Father’s Day As a Caregiver: Remembering Dad Before Dementia
This Father’s Day I’ll have fond memories of my dad, as will many caregivers and adult children. The juxtaposition of the past and present...
Aging
Give Your Dad the Best Father’s Day Gift Ever: Your Attention
Our aging loved ones often repeat the same stories over and over again. As our patience wanes we blame the repetition on memory issues,...
A Caregiver’s Struggle: Balancing an Older Adult’s Sense of Purpose with Their Safety
A recent question on the AgingCare Caregiver Forum brought back memories from my early days of caregiving. The member wrote, “My 81-year-old father still...
Hindsight Can Be a Blessing or a Curse for Caregivers
They say hindsight is 20/20. But things from the past that may seem “clear” to you now can still be distorted by difficult emotions—especially...
The Emotional Toll of Moving Your Older Parents to Senior Living
Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home. For most of us, the feeling is less about how large or fancy a...
Having “The Talk”: How to Discuss End-of-Life Issues with Parents
Sex and death: It’s odd that these two topics of conversation should bring so much anxiety to parents and children. One addresses the beginning...
Living with Elderly Parents: Do You Regret the Decision?
If you are like most family caregivers, you probably made a promise to your parent(s) years ago that you would never place them in...
Confabulation: What’s Really Happening When People with Dementia Seem to Lie?
Dear Carol: I’m my mom’s only daughter, so we are close. Mom was recently diagnosed with mixed dementia, so I moved her in with me...
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 because...
Replacing the Term ‘Caregiver’ with ‘Care Partner’ Helps Preserve Dignity
Dear Carol: My cognitively sharp, independent mother is healthy other than some early-stage macular degeneration. She graciously gave up driving and often uses ride-shares to get...
