Joan Gershman
Bio
Retired - Speech/language therapist, Special Education Asst, English teacher
Websites: www.thealzheimerspouse.com; talktimewithjoan.com
Whimsical essays, short stories -funny, serious, and thought-provoking
Weightloss Series
Stories (100/0)
Frogs in Your Toilet? Shock, Awe, and How You Can Get Rid of Them
There are some of nature's creatures that I simply unequivocally hate. I find them gross, repulsive, and downright frightening. Frogs hold the #1 position on my list, having pushed even alligators out of the top spot for this Floridian.
By Joan Gershman2 years ago in Lifehack
Is it Time to Take the Keys? — 3 Secrets About Alzheimer’s Disease and Driving That Will Give You the Answer
NOTE: Of all the issues involved in caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s Disease, one that can cause the most stress is when to take the keys away. When is someone with dementia so impaired that it is dangerous for them to drive? This article is a compilation of resources, blogs, and research taken from my website, www.thealzheimerspouse.com, which was the #1site on the Internet for support and information for Alzheimer’s spouse caregivers during the years I was caring for my Alzheimer’s Diseased husband, Sid.
By Joan Gershman2 years ago in Longevity
Stop Hero-Worshiping Police Dogs
Note: Let me be clear that this article is NOT referring to the dogs that are used for search and rescue, NOR is this article referring to the dogs that are used to sniff out drugs in non-lethal situations, such as detecting drugs in your luggage or an abandoned locker. This article is solely focused on the dogs that are trained for lethal duty.
By Joan Gershman2 years ago in Petlife
- Top Story - April 2022
An Artist's Self Portrait Demonstrates His Own Descent Into Alzheimer's HellTop Story - April 2022
In my Alzheimer’s articles, I give you solid, proven information on how to deal with Alzheimer’s behaviors. In the last two articles, Learning Not to Argue, and Communication Strategies, I discussed the difficulty of communicating with a person with Alzheimer’s Disease. I explained the reasons for, and solutions to how to deal with the unusual, difficult to understand, often inexplicable behaviors related to communication disorders, displayed by your Alzheimer’s loved one. I did this by giving you a glimpse of what it’s like to live inside the Alzheimer’s brain -Blankness, confusion, and fear.
By Joan Gershman2 years ago in Humans
The 5 Biggest Benefits to Aging
NOTE: I can't believe I must write this disclaimer, but even we Baby Boomers are not immune from the "sensitivity culture" that permeates our society today. Everyone takes everything so seriously. Everyone is offended by everything. This article is meant as HUMOR and SATIRE and was written to hopefully provide you with a few good chuckles, not insult senior citizens ( a group to which I belong).
By Joan Gershman2 years ago in Longevity
Be Aware of These 6 Basic Rules for Communicating With an Alzheimer Patient or Risk Losing Their Comprehension
NOTE: This is the 4th article in my series on how to cope with your loved one’s Alzheimer’s Disease, based on my 12 years of experience as an Alzheimer Spouse, Alzheimer’s advocate, speaker, educator, and blogger for the website I developed and managed — www.thealzheimerspouse.com. Because Alzheimer’s Disease is complex and caregiving for a loved one with the disease requires so much education, I am breaking up my articles into small segments. This one explains how to communicate with your loved one so they will understand what you are saying.
By Joan Gershman2 years ago in Longevity
Dogs vs. Cats — Why Dogs Reign Supreme
There are two types of people in the world - Dog People and Cat People. Both types are aware of what I mean. I don’t want to get myself in trouble with any of my readers who are Cat People, but I am compelled to speak my mind about both animals, so here it is.
By Joan Gershman2 years ago in Petlife
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck - Part II - What is She Teaching Her Children?
In case you have been asleep for the last week and you missed the big news story – Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have gotten engaged AGAIN two decades after their first broken engagement. Why should you care? Why do I care? Why should anyone care? Why should it matter to us that two, super-wealthy, self-absorbed, over-indulgent celebrities are engaged again after a 20-year hiatus?
By Joan Gershman2 years ago in Humans
Never Argue — The Most Important Lesson to Learn When Interacting with a Person with Alzheimer’s Disease
Note: This is the 3rd in a series of articles on Alzheimer’s Disease based on my 12 years of experience as an Alzheimer Spouse, Alzheimer’s advocate, speaker, educator, and blogger for the website I developed and managed — www.thealzheimerspouse.com. Because Alzheimer’s Disease is complex and caregiving for a loved one with the disease requires so much education, I am breaking up my articles into small segments. This one deals with how to de-escalate arguments.
By Joan Gershman2 years ago in Longevity
Kylie Jenner’s Niche Made Her a Billionaire – Will my niche do the same for me?
Get a niche! Get a niche! You’ll never be a successful Internet writer without a niche. This advice permeates every writing platform on the Internet. According to Dictionary.com, a niche is a “distinct segment of a market”; “having specific appeal”, in which you have expert experience.
By Joan Gershman2 years ago in Journal