When We Become Caregivers, Friends May Disappear
Most people have not personally provided care for a loved one and therefore cannot fully understand everything that goes into being a family caregiver....
Alzheimer’s
Should I Have to Take Care of My Elderly In-Laws?
Being a family caregiver doesn’t always stop at caring for our own aging parents. Our significant other’s mom and dad often look to us...
Elders Who Abuse Their Family Caregivers
Most of us have seen evidence of people being harder on those they love than they are on strangers, or even people they don’t...
Breathe: Calming Someone with Dementia Starts with Calming Yourself
Dear Carol: I need tips on how to calm my husband who has been diagnosed with both Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. In the past,...
How to Talk to the Doctor About Your Elderly Parent or Spouse
A frequent problem expressed among family caregivers is that their aging loved ones aren’t honest with their doctors. At home, they may gripe about...
Dementia Can Open the Door to Artistic Expression
The treatment of people with dementia has changed dramatically since I first became personally involved with the disease. It’s now widely recognized that while...
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...
When You Witness Cognitive Decline, Step in with Respect
Dear Carol: My mom and I have always had a good relationship, and I’ve admired her sharp brain and great humor. She was a...
Hospital Delirium: Cognitive Decline After Hospitalization
In the expected course of treatment, people are hospitalized because they are ill. Then, barring a terminal condition, they are released because they are...
Caregiver Burnout is Best Prevented Since Recovery Is Hard on Everyone
Dear Carol: My mom, age 79, has had steadily declining health for several years. Arthritis is a genetic problem in my family, so pain...
