Aging parents

Recognizing Caregiver Burnout and What to Do

Caregiver burnout isn’t something that happens all at once. We all have good days and bad days, which is normal. Eventually, though, we may...

Apologizing After Caregiver Stress Causes a Blowup

Caregiving is a stressful job even during the best of times. The sheer amount of responsibility is enough to make the most stoic person...

Helping vs. Enabling: How to Strike a Balance While Caregiving

Most family caregivers want what is best for their loved ones, and they’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen. Unfortunately, discerning what’s...

Family Caregivers Still Undervalued by Many

We live in a society that tends to value what we do over who we are. If what we do isn’t highly paid or...

Humor Shared Among Caregivers Is Therapeutic

I once visited a caregiver friend and her mother, who had moderate Alzheimer’s disease. At one point during the visit, the mother abruptly stood...

Can We Help Too Much? The Squiggly Line Between Aiding and Enabling

Dear Carol: How do we know where to draw the line between helping our older parents and enabling them to give in to the challenges...

In Caregiving, Anxiety Can Be Contagious

We all live with a certain amount of worry, much of which is caused by fear of the unknown. Since health issues can change...

11 Downsizing Tips for Seniors Who Are Moving to Assisted Living

For most seniors, moving from a long-time home into an assisted living facility is difficult. For some, it’s nearly paralyzing. In addition to countless...