Minding Our Elders

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Journaling for Caregivers: Rediscover Yourself and Reclaim Your Life

At some point during your caregiving journey, you may find yourself in a rut. The awareness may come with a birthday, a change in...

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Mixed Emotions: Grief and Relief When the Loved One You Cared for Dies

When my mother died in a local nursing home, my “career” of visiting this exceptional facility nearly every day for almost 15 years ended....

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8 Tips from a Healthy Aging Expert

Like many Alzheimer’s advocates, I support increased funding for Alzheimer’s research. The goal is to discover a cure. However, the current reality is that...

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Tips to Help Older Adults Avoid Dehydration During Summer Heat

Dear Carol: We’re heading into the hottest part of summer and I’m getting nervous for my 79-year-old mother. She likes it warm, which I...

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Hindsight Can Be a Blessing or a Curse for Caregivers

They say hindsight is 20/20. But things from the past that may seem “clear” to you now can still be distorted by difficult emotions...

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5 Questions to Determine the Impact of Caregiving on the Caregiver

Are you prepared to take on the responsibility of caring for a family member? Will you be able to handle the commitment of moving...

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New Caregivers: Tips on Caring for Elderly Parents

I have interacted with countless professional and informal caregivers over the years, and I’ve noticed two prominent patterns that characterized my own experiences and...

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What to Do When Someone with Dementia Repeats the Same Things Over and Over

One sign of the aging brain is repeating things more often, especially stories and questions. There are reasons for this that are not related...

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Are People with Advanced Dementia Aware of Their Surroundings?

Even among medical experts, you will find differing opinions on how much someone with advanced dementia of any type understands. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in...