Should Your Parent Risk an Anesthesia Disaster or Forego Surgery?
Just last week a reader asked me whether she should try to sway her mother, who had colon cancer, toward surgery. Her mother, 87,...
Brain Health
Rushing People with Cognitive Decline Simply Increases Anxiety
Dear Carol: Last year, my husband was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Our current challenge is that he still wants to be Mr....
Dementia Caregiver How-To: Holiday Visits With Loved Ones
Thank you Lonna Whiting of Lonna.co and Being Patient for featuring me in this beautifully written article. Good information from others as well. Sarah...
Coping when Both Parents Have Dementia
“My mom and dad both have dementia. I am all alone taking care of them since. I have no one to help me. I...
The Emotional Toll of Moving Your Elderly Parent 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...
Thanksgiving: Gratitude Is Possible Even During Tough Times
Dear Carol: As Thanksgiving approaches, I’m struggling because my husband of 53 years can no longer reliably recognize who I am. After several years...
How to Handle a Shopaholic Older Adult
“Mom! Where do all these packages keep coming from?!” “Dad, what are all these new charges on your credit card?” As our loved ones...
Coping With Seniors Who Won’t Accept In-Home Caregivers
Hiring in-home care for my elderly neighbor, Joe, was quite an ordeal. The company we chose and their professional caregivers were great, but the...
How to Communicate with Someone Who Can No Longer Speak
Years ago, I stumbled upon a video that remains vivid in my mind. In it, an elderly couple who had spent a lifetime devoted...
Reminder: Don’t Judge Based on Physical Disabilities
Dear Carol: I’m 81 and healthy other than a hip replacement that didn’t turn out well, so I use a cane or walker, depending...
