Minding Our Elders

Minding Our Elders Blog

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Dementia Bathing: A Guide for Caregivers

Getting an aging or ill loved one to bathe can be a notorious battle that many family caregivers experience. When dementia is...

A woman with short brown hair sits in a wheelchair with her head turned toward another woman with long brown hair who appears to be a caregiver. In the lower left corner is a circle that shows a turquoise SenecaSense pod.

Experiencing Incontinence? Restore Comfort and Confidence with SenecaSense Home

No more unnecessary brief checks. Get smart alerts when it’s the right time to replace the brief SenecaSense Home: Discreet Support That...

An indoor image of Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH. She stands against a gray background wearing a dark dress jacket open over a dark top with black beads and dainty earrings. She looks into the camera with a soft smile.

Free Caregiver Training with Support from a Geriatrician and More

Caregivers are often thrown into an unknown world of medication management and handling cognitive challenges. With little or no medical training, this...

Minding Our Elders’ Mid-Year Caregiver and Elder-Friendly Technology Roundup

Dear Readers: It’s mid-year already, and that means it’s time for my semi-annual column featuring caregiver and elder-friendly products, services, and technology. These...

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A Common Caregiver Confession: “I Secretly Wish the Ill Person I’m Caring for Would Die”

Every so often, someone on the AgingCare Caregiver Forum will admit that they secretly wish the person they’re caring for would pass...

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How Hiring a Handyman Can Help Your Aging Parents

Years ago I saw a van whose driver was letting teenagers off in front of the local high school, where I was...

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How to Get Over Feelings That Prevent You From Visiting Someone in a Care Home

People cite numerous reasons for why they hate visiting nursing homes. Some can’t stand funky smells, others find the sight of disengaged,...

Cover of Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories. The background is a sepia-toned room. In the foreground is a picture of the author's father, sitting in a contemplative pose with arms crossed. This image is also sepia-toned in browns of different shades. To the right is the book title.

Affirming Phrases for Caregivers to Live By

Life isn’t easy for most people, and it’s not perfect for anybody. Sometimes, as we trudge through the days providing help for...

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Strategies for Getting (and Staying) Organized While Caregiving

Caring for a vulnerable elder can be rewarding as well as frustrating. It can increase our self-esteem to know that we are...

This indoor image shows an older man in the forground. He's sitting in a chair but looking up at a younger woman who is smiling at him. He wears a pastel plaid summer sport shirt and she wears a white professional jacket.

Family and Professional Caregivers Are More Alike Than Different

Most of us who are family caregivers know that, while we often experience a sense of fulfillment when we provide care for...

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Reader Worried about Her Cognition After Repeated Infections

Dear Carol: I’m a 66-year-old, well-educated woman who has had multiple health challenges and many surgeries. Since I ushered my mother through...

Happy 250th Independence Day from Minding Our Elders!

This is a special Independence Day for our country. Many of you will be planning picnics or grilling, and – special day...

We see a blurry window in the background. In the foreground, we see a woman with long brown hair covering her face with her hands as if in grief. She wears a modern, black-faced watch and a light rust-colored sweater or shawl.

Why Caregivers Shouldn’t Feel Guilty About Calling Hospice

A billboard in my city carries a simple message: “Most families say, ‘Why did we wait so long to call hospice?’ “...