Minding Our Elders

New Year’s Resolution for Caregivers: Reframe Guilt as Regret

Dear Carol: Once upon a time, I closed out each year with satisfaction and looked forward with optimism to the next. Now, after taking...

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...

When a Loved One with Alzheimer’s Doesn’t Recognize You

Watching a loved one move through the stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) can be one life’s toughest and most heart-breaking challenges. If we had...

The 4 Most Challenging Caregiver Situations

Caregiving throws many challenges our way, including establishing care routines for our elders that are not only challenging, but may be somewhat embarrassing. By...

10 Common Caregiver Confessions

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...

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...

It’s Christmas Day: Are You Enjoying It?

Many people are celebrating Christmas Day, today, December 25th. Caregivers might find the word celebrating a little over the top but try not to...

Christmas Is Here: Our Best Is Good Enough

The decisions caregivers of older loved ones must make during the Christmas holidays are fraught with opportunities to make mistakes in judgment. Chief among...