Caregiving

Image shows a blurred background of an with a speeding ambulance in the foreground. Ambulance shows red and blue graphics on white.

Elder Care Needs Can Change in an Instant

During the years I cared for multiple elders, I grew to dread the ringing of the telephone. It seemed most calls meant emergencies. One...

Two men are sitting on a couch. The younger, brown=haired man on the left is wearing a striped shirt. His expression is one of frustration. He touches his forehead with his fingers, like he's on the verge of anger. The older man, facing him, wears a light blue shirt. His hand, palm open, in front, shows he's trying to explain something.

Should I Have to Take Care of My Elderly In-Laws?

Family caregiving doesn’t always stop at caring for our own aging parents. Our significant other’s mom and dad often look to us for care,...

Older woman in a wheelchair wears a gray sweater. She has short, salt and pepper hair and has a appears happy. A younder woman, presumably her caregiver, is bending down to listen to the older woman. The caregiver has long brown hair, white skin, and has her hand on the wheelchair push handles.

How Involved Should Families Be When Elders Live in a Senior Living Facility?

Over the course of 15 years, five of my elderly loved ones lived, for various spans of time, in a nearby nursing home. I...

Background of a light wood interior door in a large room. Foreground is a communal dining table set with flowers, cups and other white tablewear. Sitting at the table is an older couple. The white-haired woman is wearing a blue dress with a white collar. The white-haired man wis wearing a dark blue suit with military medals pinned to the jacket.

Encouraging Parents to Socialize After the Move to Senior Living

Moving to senior living is often a difficult transition for aging loved ones. Even elders who are on board with the decision to relocate...

Interior view of a large common room. A round, dark-wood table and two chairs are visible on the right. A large square coffee table is visible on the live. A large screened TV sits on a wall next to a fireplace. Windows cover one side.

What to Look for When Visiting Someone in a Care Facility

So, you and your loved one have taken the plunge. You’ve put in the time and effort to research senior housing options, take tours...

Cover image of the book "Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories". Image showes older man looking pensive, with arms crossed over chest. Sepia tones show a light shirt. He's wearing dark rimmed glasses and has receding hair. Background is indoors, blurred and brownish tones.

Caregiving: A Legacy To Be Proud Of

Have you thought about what you’d want your obituary to say about you? I hadn’t until I was recently asked to write an article...

Image shows woman with light brown hair drawn into a ponytail. Her head bends forward, showing forehead in her hand. Elbow is on the table, with a water glass nearby. She wears a blue, short-sleeved shirt. The image is one of profound sadness.

Coping With the Decision to Put Your Parent in a Care Facility

Guilt is one emotion that every family caregiver will experience at some point during their journey. When you take on responsibility for another person,...

An older woman with long gray hair is lying back with her eyes closed. She wears a loosely knit beight pullover. A younger woman with brown hair has her had against the older woman's shoulder in an embrace

A New Generation of Caregivers: Grandchildren Taking Care of Grandparents

A new generation of young people is stepping up to help their aging and ill family members. Although the Caregiving in the U.S. 2020...

Gray haired woman wearing black jacket seen from the back with head bowed. Background is of dark, low hanging rain clouds

When One Parent Dies the Other Often Needs a Long-Term Care Plan

Long-term marriages generally evolve into a support system so efficient that even adult children hardly notice changes in their parents. If Dad’s hearing is...