Brain Health

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.

Carol Bradley Bursack Named in Caresmartz360 Dementia Care Experts list

I’m honored to be included on this list of 17 Dementia Care Experts created by CareSmartz360. Everyone mentioned is worth following as caregivers look...

This image shows a doctor's office with a young medical person barely visible on the left. She is demonstrating a device to the patient who is sitting on the exam table. The patient is an older woman wearing dark plastic rimmed glasses and a light blue short sleeved, collared shirt with cream slacks.

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 incontinence as...

A familiar orange prescription bottle lays on its side, uncapped. Two-toned green capsules spill onto a gray table.

How To Get People With Dementia To Take Pills

Dementia care demands incredible creativity. The ever-changing needs of the person who has dementia challenge family caregivers and professionals alike. One particular frustration is...

This vewry close image shows an older woman with white hair, a wrinkled forehead, and wire-rimmed glasses. She wears a white top with the shoulders barely visible. Her expression is stern with a tight mouth.

The Stages of Alzheimer’s and the Caregiver’s Role

When a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, it’s only natural to worry about what comes next. While Alzheimer’s will progress differently...

This indoor image shows an olde fashions room with a patterned oil-cloth table cloth. There is equipemnt hooked up around the woman sitting at the table with lots of cords evident. The woman is older with gray hair peaking out from a gray wool watch cap. She wears a bulky light-blue cardigan and is studying a paper in her hands.

Why Older Adults Often Feel Cold and How Dementia Exacerbates the Problem

Dear Carol: I’m a menopausal caregiver who is trying to balance my mom’s comfort with mine. She lives with me and has mild dementia...

‘Virtual Dementia Tour’ Increases Caregivers’ Empathy

Goggled, Hobbled, Isolated by Headphones, I Am Guided Forward We finally reached the top step. The woman holding my elbow didn’t have much to...

Sensitivity Training for Caregivers of People with Dementia

Please wipe this mess off of my face. Please! Don’t go so fast, I can’t swallow! I’m not ready for a drink yet! Is...

The background is outdoors but fall-like and blurred. In the foreground, we see an older man wearing a dark purple tam. He has a salt-and-pepper, neatly trimmed, beard and a darker mustache. His coat is dark gray, and his expression is pleasant with a small smile.

9 Mistakes to Avoid When Caregiving for Someone Living with Alzheimer’s

Most of us who have cared for someone living with dementia have tried our best to determine how best to provide that care. We...

This indoor image has a window in the background where we see a blurred outdoor scene. In the foreground is a smiling older woman with short blonde hair. She has her head tilted with her chin down as she leans slightly forward in her chair gripping a cane. One hand is on top of the cane handle and the other grasps the stick of the cane.

Mom Won’t Use a Cane Because She Thinks It Makes Her Look Old

Dear Carol: My mom has always been a fashion slave. She’s looked young for her age from a distance due to rigorous weight control,...

A clear blue sky with puffy clouds is on the horizon as an older woman is seen from the back. She's got frizzy gray hair and is sitting in a wheelchair. She looks shadowed by the bright sun.

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...