Minding Our Elders

Minding Our Elders Blog

The image shows a hospital room with white blinds closed in the background. Int he foreground, a tech is olding an IV line up as another tech wheels a patient with a cast from let to hip back to their bed. The first tech wears a white coat, then second one wear blue scrubs. The man in the chair is wearing a beige gown or robe.

Hospital Delirium: Cognitive Decline After Hospitalization

Note: While more is known now about hospital delirium, there is still not enough done to prevent hospital delirium or quickly treat it, if...

The image shows a background of a kit table covering done in cream. four decorative objects, one in pumpkin orange, the other shades of cream sit with a small sign that says, My brain has too many tabs open.

A New Year Calls for a New Attitude Toward Caregiving

How long has it been since you’ve distanced yourself from caregiving long enough to decide what is good for you? When was the last...

This image from Amazon shows QuiSi matching games for older adults, children, and people with dementia. The box cover showing a variety is top left. On a the right is a vertical group of dementia books, lower left shows a pile of rectangles with squares to match and lower right shows individual squares.

New Year’s 2025 Roundup of Caregiver and Elder-Friendly Products, Services, and Technology

Dear Readers: Happy New Year! It’s time for our semi-yearly roundup featuring elder-friendly products, services, and technology. As always, I’m including links and text...

Hindsight Can Be a Blessing or a Curse for Caregivers

They say hindsight is 20/20. But things from the past that may seem “clear” to you now can still be distorted by difficult emotions—especially...

The image shows a gray desktop with a window in the background. In front is a spiral bound calendar standing upright showing a front page that in read says: Life is short. Do stuff that matters.

New Year’s Resolutions for Caregivers

It’s human to want a fresh start. Even though I know that December 31 of one year is rarely that different from January 1...

The image shows an indoor background with a kitchen window. IN the foreground, a woman with brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, holders her hand to her forehead as she leans on her elbow. She wears a medium blue, short-sleeved shirt, and there's a water gladd sitting nearby. Her expression shows worry or sadness.

Questions to Determine the Impact of Caregiving on You and Your Family

Are you prepared to take on the responsibility of caring for a family member? Will you be able to handle the commitment of moving...

the indoor image is of a celebratory combination of gold egg shaped bulbs and white ones on ticks in a vase. There are additional gold and white twisted favors stuck in the base, too.

Happy 2025 to You All from Minding Our Elders!

On New Year’s Day I often think of how, as a small child, I’d revel in my new pointy crayons and fresh paper that...

An indoor image of a very old woman with dark, gray-steaked hair pulled back. She is exceptionally wrinkled. She looks to her side with her eyes looking up at someone. Dark shadows underscore her eyes. She wears a black and white checked apron type top over a green blouse.

Are People with Advanced Dementia Aware of Their Surroundings?

Even among medical experts, you will find differing opinions on how much someone with advanced dementia of any type understands. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in...

The image shows a closeup of a man with brown hair wearing a beige tee shirt. Heis face wears a bemused expression with raised eyebrows, blue eyes wide open, and mouth showing puzzlement.

New Caregivers: Tips on Caring for Elderly Parents

I have interacted with countless professional and informal caregivers over the years, and I’ve noticed two prominent patterns that characterized my own experiences and...

This festive indoor image shows a family table with windows in the background and holiday lighting. Four arms are show toasting with stemmed glasses containing red wine. On the left, an arm shows a dark red sweater sleeve and ext to that person, we see an arm clad in black. Two bear arms show on the right as if short sleeves are worn.

Communicating with Intentional Goodwill Key to New Year’s Caregiving Conversations

Dear Carol: Our parents are in their mid-80s and are comparatively healthy. While I live near them, I work and have kids, so my...

This image shows a blurred indoor background in black and gray. The foreground shows an older woman dressed up for an event. She las curled gray hair and is wear a double-stranded pearl necklace with a light yellow, bulky knit jacket. Her expression shows a soft smilt as she seems to be looking at someone off camera.

Coping with Repetition Caused by Dementia

According to the Alzheimer’s Association repetition is common in individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia, often in association with a person’s desire to seek...