Brain Health

We see a wide shower head with gentle shower in action. The background is blurry and dark and could be indoor or outdoor.

What to Do When a Senior Refuses to Bathe and Change Their Clothes

When it comes to caring for the elderly, hygiene issues are surprisingly common. Determining why their bathing habits have changed is the best way...

Is Lying to Someone with Dementia Unethical or Compassionate?

Dear Carol: Like many of your readers, my husband has dementia of the Alzheimer’s type, and I’m caring for him at home. We’ve always...

This image shows a multi-generational family walking joyfully down a country road. We see evergreens in the near background and other trees further back. The family in fore ground shows an adult male wiht dark skin wiearing an oversided white tee, a blue palid open flanner, jeans ad boots. He hold the uprased hand of a child who ears an orange lon-sleeved sweather dark blue scarf around shoulders, light blue jeans and boots. The child holds the other hand up to grabe the hand of a oman with long dark curly hair, a brown and white plaid, pullover sweater, jeans and boots. Behind them all is an older, white haired man wearing a brown jacket open over a blue shirt. He also wears jeans but with casual trainers.

Balancing Elder Care with Other Relationships

Becoming a family caregiver is often something that either happens very suddenly or slowly sneaks up on a person. When a loved one has...

This outdoor image shows a park in the background with people milling around. IN the foreground, we see an older man with thinning gray hair wearing a gray sweater vest over a long sleeved shirt. He is dancing with a younger woman who has shoulder length, curly brown hair. Shes' wearing a read top. They appear to be related.

Adult Daughter Upset that Dad Doesn’t Take Pre-Diabetes Seriously

Dear Carol: My 69-year-old father is overweight, sedentary, and he loves junk food. There’s no point in nagging him about his poor lifestyle choices...

A Story from the Sandwich Generation: Caring for Kids and Parents

Watching out for elders has always come naturally to me. I grew up close to my grandparents, and during my teenage years, my paternal...

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.

Should You Join Someone With Dementia in Their Reality?

It was not unlike any other day, but on this particular afternoon, Dad was adamant. He was waiting for his medical degree from the...

This indoor picture has a mottled gray background. IN the forground is a head and shourlders image of an older man with a receding hairline and gray hair. He's wearing a black sweater and his eyes are turned downward in a thoughtful expression.

How Dementia Affects Friendships (and What You Can About It)

Memory loss can be one of the first symptoms a person experiences with Alzheimer’s, and those living with Lewy body dementia may also become...

The Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease

The only certainty when diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease is that a senior’s condition will progressively worsen. The National Alzheimer’s Association has developed a very...

Respecting the Right to Age With Dignity

The impact of aging frequently makes the news. Sadly, the coverage is consistently negative, and all facets of this topic are portrayed as “problems”...