Tag Archives: hope

As summer winds down, it’s tempting to get a little melancholy. Yet, I smile as I think of all the adventures, big and small, we crossed off our summer bucket list. The Northern Wisconsin State Fair was a much-anticipated tradition. I can almost still taste those famous Wisconsin cheese curds. It’s probably a good thing the Fair comes to town only once a year! We celebrated birthdays, beach days, and beautiful days on Lake Wissota. Catching a flick at the Gemini Drive-In Theater was a nostalgic treat. Our annual week in the Wisconsin Northwoods on the Chippewa Flowage is always …

WRITTEN BY HEATHER ROTHBAUER-WANISH Edie McDonald is a busy woman. As co-owner of McDonald Company, she manages Goldsmith Coffee Bar and Five Star Catering, using both to give students hands-on business experience. She is also a wife and a mother. In all of her endeavors, Edie understands the importance of a strong value system. And she juggles her multiple responsibilities maintaining focus on her family and her faith. Faith Edie’s grandparents played formative roles in making faith an important part of her life from a young age. “When I was young, I looked forward to going to church in the …

Maintaining Hopeful Holidays for Dementia Patients and Their Caregivers The holidays are poignant because of our gatherings. Families gather and, in turn, memories are gathered. Stories are told—stories of when we were younger, braver or more cautious, impetuous or reserved. Such stories stir our emotions and tickle our funny bones; but for some families, there are beloved brothers and mothers, sisters and spouses unstirred by such stories, due to Alzheimer’s and related dementias. What are holiday gatherings like in such families? How do caregivers cope? Perhaps, most importantly, how can we best care for those afflicted and their caregivers? Lisa …