Losing the Ability to Swallow: How to Help Someone With Dysphagia
Coping with an ill loved one’s difficulty swallowing can be frustrating and frightening for everyone involved. Caring for someone we love means nurturing and...
Minding Our Elders
When Loved Ones Rally Before Death
Family members are often relieved and hopeful when a dying loved one suddenly becomes more aware of their surroundings or begins talking or eating...
Am I a Caregiver? Defining the Family Caregiver Role
Many individuals struggle to accept the label of “family caregiver,” but fully embracing this role increases our chances of succeeding in it. What Is...
Honor Your Elders’ Need for Independence
…”I often compare aging to the life cycle of a rose. It begins with a fresh new bud, which opens in full bloom and...
Why So Many Long-Married Couples Die Close Together
While death rarely brings pleasant feelings, from time to time we’ll see a story about death go viral on the Internet because it touches...
10 Things People With Dementia Wish Their Caregivers Knew
People living with dementia are the only ones who really understand what it’s like to live with their form of the disease, whether it’s...
Mother’s Need for Memory Care Doesn’t Mean Caregiver Failed
Dear Carol: My mom and I have always had a great relationship. As an only child, I knew that I’d eventually be her caregiver...
How to Engage in Self-Care While Grieving
Many caregivers watch their loved ones endure a long, slow decline that will eventually end in death. As they age, we grieve every mental...
Dementia Can Open the Door to Artistic Expression
The treatment of people with dementia has changed dramatically since I first became personally involved with the disease. It’s now widely recognized that while...
How to Support a Friend Who Has a Chronic Illness
Living with a chronic illness, such as cancer, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes or an immune disorder, can be isolating and...
