Minding Our Elders - A voice for caregivers | Blog on eldercare and aging

Minding Our Elders Blog

This indoor image shows a gray wall in the background. An older woman sits on a lavender and green print couch She has short, dyed blonde hair and wears a purple short-sleeved dress and glasses. She holds a smart phone to her ear and she listens to someone talking to her. Her expression is pleasant with a slight smile.

Should I Have to Take Care of My Elderly In-Laws?

Being a family caregiver doesn’t always stop at caring for our own aging parents. Our significant other’s mom and dad often look...

We see a younger woman with blond hair embrace an older, white-haired woman from the side. The older woman lays her head against the younger woman's chest. They are both smiling.

Caregiver Burnout is Best Prevented Since Recovery Is Hard on Everyone

Dear Carol: My mom, age 79, has had steadily declining health for several years. Arthritis is a genetic problem in my family,...

A family dinner table with a happy black family sharing a meal. There is a husband/father with a beard wearing a blue shirt with rolled-up sleeves, a wife/mother with curly black hair wearing a gray top, and two children, a girl and a boy. The girl is in the foreground. They are all having a good time.

Paying for Assisted Living: When Siblings Split Costs, What Is Fair?

There are many options for the care of our aging parents, but most of them are costly. There was a stretch of...

A man sits at a desk signing official looking papers. We only see his arms and torso clad in a light blue dress shirt as he holds a pen and signs.

The Administrative Part of Caregiving Doesn’t Stop When the Person Dies

Dear Carol: After 13 years of caring for my ill mother, she died peacefully. I expected the paradoxical grief and relief you write...

This summery image shows a group of summer trees in the background. In the foreground, we see a late-middle aged could seated together with the man's arm around the womans waist. Both a smiling broadly as if in a group of people who've made them laugh. The woman has curly, modern white hair and is wearing a denium button-down shirt, open at the color. The man has a receding hairline, gray hair, and is wearing a white golf shirt.

How Involved Should Families Be When Elders Live in a Senior Living Facility?

Over the course of 15 years, five of my elderly loved ones lived, for various spans of time, in a nearby nursing...

This outdoor image shows a large tree behind the two women in the foreground. A lovely summer day. The older woman has shorter, curly white hair and is smiling toward the younger woman who has both arms around the older woman's shoulders from behind. She, too, is smiling. The older woman wears a light blue blouse, and the younger woman wears a beige sweater.

Do Parents Really Want to Live with Their Adult Children?

It’s difficult to pinpoint how many aging parents live with their adult children, but there is certainly a lot more interest in...

This indoor image shows a white paneled background. In front, two women sit on a counch. The older woman has gray hair and is searing a light blue, collared shirt. Next to her sits a younger woman with blonde hair who is wearing a blue, short-sleeved top. The younger woman has her arm around the older woman as they look at each other. Both are smiling.

Encouraging Parents to Socialize After the Move to Senior Living

Moving to senior living is often a difficult transition for aging loved ones. Even elders who are on board with the decision...

What to Look for When Visiting an Elder in Senior Housing

So, you and your loved one have taken the plunge. You’ve put in the time and effort to research senior housing options,...

An older woman with gray hair is hugging a younger woman who is bending over her. The older woman is wearing a hospital gown and the younger woman has long dark hair and is wearing a beige sweater.

Why Would an Older Adult Choose to Smell Rather Than Use Incontinence Products?

Dear Carol: My mom is only 79, but she has a lot of health problems, including lung disease requiring oxygen. She receives...

The background shows a weathered board with fall leaves draped across the top. Centered, is a chalkboard o which Happy Labor Day has been printed in block letters.

Wishing You All a Meaningful Labor Day: Minding Our Elders

Wishing you well on this Labor Day as we celebrate our historical and current workers along with the official advent of fall. May...

An older man sits and looks up at someone he's talking to. he has white hair, mottled skin, and is wearing a blue shirt. His cane stands nearby.

Aging in Place in an Elder-Friendly Home Top Choice for Most Older Adults

Dear Carol: What can I do to help my parents make their home more age-friendly? They’ve lived there for over 30 years,...