Over the holidays I had the opportunity to catch up some on my backlog of reading. One magazine, the October issue of body+soul, featured a story, Happiness in Hard Times. The article focused on adaptability, which involves moving through adversity in order to find a way toward reinvention.  I thought this article would be of special interest to caregivers who have loved ones with Alzheimer's since we often reinvent our life throughout the time we spend caregiving and immediately after a loved one's death. For instance, I think about my friend Pam, in her 60s, is reinventing herself as a single person after her husband, who has early onset Alzheimer's, needed to be placed in an Alzheimer's facility.

"Successfully adapting to adversity means moving, when the time is right, from mourning and regretting to focusing on the options and opportunities opening up before us," wrote Frances Lefkowitz. The author noted that recent studies "suggest that the rewards of meeting challenges include an improved sense of personal strength, an increased appreciation for life, a sense of new possibilities, and improved relationships." She also noted that "change that knocks us down and beats us up" - which I would suggest encompasses the challenge of caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer's - can even lead to a silver lining, although finding that lining might take "some time, dedication and creativity."

Lefkowitz suggests seven says to rebound from a setback. These include:

1. Worry well. It's easy to fall into doomsday thinking, but instead, you can be proactive by challenging these worries with knowledge and perspective (and by writing them down). In my case, it was easy to fall into the depths of worry when Mom was suffering short-term memory loss and again when she was officially diagnosed with Alzheimer's. In the former case, I visited a psychologist who helped me work past the worry that was stifling my life and creativity so I could take a proactive stance that helped me maintain balance. Once Mom was diagnosed with dementia, I had the opportunity to write regularly for this website, which turned out to be a way of journaling that helped me reflect on my worries and caregiving actions.  By taking these types of actions, I could find my way out of the mental dungeon in which I found myself and could figure out how to put one foot in front of the other to move forward.

2. Practice expansion. Often we hunker down when faced with bad news. "Learning to stay expanded rather than contracted, in mind and body, allows us to better accept what's unfolding, pay attention to the sensations of the moment, and transform paralysis into productive action," Lefkowitz wrote. She suggested doing stretches that help you tune into your body and also expanding your thinking to see the multiple options that actually exist. In addition, identifying your blessings helps you focus and open up to a fuller experience. I have found that when I'm going through a tough period, I can end the day thinking about 20 things (people, animals, experiences, opportunities) that I've been thankful for during that particular day. This experience helps me keep an expanded point of view and a sense of mental equilibrium.