Aging

Cover of Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories. The background is a sepia-toned room. In the foreground is a picture of the author's father, sitting in a contemplative pose with arms crossed. This image is also sepia-toned in browns of different shades. To the right is the book title.

Humor Can Provide Armor Against Deep Sorrows of Caregiving

One of the positive parts of being a family caregiver is the opportunity for emotional growth. We can develop increased compassion, patience,...

This outdoor image shows a cloudy atmosphere. An older couple walks together on a sidewalk. The man is on the left in the photo. He has lots of gray hair,, is wearing a brown plaid sport coat, brown pants and uses a cane in his right hand. With his left hand, he holds an older woman by the hand. She,has iron gray hair and is wearing a cream knee-length coat. They are both looking down toward the ground.

When Older Adults Won’t Accept Outside Help Caring for Their Spouse

Dear Carol: I’m concerned about my parents, who are in their early 80s. My dad’s a large man, and my tiny mother is...

This outdoor image shows a man golfing on a nice day. We see a blurry closeup of his golf bag while to the side we see him posed with is golf club head up. He's wearing a dark baseball style hat, a white golf shirt, and dark pants.

Bladder Cancer: Incontinence Can Be a Side Effect

Bladder cancer isn’t a common condition, but the American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 83,730 new cases of bladder cancer...

This indoor image shows an older man dressed in a white shirt, red tie and suit jacket. His arms are raised as if conducting an orchestra and he wears headphones for sound. His eyes are closed as if listening intently.

People with Dementia Find Renewed Confidence While Playing In Orchestra

Alzheimer’s is a global issue that is on track to bankrupt worldwide health systems if a cure is not found. Therefore, funding...

An older man sits at a table hugging a brown plate to his chest. He's leaning toward the table and sucking on a sucker stick as he looks over his glasses at someone. He has short gray hair in a classic cut ad wears a brown plaid shirt.

Getting Medications Down Someone with Dementia Who Can’t/Won’t Take Pills

Dementia care demands incredible creativity. The ever changing needs of the person who has dementia challenges family caregivers and professionals alike. One...

We view a laptop sitting open on a desk with a blank journal open in front. A pen lays on top and a cup of coffee or tea sits to the side. In the background, we see through a window to blurry greenry.

Medicare Open Enrollment starts October 15: Plans Changing, Premiums Increasing

Dear Readers: Medicare annual open enrollment begins Oct 15, 2025, for 2026 coverage. My usual advice stands. Ignore the calls, look over...

This indoor image shows white sheer curtains in the background. In the foreground, we see an older woma with short gray hair and a gray sweater sitting in a wheelchair where we just view the handles. We see the face of a young woman with long, dark-blonde hair and light skin bending forward from the back to speak near the ear of the older woman. She appears to be pushing the wheelchair. Both women are smiling and look pleased.

How to Handle Urinary Incontinence: Tips from a Gynecologist

The aging process brings with it any number of indignities. One of those is incontinence. People without the problem may look at...

An fit-looking older man sits in a comfortable chair. He's wearing a dark collared cardigan over a white golf style shirt, We shee his lighter brown pantsleg on whiche one had rests. He's golding a phone to his ear with the other hand, and by his expression, enjoying the conversation. This gentleman has light skin, are receding hairline with closely cut gray hoir on the sides, and he wears modern wire-rimmed glasses.

Dementia: Staying Positive Despite the Diagnosis

The idea that some people can stay positive after receiving a dementia diagnosis seems surprising to many, yet when faced with adversity...

This indoor image shows an older man on the left smiling as he looks at a younger man who sits with his arm around his shoulders. We only see the back of the younger mans head but he has short brown hair and wears a light mauve shirt open to reveal a white tee shirt. The older man has white hair and is wearing a light blue collared shirt with long sleeves under a gray sweater vest.

Pitfalls to Avoid When Visiting Someone with Dementia

Whether you’re caring for someone with dementia or visiting them from time to time, you’ll want to do your best to make...

This outdoor image shows viewers a walking path with trees and grass in the background. Four adulst are walking the path wearing backpacks. All wear variations of outdoor walking wear. Three have dark pants while a woman slightly back of them wears cream slacks.

Is There a Link Between Diabetes and Incontinence?

While having diabetes doesn’t mean that you will experience incontinence, the disease does seem to increase your incontinence risk. There are several...