Caregiver Services : Joy's House

March 29, 2018

When you think of a beautiful, vibrant 27-year-old woman, you probably picture someone much like Alissa K. Alissa is a fun-loving young woman who happens to be living her life with Down Syndrome. Alissa and Lisa Wells, Executive Director of Down Syndrome Indiana, recently joined us on Caregiver Crossing and boy, did we have fun! We...

March 26, 2018

The hectic schedule of a caregiver often doesn’t allow for time to cook healthy meals. But nutritious meals are one of the best ways to fuel the body, especially during times of increased stress. A little bit of planning can go a long way to make mealtime more enjoyable. Use Your Slow Cooker –...

To Have & To Hold

February 1, 2018

I was there when he took his last breath. His name is Doug and at some point over the last nearly twenty years, he became family to me. The details of those years don’t matter to you, but they included a souped-up golf cart, Joy’s House, family meals, a really cool Harley, a backhoe...

New Year, New You

January 8, 2018

I love the New Year, not because of the parties or the chances of snow, but because it is an opportunity for a fresh start and a fresh outlook on life. For me, January 1st brings excitement and anticipation, but for many others, it is a time of uncertainty, insecurity and possibly even outright chaos....

Tips for Using Medicare

June 15, 2017

Chances are that you hear the word Medicare and you groan. Most people simply don’t understand the ins and outs of this federal insurance program. Our friends at American Senior Communities gave us permission to share one of their recently published articles outlining the facts of this program and how if my benefit you. Read...

The Changing Face of Caregiving

May 22, 2017

For years the average caregiver has been a 40 something year old woman caring for an aging parent, but that is quickly changing. Studies are now finding that 4 out of 10 caregivers are males, caring for a wife or partner, a parent or grandparent, and learning that they don’t like to talk about the...

Drink Beer and Give Back

May 19, 2017

Each year thousands of craft beer enthusiasts wait in line for entry into Winterfest, the largest beer fest in Indiana, presented by The Brewers of Indiana Guild. Once inside they enjoy beer samples from over 100 breweries in support of The Guild’s mission to, among other things, promote the highest quality of standards of professional brewing...

Mission Impact

May 16, 2017

The Joy’s House mission has always had an underlying current that showed the value placed on family caregivers and the challenges that they face. In 2012 when our Caregiver Services were launched, we had no idea the impact that we were going to have on not only the caregivers associated with Joy’s House, but also...

May 15, 2017

I love my father, but after years of addiction, broken promises and a few yelling matches, I don’t always like my father. Unless he passes away in his sleep, I know that I will be responsible for his care as he ages. Over the course of my career, I’ve heard caregivers mention how awful their...

May 10, 2017

I don’t know about you, but the saying Eat to live, don’t live to eat, goes out of my head when I am stressed, sad or emotionally tired. Caregivers are no different and are actually at a higher risk of emotional overeating for a number of reasons, with isolation being at the top of the list....