Caregiver stress

Concerned Caregiver Worried about Mom’s Repeated Falls

Dear Carol: My 82-year-old mother has been in relatively good health but lately she’s experienced several falls. I only know this because I see...

A family dinner table with a happy black family sharing a meal. There is a husband/father with a beard wearing a blue shirt with rolled-up sleeves, a wife/mother with curly black hair wearing a gray top, and two children, a girl and a boy. The girl is in the foreground. They are all having a good time.

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...

The image shows an gray-haired woman in a red sweater sitting with a man, presumably her husband. The man has his arm around the woman. He wears a fedora with a red feather, dark-rimmed glasses, and a blue sweater.

Alzheimer’s: Theft, Paranoia or Forgetfulness?

“She took my sweater!” Victoria says. “I saw her. She stole it! That woman took the sweater my mother made for me!” But did...

Image shows an outdoor gathering in the background, Foreground shows a an older man with gray hair dancing with a young, brown-haired woman wearing a red dress.

Adult Day Services Can Fill a Gap for Seniors and Their Caregivers

Most seniors are keen on staying in their homes as they age, but family caregivers often struggle to meet their loved ones’ needs and...

The image has a dark indoor background. In the foreground is an older woman with darker, wrinkled sking and very short white hair. She's wearing brown rimmed glasses and a top that has blue and white sleeves and trim with a deep red vest like shoulder. Her expression shows her eyes turning left and her mouth as if she's speaking bitter words.

Caring for Aging Parents Who Didn’t Care for You

Years ago, a journalist (we’ll call her Nancy) requested an interview with me to discuss common caregiving issues for an article she was writing....

An older man sitts on the left, looking at a younger woman who is smiling at him as if explaining something. The man has gray hair and is wearing a beige shirt. The woman has long brown hair tied in a low ponytail. She's wearing blue scrubs and has a stethoscope around her neck.

Hospice Care: Help During End Stages of Life

One day while I was working at my newspaper job, the phone rang. It was the head nurse at Dad’s nursing home. “Carol, we...

Older couple sitting together on a park bench. They are laughing and the woman is touching the man's hand. The man wears a hat, glasses and a bright blue sweater. The woman has gray hair and is wearing a bright red sweater. They are obviously enjoying life.

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”...

image shows closeup of the interior stringed instrument. The wood is golden in color.

Music-Thanatology: Providing Harmony at the End of Life

The mission of hospice providers is to help people live their last months or weeks of life in the most comfortable, dignified and satisfying...

A woman with curly dark hair and a smile is luxuriating in a large white tub filled with bubbles.

A Personal Approach to Coping with Caregiver Stress

Caregiving can bring forth an ever-changing kaleidoscope of emotions. These feelings are often bittersweet, but without the proper preparations and assistance, things can quickly...

Image shows an older woman with short gray hair and dark-rimmed glasses using an inhaler. She's wearing an orange hoodie.

Losing the Ability to Swallow: How to Help Someone With Dysphagia

Coping with an ill loved one’s difficulty swallowing can be frustrating and frightening for everyone involved. Caring for someone we love means nurturing and...