Minding Our Elders

Minding Our Elders Blog

This indoor image shows a white wall with a window off to the side. The window has a linen-colored drapery. In the foreground we see a woman with long- straight brown hair. She is looking slightly up as she hold her had out to the side as if to hold back the man seated on a couch. She wears a bright gold long-sleeved sweathr and has medium toned skin. The man has slightly draker skin, dark hair, a neat beard and wear a medium blue sweather.

Top Excuses from Siblings Who Don’t Help with Caregiving

Unfair as it may seem, even in families with many adult children, one sibling usually becomes the primary caregiver for their aging...

This indoor image has a medium gray-green background. In the foreground, we see an older woman with curly, dyed, auburn colored hair. She wears oblong, dark rimmed glasses. She holds her hands up to prop up her chin as she looks upward and to ths side with a puzzled expression.

Mother Suffers Cognitive Setback after Celebratory Family Event

Dear Carol: My mother is 83 and living alone in her condominium. She’s been showing signs of moderate forgetfulness, but more worrisome...

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.

Father’s Day as a Caregiver: Remembering Dad Before Dementia

As with every Father’s Day, this Father’s Day, I’ll have fond memories of my dad, as will many caregivers and adult children....

This image has a gray indoor backdrop. IN the foreground, a woman with long, light brown hair bends her had forward where she covers her face with her hands. She has light skin and red polished nails.

Coping with the Stigma of Dementia

People stare. Most are not unkind, they are just curious. But when someone “different” from the norm becomes part of their environment,...

this indoor image has a blurred background. IN the foreground we see a man with clipped brown hair and a receeding hairline who wears a cream golf-style shirt with some muted stripes. He has brown skin. He wears an unhappy frown and he looks slightly toward the side.

How to Cope With a Senior’s Complaining and Negativity

You took your mom to the doctor, and she’s upset with you because the appointment took too long. You helped Dad with...

Seniority Authority presents: A Caregiver’s Toolbox with Carol Bradley Bursack, Minding Our Elders

Recently, I had the honor of being interviewed by Cathleen Toomey of Seniority Authority. Cathleen’s enthusiasm for the topic turned the experience...

Caregiver Stress Is a Given; How to Manage It Is Key

Most of us lead frantic lives. That’s the nature of the world today. When you add to that the job—for it is...

This image shows a very closeup view of a commercial window from the exterior. We see black brick on top and some black trim with a smaller window in the center of larger windows. The curtains are burnt orange.

How Often Should I Visit Mom When She First moves Into a Care Facility?

Q: How often should I visit mom in the nursing home when she first moves in? I heard some facilities limit the...

This outdoor picture shows an older couple sitting together on the grass. The woman, who wears a blue and white stripped off-the-shoulder sun dress has long, dark blonde hair blowing to the side. She has her hand on the knee of an older man with gray hair who is wearing blue denim shorts and a light blue golf-style shirt.

Preparing Ahead for Potential Cognitive Evaluation Can Speed Up Diagnosis

Dear Carol: I’m worried about my 61-year-old wife’s memory and decreasing ability to make sound decisions. She agrees with me that she...

We see a blurred indoor view with a window behind to people. In front of the window we see an older man with gray hair, glasses, a black and white checked shirt under an olive green sweater and tan pants with his arm around the back of a woman. The woman has a light brown bob, blasses, and wears a turquoise pullover blouse. Her arm is around the waist of the man as they touch heads to the side. Both are smiling.

Even “Born Caregivers” Can End Up Feeling Drained By the Sacrifices

One question that is often asked on the AgingCare.com Caregiver Forum is, “How do I deal with the reality of leaving behind...

We see a cloudy, rather stormy background. In the foreground, a woman with a gray bob is seen from the back. She sits with her head bowned so we see a bit of her neck and an ear where the hair falls away. She wears a slate gray top.

Why People Are Ashamed When They Secretly Wish Their Suffering Loved One Could Die

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