Minding Our Elders

The background is an indoor wall in muted cream. Foreground is a frustrated woman with an Afro that is parted on the side. She has brown skin and is wearing a light tourquoise ribbed turtleneck sweater with long sleeves. Her elbows are bent and hands are held up in the air in frustration or anger.

Handling Sibling Criticism During the Holidays

Family caregivers often put their lives on hold to care for their loved ones. In cases where adult children are caring for their parents,...

Older man with gray hair and glasses sits on a bench outside. He's wearing a brown coat and holding a folded umbrella with its red handle close to his chest. His expression is stubborn with a set frown.

When Someone with Dementia Says, ‘I Just Want to Go Home’

“I want to go home.” Nearly every dementia caregiver has heard this heartbreaking plea from their loved one. They may already be at home...

This indoor image shows closed white draperies in the background. ONe the left we see a younger black woman who wears a yellow cardigan over a cream top and jeans. Seh's bending over as she helps an older black man sit in a chair. He has gray hair and is wearing a medium blue pullover.

Should Your Older Parent 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...

The cover of "Melted Away: A meooir of Climate Change and Caregiving in Peru by Barbara Drake-Vera. The image shows a colorful left margin using a South American theme. The main cover shows lots of blue sky and low clounds over snow capped montain peaks with foliage and then dry grass near the front.

Caregiving and Climate Change Deftly Interwoven in “Melted Away”

While there are hundreds of books on general caregiving and specifically, dementia care, I usually leave the reviews to the phenomenal group Alzauthors. My...

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A Caregiver’s Struggle: Balancing an Elder’s Sense of Purpose with Their Safety

Most seniors need to feel useful to enjoy a high quality of life. They maintain a sense of purpose by sticking to their everyday...

Second-Guessing Ourselves Is Part of the Caregiving Experience

Dear Carol: Over years of caring for my husband who had a combination of vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s, I found myself gradually becoming less...

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Should Your Parent Risk an Anesthesia Disaster or Forego Surgery?

Note: More is known now about the downfalls of surgery on older adults, yet some are still undergoing surgery that leaves them more damaged...

The image shows a white brick wall in the background. The foreground shows a black man sitting with his head bowed in sadness. He's bald, and is wearing a light blue dress shirt and medium blue jeans. He has his arms resting on his knees, with one hand over the other.

Reducing Loneliness: How to Help Older Adults During the Holidays

There is a lot of pressure on people to enjoy themselves during the holidays. The season is supposed to be merry and bright, but...

This indoor image shows a neat bedroom in the background The foreground shows a dignified older man with gray hair and a maroon robe. His blue and white striped pajama top shows at the neck. His hands are clasped in front of him and his expression is imperious.

Elders Who Abuse Their Family Caregivers

Most of us have seen evidence of people being harder on those they love than they are on strangers or even people they don’t...

The outdoor image shows a large, white city building in the background. In the foreground, an old couple is shown from the back, walking away from the camera. They are helping each other along as they walk. The man has gray hair, is wearing a gray sweater and black pants, and is slightly bow-legged. The woman is wearing a beige print jacket and a teal and blue print skirt. Her hair is also gray and she has a purse slung over her shoulder.

Coping when Both Parents Have Dementia

“My mom and dad both have dementia. I am all alone taking care of them since. I have no one to help me. I...