Minding Our Elders

Minding Our Elders Blog

This indoor image shows a comfortable livingroom. A woman sits on an area rug, cross-legged in a classic yoga pose. She wears a tourquoise stretch top and black leggings. A mug sits off to the side.

Tips to Help You “Unplug” from Caregiving

Jen has been caring for her parents for almost two years, and she is quickly approaching caregiver burnout. A close friend booked...

Not Everyone Is Cut Out to Be a Caregiver

Each of us is unique, with our own talents and flaws. Often, our so-called faults are merely ways in which we differ...

We view a laptop sitting open on a desk with a blank journal open in front. A pen lays on top and a cup of coffee or tea sits to the side. In the background, we see through a window to blurry greenry.

Medicare Open Enrollment Starts October 15: Plans Change, Premiums Continue Steep Rise

Dear Readers: Medicare annual open enrollment begins Oct 15, 2026, for 2027 coverage. To guard against fraud, ignore the calls. Consider Medicare-related mail...

A green park-like view is in the background. On a path in the foreground, we see an older man with gray hair wearing a yellow short-sleeved shirt and beige shorter pants. His hand is on the seat of a small bike as he runs along side while a young child wearing a bike helmet appears to be taking his first ride.

The Best Ways to Support a Caregiving Spouse

When people get married, they quickly learn that they’ve made a commitment to more than one person. Essentially, you marry your spouse’s...

An extreme closeup of a the lower portion of a feminine face and black clad shoulder is all we see. We can see a portion of the ear and lower eye, half the nose, and half of the mouth that wears rose lipstick. Quiet tears stream down the cheek.

How Caregiving Changes Us In Profound Ways

There’s no getting around it: being a family caregiver is bound to impact how you think and who you are as a...

This indoor picture shows a white wall in the background. In the foreground, a woman with very long brown hair lifts her arms from the elbow with hands palm up in exasperation. Her angry expression shows her with an open mouth and squinted eyes, head bent downard so we biew alomes from the top. She wears a simple gray tank top.

Respecting Diverse Approaches to Caregiving

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to caregiving. Every family caregiver must be free to make choices that work best for their unique...

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.

Recognizing Caregiver Burnout and How to Move Forward

Caregiver burnout isn’t something that happens all at once. We all have good days and bad days, which is normal. Eventually, though,...

This indoor image shows a close up of a woman's face.. She has medium length brown hair and is wearing a zebra striped top. We see her raised hands she and open mouth as she responds to someone with utter exasperation.

Apologizing After Caregiver Stress Causes a Blowup

Caregiving is a stressful job even during the best of times. The sheer amount of responsibility is enough to make the most...

Image of Carol Bradley Bursack as she's interviewed by The Retirement Navigator

Classic Truths of Dementia Caregiving Unite Us

As we travel our own unique journeys, most of us find that certain phrases or concepts take on the status of truth...

Caregiver Asks If It’s Wise for Parents to Change Medicare Plans

Dear Carol: My mother is incredibly healthy for an 83-year-old. She takes no medication other than occasional OTC pain relief or something for...

An older woman in a red sweater sits on a couch close to the edge as she grasps the handles of a walker. A younger woman in pink scrubs leans toward her, arm extended behind the older woman's back. He other hand grasps the womans arm as she attempts to lift her to a standing position.

Helping vs. Enabling: How to Strike a Balance While Caregiving

Most family caregivers want what is best for their loved ones, and they’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen. Unfortunately,...