Caregiving

A middle-aged woman with long, light brown hair kneels at an alter. There's a gold cross in the background. She's leaning on her elbows wiping at tears as she struggles.

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...

An older man looking slightly confused looks up at someone as he lifts a glass of water to his lips. He wears a brown button-up shirt.

How Can I Keep Husband with Dementia Hydrated in This Heat?

Dear Carol: My husband is in mid-stage Alzheimer’s. While there are many challenges, my most urgent question right now is how can...

This indoor image shows a blurred background with an older mother-daughter in the foreground. The daughter is one the left. She has a blonde bob, wire rimmed glasses, and wears a green sweater. The mother is on the right. She has steel gray hair drawn back and is wearing a dark, collared top. The younger woman has her arm around the older woman's shoulders and they both wear soft smiiles.

New Caregivers: Tips on Caring for Elderly Parents

I have interacted with countless professional and informal caregivers over the years, and I’ve noticed two prominent patterns that characterized my own...

Image background is a barely visible assisted living common room. Foreground shows two men. On the left is an older man, balding with a little gray hair. He's wearing a cream cardigan over a dark shirt. Next to him is his middle-aged son who has short, light brown hair. He's wearing a gray scarf around his neck over his dark jacket

Dementia Caregiver’s Experience Made Premium Incontinence Protection Easier to Find

As is the case with most people living with advanced dementia Harris Sterling’s father developed incontinence. Along with other difficult issues that...

And older woman with white hair sits in a chair with a younger woman in a medical coat leaning over her, touching her shoulder. They are both smiling.

Could a New Medication Be the Cause of Mom’s Increased Falls?

Dear Carol: My mom’s had a lot of health problems in her life, so her prescription list is long. Yet, sure enough,...

When Someone You Love Lives with Alzheimer’s and Doesn’t Recognize You

Watching a loved one move through the stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) can be one of life’s toughest and most heartbreaking challenges....

A vintage black and white photo of an old man in a gold shirt and sweater. He is my neighbor Joe taken from my book Minding Our Elders.

Being an Effective Care Partner May Mean Stepping Back

In healthy partnerships, a relationship is built on our ability to trust that the other person has our best interests in mind....

This closeup image shows a young woman with light blonde hair. fair skin, and blue eyes. Her hair is cut into a short bob with long front hair over one eye. She's looking to the side so what we see of her face if sad with a slightly reddened nose.

10 Common Causes of Caregiver Guilt

Wouldn’t it be nice to be a family caregiver who never gets frustrated and is an eternal optimist? Maybe there are some...

We see an older man wearing a white tee and drk pants sitting in a whieel chair. A pleasant looking young woman has her hands on the chair handles as if steaing him. She learns forard slightly as if speaking to him. Her clothing looks like white scrubs. Behind them are white sheers drawn over large windows.

How to Convince Your Parent Who Needs Help to Move to Assisted Living

Conventional wisdom says that we all want to stay in our own homes for as long as we can. That is likely...

Cover of Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories. The background is a sepia-toned room. In the foreground is a picture of the author's father, sitting in a contemplative pose with arms crossed. This image is also sepia-toned in browns of different shades. To the right is the book title.

Coping with the Stigma of Dementia

People stare. Most are not unkind; they are just curious. But when someone “different” from the norm becomes part of their environment,...