Aging

Background shows a glorious sunrise across a lake. Foreground shows the silhouette of a woman from the side. S he's raising her arms in a yoga pose while looking ahead, likely doing breathing excercises.

5 Tips for Keeping Your Brain Healthy While Caregiving

Many of us cope with the stress of caring for someone who has dementia. We agonize over the increasing losses that our loved one...

Outdoor image of distant hills and trees. Foreground shows a couple with the man seated, possibly in a wheelchair. The man is bald with a beard and glasses. He wears a gray and white striped sweater. His head is turned sideways and he's smiling. The woman hugs him from the back as she stands. Her hair is in an Afro with golden tips and she's wearing a gray sweater.

Caring For Those in Chronic Pain: How Spouses Cope

Traditional marriage vows generally contain the words “through sickness and in health.” For some couples, chronic sickness in the form of a painful disease...

Cover of the book Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories.

Interview: Assisted living facilities vs. nursing homes: What to know about cost and care

I’m honored to be featured with Anthony Cirillo, a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and president of The Aging Experience, in...

An outside setting shows grass and trees with a large building in the background. A younger woman in a pink sweater with dark blonde hair clipped back is showing an older soman something gon her cell phone. The older woman has gray hair and is wearing a white sweater with a blue shawl over one shoulder.

Young Woman Worries About Conversation Topics with Great-Aunt in Assisted Living

Dear Carol: I have a great-aunt who’s mentally sharp, but she’s in assisted living for physical needs. Auntie is 15 years older than my...

A window with a sheer covering shows a blurred image of a woman looking out. She's got long brown hair and is looking over large glasses.

New to Caregiving: How Do I Keep from Going Under?

Dear Carol: My parents are in their 70s and had been mostly healthy. I don’t have to worry about financial and health legal documents...

Black and white image shows a night-time background with some lights. Foreground shows a closeup of an older, gray-haired many with a smile and crinkled eyes. He's wearing dark clothes.

Home is All About Heart, Especially for Older Adults

For many of us, the word “home” signifies refuge, safety, caring and warmth –a sanctuary where we belong. It’s a place that we know...

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Strategies for Getting (and Staying) Organized While Caregiving

Caring for a vulnerable elder can be rewarding as well as frustrating. It can increase our self-esteem to know that we are helping someone...

A younger woman with long brown hair smiles as she hugs an older gray-haired woman, possibly her grandmother. Both women are weathering shards of brown.,

14 Affirmations for Caregivers to Live By

Life isn’t easy for most people, and it’s not perfect for anybody. Sometimes, as we trudge through the days providing help for our care...

Black and white image shows a very old man in a gray-toned sweater. He's seated and holding his hand up to his face, palm in. His expression shows confusion and fear.

Life As a Caregiver: Making Tough Care Decisions

Many of us feel honored to provide care for our aging parents or ill spouses, but this honor can also present serious challenges. Even...

An older woman with very long gray hair is wearing a celery green sweater with an open jacket over it. She has her eyes closed contentedly as a younger woman with long brown hair lays her head against the elder's chest. The younger woman wears a cream-colored sweater though all we see is the shoulders.

The Persistent Stigma Attached to Dementia Encourages Denial

Dear Carol: People write to you to complain about someone who, despite evidence, denies that they have dementia. I think I know why. At...