Music Therapy Can Increase Quality of Life for Those in Hospice
For many, music from certain eras can bring back memories of better times. For others, music soothes anxiety or gets them pumped up for...
Minding Our Elders Blog
The Emotional Impact of Losing a Loved One to Dementia
“Carol!” The hospice nurse’s voice was quiet but urgent. I instinctively knew what was happening. She had been shifting Dad’s position so that he...
Tips for Accessing Resources Mentioned in the Minding Our Elders Column
Dear Readers: In September of 2022, I wrote a column providing brief answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Minding Our Elders column....
When a Loved One With Dementia Thinks You’re Stealing
Accused of stealing from a loved one? The first time it happens many caregivers find themselves choking back tears. They try a logical approach...
When Parents With Dementia Don’t Realize They Need Help
Your once easy-going dad now thinks you’re stealing from him. Your ever-frugal mom is buying odd things she finds on the Internet. You know that these...
How Framing Your Caregiving Relationship as a Partnership Can Improve It
In healthy partnerships, a relationship is built on our ability to trust that the other person has our best interests in mind. We share...
Caregivers: Just Do Your Best and Then Let It Go
Like most adults, I’ve second-guessed many of my own decisions. While most were made with my own future in mind, that all changed when...
Your Caregiving Decisions Are Unique to Your Circumstances: Stand Tall
Normally, all is well in caregiver support groups. People help and comfort one another, offer advice based on what’s worked for them in a...
Caring for Multiple Generations: Looking for Balance
This is how it often happens: You see your parents a lot since you still live in the same community. So, when your mom...
Bad Day as a Caregiver? Forgive Yourself for Being Human
Dear Carol: I’ve spent the last week feeling guilty because I yelled at my mom. She’s been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s and seems so...
Getting Over the Guilt of Placing a Loved One in a Care Home
If we could control events, most of us would never want our elders to be so sick that they need the care of a nursing...
