Minding Our Elders

This outdoor image shows a lake in the background with foliage on the other side. The foreground shows an older man, maybe Middle Eastern decent, with white hair and a white mustache. He wears sunglasses and an off-white long-sleeved shirt. His expression is one of displeasure or stubbornness.

Convincing An Older Adult to Wear Incontinence Protection Takes Sensitivity and Tact

It’s often difficult for older adults to accept and deal with incontinence issues. Many try to ignore this new development and carry on with...

Image shows an older, gray-haired woman wearing a white top. She's seated and cutting an onion that is resting on a table top. Next to her sits her granddaughter who is smiling as she watches. The little girl has brown hair and is wearing a cream-colored top.

Kitchen Safety Concerns for People with Dementia

Sharing a kitchen with another cook can be trying for some people. Sharing a kitchen with a person who has dementia can be more...

The image is a close up sot of a decorated Christmas tree. There is some blurring in the background, but the foreground shows a gold bell, and read and gold Christmas bulbs.

It’s Christmas Day: Are You Enjoying It?

It’s December 25th and Many people are celebrating Christmas Day. Caregivers might find the word celebrating a little over the top but try not...

This holiday image shows a cold, stary sky with snowy evergreens along a street lit with light. A tall building with lit windows and Christmas decorations on the main floor faces the street.

Christmas Is Here: Our Best Is Good Enough

The decisions caregivers must make during the Christmas holidays are fraught with opportunities to make mistakes in judgment. Chief among them is how much...

This outdoor image has a background of blurred trees. In the foreground, we see an older woman wearing a brown gardening apron. She's clearing having fun as she mugs for the camera with her hands raised and a big smile. She has short light-brown hair, brown-rimmed glasses, and is wearing a short sleeved, cream colored shirt under her apron.

Confabulation in Dementia Can Feel Like Hurtful Lies

When a person develops any form of dementia, it is difficult for family and friends to witness their diminishing capacity and the unbearable frustration...

This indoor image shows an older woman with short, curly, redish brown hair and dark rimmed glassed. hes got her fingers pressed against the sides of her forehead and is looking down, forehead creased, and sad. her clothing is dark but she's wearing a turqouoise necklace and a small bracelet on each bare arm.

Making It Through Holidays with Grief and Loss in Our Hearts

Dear Carol: I’m a new widow dreading all the Christmas hoopla and yearly optimism of a New Year. Planning Christmas presents for my grandkids...

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Common Caregiver Thoughts We Aren’t Proud Of

Wouldn’t it be nice to be a family caregiver who never gets frustrated and is an eternal optimist? Maybe there are some like that...

We see a blurred outdoor background with trees. In the forground, a woman with long blonde hair learns her head to one side on her upheld hand. She's looking away from the camera with a sad expression. Her eyes appear blue and she's wearing red lipstick, with the blue of her shirt barely visible in the image.

How to Cope With Alzheimer’s Caregiver Burnout

You watch your once mentally sharp loved one decline before your eyes. Their uncontrollable behaviors, mood swings, outbursts, confusion, and memory loss are heartbreaking....

a middle aged African American couple is show happily working in the kitchen. The background shows a home interior. The woman has long, straight black hair and is wearing a lavender sweater. She appears to be peeling a vegetable. The Man is on her left. He has dark hair with a receding hairline. He is wearing a beige sweater and has his arms crossed. Both people are smiling happily.

Dating and Caregiving: An Impossible Mix?

Back when you were in high school, you likely found that bringing your new love home to meet your parents was a nerve-wracking experience....

This black and white images shows blurred foliage in the background. In the foreground, a very old woman looks at the camera. She has curly gray hair and round glasses and wears a dark sweater over a striped shirt. Her exopression is one of stubbornness.

Detaching With Love: Setting Boundaries With Difficult Elderly Parents

When the family member we are trying to care for is critical, impossible to please or emotionally abusive, long-standing family dynamics are often to...