Caregiving

This outdoor image shows a spring tree flowering in the background against a blue sky. In the foreground, we see two women. Oe has long redish hair. Shes' wearing a black sweater and hs her head tilted back and to the said as she kisses a younger woman on the cheek. The younger woman is looking to the side but also up a little. She has longish light-brown hair and is smiling.

Am I a Caregiver? Defining the Family Caregiver Role

Many individuals struggle to accept the label of “family caregiver,” but fully embracing this role increases our chances of succeeding in it. What Is...

Honor Your Elders’ Need for Independence

Although we may not think about it in these terms very often, a person’s dignity and identity are often tied to their independence. As...

An extreme closeup of a the lower portion of a feminine face and black clad shoulder is all we see. We can see a portion of the ear and lower eye, half the nose, and half of the mouth that wears rose lipstick. Quiet tears stream down the cheek.

How to Engage in Self-Care While Grieving

Many caregivers watch their loved ones endure a long, slow decline that will eventually end in death. As they age, we grieve every mental...

Multi-generational Households: The Ins and Outs of In-law Suites

When I was a teenager, my parents had a new home specifically built with separate quarters so my grandmother could live with us and...

image shows a white desk or table as a base. ON top is a blood pressure cuff with the tube unwound and serpentine. The blood pressure reader is laying next to it along with a standard blue weekly pill container.

5 Tips for Keeping Your Brain Healthy While Caregiving

Many of us cope with the stress of caring for someone who has dementia. We agonize over the increasing losses that our loved one...

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Loving Yourself: A Caregiver’s Ultimate Challenge

We’ve all heard that we must first learn to love ourselves before we can love others. Yet, many of us have grown up with...

This outdoor scene shows thick bushes in the background. In the foreground, we see an older man who is bald in fromt but has gray hair along the sides. He sits on teh broud with his arms wrapped around his knees as he looks off into the distance. He's wearing a black, gray, and white striped golf-style shirt.

Learning About Normal Aging and Capacity Can Prevent Future Family Division

Dear Carol: I’m 84 years old and as a past caregiver, I appreciate how you balance the legitimate concerns of caregivers with respect and...

This indoor closeup shows an older man in a cream-colored golf shrit. He's looking down at something interesting with an expressiona as though he's talking to someone. The viewer varely sees some grap hair on the far temple. He has a darker, thing mustache, and olive tonned skin. His downcast eyelids obscure his eyes.

Home is Where Our Heart Is, Especially for Older Adults

For many of us, the word “home” signifies refuge, safety, caring, and warmth –a sanctuary where we belong. It’s a place that we know...

This closeup is of an older woman's lap. She's wearing a back and white geometric print skirt under a cream cable-knit sweater. We see her hands, nails tipped with red polish as if growing out, holding a turquoise pillbox of the weekly variety.

Strategies for Getting (and Staying) Organized While Caregiving

Caring for a vulnerable elder can be rewarding as well as frustrating. It can increase our self-esteem to know that we are helping someone...

An indoor image of an older man with thinning gray hair. He appears to be thinking hard or asleep, with his head bent downward and his eyelids lowered. He's holding his hand against his chin with his thumb against his cheek as if supporting his head. He appears to be sitting and is wearing barely visible blue and white plaid pajamas under and brown and white robe.

4 Of the Toughest Challenges We Face As Caregivers

Caregiving throws many challenges our way, including establishing care routines for our elders that are not only challenging but may be somewhat embarrassing. By...