Caregiver stress

Background is a bright blue sky with clouds. An older woman with frizzy white hair is viewed from the back as she sits in a wheelchair looking up at the sky

You’re Not a Terrible Person If You’ve Secretly Wished Your Ill Loved One Could Die

Every so often, someone will admit that they secretly wish the person they’re caring for would pass away. Often, this person is sick, suffering,...

Background shows open patio door with grass beyond. Foreground shows younger woman with loing brown hair and whtie sweater sitting at a table with old woman in a green shirt and gray sweater. Their faces imply that they are having a pleasant talk

Why Caregivers Shouldn’t Feel Guilty About Calling Hospice

A billboard in my city carries a simple message: “Most families say, ‘Why did we wait so long to call hospice?’ “ When I...

Background is a home with shelving. Foreground shows a younger woman with long brown hair helping an older man with an open laptop computer on his knees

Geriatric Care Managers Can Help Busy Caregivers

Geriatric care management is a rapidly growing field in the elder care industry. As most caregivers know, researching and coordinating all the care options...

Very old woman with silver streaked hair, darker sun-damaged and wrinkled skin. She's wearing a black and white check vest over a blue shirt. Pleading eyes looking up at someone.

When a Person Living with Dementia Says, ‘I Just Want to Go Home’

Update: Some current thinking is that the emotion behind this sad lament is more about finding a level of emotional comfort than thinking back...

Older man in dark blue jacket with plaid lining showing around the color. Brown hair mixed with gray, blue eyes, looking like he's expecting the viewer to do something

Elders Who Abuse Their Family Caregivers: Yes – It Happens

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...

Black and white image of older man and woman forehead to forehead both of them smiling

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...

Shadow image of an older man in a bowler hat crossing a city street while using a cane

A Caregiver’s Struggle: Balancing an Elder’s Sense of Purpose with Their Safety

A recent question brought back memories from my early days of caregiving. The member wrote, “My 81-year-old father still thinks he can do handyman...

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

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

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Aging Life Professionals Can Help Swamped Caregivers Find Resources

Dear Carol: I feel like I’m failing everyone because I can’t do everything well. I work full-time, and my kids are in middle school,...

Imagine of book cover for Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories. Background is is a room blurred in muted brown tones. Foreground is of the author's father - an older man with dark rimmed glasses looking aside with a pensive expression on his face. Arms folded across chest in a relaxed posture.

Alzheimer’s and Dementia Books: Best Reads for Family Caregivers

Note: I was interviewed by A Place for Mom about caregiving books, so I chose just some of my favorites (can’t name them all)....