How to Handle Siblings in Denial About a Parent’s Declining Health
Nearly all family caregivers with siblings have experienced some version of sibling denial regarding their aging parents. Whether it stems from a subconscious need...
Minding Our Elders Blog
A Common Caregiver Confession: “I Secretly Wish My Ill Loved One 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 away. Often,...
Specialized Moving Services Ease Transitions to Senior Living Communities
When an elderly parent transitions from their home to assisted living, independent living, a nursing home or a relative’s home, it can be a...
Gifting a Family Caregiver without Creating Extra Burden
Dear Carol: My friend’s husband has been living with Alzheimer’s disease for several years which, of course, has dramatically changed both of their lives....
Should Your Elderly Loved One Move in With You?
Decades ago, it was fairly common to have grandparents living with family and it often worked well. It did for my family. My parents...
Caregiving During the Holidays: Have a Realistic, Positive Approach
…Each year after Thanksgiving, I would make my rounds, decorating each elder’s apartment or nursing home room, planning how we would split our time...
Is the Nursing Home Overmedicating Your Elderly Loved One?
In the days before nursing homes became so highly regulated, many facilities used medications to sedate patients. Elders who were cooperative and slept a...
When a Person with Dementia Says, ‘I Just Want to Go Home’
Note: This is an older article that’s still valid, so I’m running it. However, dementia experts keep learning, and the thinking now is that...
A Caregiver’s Struggle: Balancing an Elder’s Sense of Purpose with Their Safety
A Caregiver’s Struggle: Balancing an Elder’s Sense of Purpose with Their Safety A recent question on the AgingCare Caregiver Forum brought back memories from...
Should Your Parent Risk an Anesthesia Disaster or Forego Surgery?
Just last week a reader asked me whether she should try to sway her mother, who had colon cancer, toward surgery. Her mother, 87,...
Rushing People with Cognitive Decline Simply Increases Anxiety
Dear Carol: Last year, my husband was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Our current challenge is that he still wants to be Mr....
