| unner Applauds Justice O’Connor's | | | | care administration, counseling and therapy. We |
| Caregiver Role | | | | have experience related to aging and elder care |
| | | | issues. As members in good standing of the |
| Justice O’Conner's decision to step down | | | | national association, A Good Daughter carefully |
| from the high court to become a caregiver to her | | | | adheres to a pledge of ethics and standards of |
| husband, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s | | | | practice. |
| disease, is applauded by A Good Daughter's Olga | | | | Caregivers require the experienced guides and |
| Brunner. A Good Daughter, Inc. ( is the leading | | | | valuable resources required for families of older |
| caregiving organization in Broward and Palm Beach | | | | adults, leading community support groups, and |
| counties. Founder, Olga Brunner, recently | | | | caregiver education in the community. Not all |
| commented on Justice Sandra Day | | | | organizations in eldercare have experienced |
| O’Connor’s decision to step down | | | | dementia professionals. |
| from the high court to become a caregiver to her | | | | Brunner’s story: |
| husband, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s | | | | My particular caregiving role while caring for |
| disease. | | | | mom, afflicted with Alzheimer’s, was |
| According to Brunner, I respect Justice | | | | similar to Justice O’Connor’s |
| O’Connor’s role as a caregiver. | | | | because typically you will find that wives and |
| Alzheimer’s is a disease which progresses | | | | daughters are the ones most likely to be caring |
| through multiple stages requiring the maximum | | | | for an Alzheimer’s patient at home. I was |
| effort on the part of a caregiver to stay calm, be | | | | one of the 41% who attempted to work full-time |
| patient, and flexible, and try to work through the | | | | until my mother’s wandering behavior |
| behaviors as they arise. Caregiving will require the | | | | made it impossible to pursue a career. I |
| justice’s full-time attention, continuing | | | | remember being at my desk and telephoning |
| education, and the ability to seek out available | | | | home every five minutes to make sure she was |
| resources to help her husband and herself as a | | | | still inside the house. On those occasions when she |
| caregiver. | | | | would not come to the phone, I was a nervous |
| A Good Daughter, based in Margate, Florida is a | | | | wreck and lost the ability to focus at work. |
| professional care management firm. | | | | Several times, I’d come home and a kind |
| Brunner’s team comes into | | | | neighbor would find her wandering and return her |
| someone’s home, performs a professional | | | | to our home. I also had to make that painful |
| assessment, and knows what needs to be done. | | | | choice between care or career. It was a difficult |
| According to Brunner, Our care managers | | | | decision, but one that I’m grateful to have |
| bring expertise in disciplines such as nursing, health | | | | been able to do for her. |