Minding Our Elders

Coping With the Decision to Put Your Parent in a Care Facility

Guilt is one emotion that every family caregiver will experience at some point during their journey. When you take on responsibility for another person,...

A New Generation of Caregivers: Grandchildren Taking Care of Grandparents

Family and household composition have changed a great deal over recent decades. Many of these young caregivers have lived with or been raised by...

Breathe: Calming Someone with Dementia Starts with Calming Yourself

Dear Carol: I need tips on how to calm my husband who has been diagnosed with both Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. In the past,...

Respecting the Right to Age with Dignity

The impact of aging frequently makes the news. Sadly, the coverage is consistently negative, and all facets of this topic are portrayed as “problems” that...

How to Talk to the Doctor About Your Elderly Parent or Spouse

A frequent problem expressed among family caregivers is that their aging loved ones aren’t honest with their doctors. At home, they may gripe about...

What to Do When a Senior Refuses to Bathe and Change Their Clothes

The responsibility of providing care for an aging or ill loved one is a monumental challenge in its own right. But when a care...

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...