Brain Health

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...

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Journaling for Caregivers: Rediscover Yourself

At some point during your caregiving journey, you may find yourself in a rut. The awareness may come with a birthday, a change in...

The indoor background shows a blurred gold cross. In the foreground, a woman with long brown hair is crying. Her arms are bent upward with her hands held as if in prayer but also wiping away tears.

Reconciling Grief & Relief When the Loved One You Cared for Dies

When my mother died in a local nursing home, my “career” of visiting this exceptional facility nearly every day for almost 15 years ended....

This image from Amazon shows QuiSi matching games for older adults, children, and people with dementia. The box cover showing a variety is top left. On a the right is a vertical group of dementia books, lower left shows a pile of rectangles with squares to match and lower right shows individual squares.

New Year’s 2025 Roundup of Caregiver and Elder-Friendly Products, Services, and Technology

Dear Readers: Happy New Year! It’s time for our semi-yearly roundup featuring elder-friendly products, services, and technology. As always, I’m including links and text...

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...

We see a blurred outdoor background with trees. In the forground, a woman with long blonde hair learns her head to one side on her upheld hand. She's looking away from the camera with a sad expression. Her eyes appear blue and she's wearing red lipstick, with the blue of her shirt barely visible in the image.

How to Cope With Alzheimer’s Caregiver Burnout

You watch your once mentally sharp loved one decline before your eyes. Their uncontrollable behaviors, mood swings, outbursts, confusion, and memory loss are heartbreaking....

This indoor shot shows an older woman with olive skin and very short, spikey white hair. She's wearing brown-rimmed glasses and a blue print top with a red apron over it. Her expression is one that could be read as accusatory.

Accusing Others of Stealing Common for People Experiencing Dementia

Dear Carol: My mom’s been in memory care for over a year, and she’s been happy with the caregivers and social opportunities. I’m aware...

This indoor image has a white drapery in the background. In the foreground, a woman is viewed with her head tipped so we only see the top of her salt an dpepper hair that is drawn back, pus the top of her shoulders. Her arms around around an older man who faces the camera. He has short salt and pepper hair combed foreward, and is laughing gaily as she hugs him. He's wearing an olive shirt.

Stroke Damage Can Cause Crying with No Discernible Trigger

Dear Carol: My husband has had several strokes and is now in a nursing home where I spend much of each day with him....

The image shows an unfolded napkin holding four Christmas cutout ginger cookies with decorative frosting. The napkin sits on a light wood table and we can see the edges of holiday decorations.

Celebrating Special Occasions When a Loved One Has Dementia

Every family has their own favorite special occasions that they enjoy celebrating. Some may not be big into Halloween, Valentine’s Day, or Independence Day,...