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Minding Our Elders Blog

Aging / Brain Health / Dementia / Memory loss

Life Experience May Offset Cognitive Decline Due to Aging

Could life experience make up for some of the effects of age on the brain? According to researchers from the School of Business Administration at the University of California, Riverside, it can and does....

Aging parents / Alzheimer's / Caregiving / Dementia / Family

‘Alzheimer’s’ and ‘Dementia’ Are Not Interchangeable

Dear Carol: Are the words Alzheimer’s and dementia interchangeable? I don’t think they are, but I can’t explain the difference to my mom. Dad’s 87 and still has a decent memory, but he makes...

Caregiving / Death and dying / Grief

Reconciling Grief & Relief When the Loved One You Cared for Dies

When my mother died in a local nursing home, my “career” of visiting this exceptional facility nearly every day for almost 15 years ended. Shortly after Mom’s passing, one of her nurses with whom...

Caregiving / Death and dying / Grief

Grief: The Way to Continue on Is to Work Through It

DR. GAIL GROSS, Ph.D., doctor of education, is a nationally recognized family, child development, and human behavior expert, author, and educator. She has contributed to CNN, the “Today Show,” CNBC’s “The Doctors,” The New York...

Aging parents / Caregiver stress / Grief

Getting Over the Guilt of Placing a Loved One in a 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 home, especially homes that are still operating in the dark...

Aging parents / Caregiving / Guilt

Unearned Guilt Intrinsic to Most Caregiving

If ever there’s a group of people who suffer deeply from unearned guilt it’s caregivers. Whether you’re the parent of a vulnerable adult, an adult child of aging parents or the spouse of a...

Aging / Brain Health / Caregiving

Needs of ‘Solo Agers’ a Growing Concern in Our Aging Population

A while back, “Elder Orphan” was the term used for older adults with little or no support system. While the evolution in language has changed the term to “solo agers,” the concept is the...

Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Pesronal Stories

Aging parents / Death and dying / Dementia

Humor Provides Armor Against Caregivers’ Deepest Sorrows

During our visits to Mom, Beth and I made a point to talk to Mavis and include her when we could. We also gave her a few items of Mom’s that Mavis liked and...

Aging / Brain Health / Dementia care / Medication

Fewer Medications for Older Adults Can Prevent Falls, Improve Memory

Dear Carol: Countless articles, including yours, report that older adults are taking too many prescription drugs, some with potentially harmful side effects. Yet, it seems that every time my mom goes to see her...

Aging parents / Brain Health / Caregiver stress

Some Risky Behavior Might Be Necessary for Your Elder’s Mental Health

Dear Carol: My dad, 72, has been adventurous all his life and that spirit doesn’t seem to be dampened by aging or even some health problems. He’s always loved snow skiing though thankfully he settles...

Aging parents / Alzheimer's / Caregiving / Incontinence

How to Get Rid of the Urine Smell When Incontinence Accidents Happen

Dear Carol: I feel like my home is becoming contaminated territory! My Dad is a sweetheart, but he’s got dementia and has developed incontinence. He can really flood a diaper and isn’t great about...

Minding Our Elders Blog

To Purchase Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories