and saying we "got behind" just doesn't do it justice. But God is faithful even when I worry. This morning I found myself reading Ephesians 3:14-16 over and over. Here's how the New Living Translation (1996) worded them:  When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan,  I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the C reator of everything in heaven and earth . I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources ,  He will give you inner strength through His Holy Spirit. Firstly, let's talk about the scope of God's plan . He didn't watch us wake up this morning and worry if He'd have enough grace to carry us through today or not. Creation was car...
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