Communication

5 Essential Steps for the Senior Care Conversation

A Place for Mom continues to add to the conversation about how caregiving affects the lives of women. I recently had the...

An young woman stands close to an older man, leaning slighly against him. The man is bald and wears glasses and a gray shirt. The young woman has medium brown hair pulled back with strands in front and wears a green sweater. They are both smiling.

Understanding the Transition from Just Helping Out to Becoming a Caregiver

Dear Carol: My parents are in their 80s and not that healthy. Dad has diabetes and heart issues that have required two...

An older bald man with glasses, wearing a gray button-up shirt hugs a younger woman to his side. He wears a slight smile. The younger woman is looking toward the camera and smiling, as well. Her blond hair is pulled back and she wears a light sage sweater.

Compassionate Dementia Care Means Avoiding Harsh, Literal Truth

Dear Carol: I understand that people with dementia who tell outrageous stories aren’t really lying. It’s got to be horrible to feel...

This indoor image shows an older man being helped as he walks. We see white framed windows in the background with a hazy outdoor view of another white building. The man, who is on teh left, has curly white hair, dark skin and is wearing a blue pullover sweater. His arm is held by a women with medium length, curly dark hair and dark skin. She is wearing a yellow cardigan open in fron to show a white wrap top, plus jeans.

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...

Man and woman sit on a couch with expressions and gestures of those who are arguing. The woman has long brown hair and a light sweater. She's turned toward the man, with hands out in front as if explaining something. The many has arms crossed with one hand gesturing. He has dark brown hair and a beard and mustasch.

What to Do When Siblings Can’t Agree on a Parent’s Care Needs

For some lucky families, having all adult siblings gather around and plan how to take care of Mom and Dad as their...

How to Communicate with Someone Who Can No Longer Speak

Years ago, I stumbled upon a video that remains vivid in my mind. In it, an elderly couple who had spent a...

The word THANKFUL is spelled in gold capital letters around which are brown and gold images of leaves, pumpkins and acorns. The background is dark wood, perhaps a diningroom table.

Cherish Holiday Gatherings with Aging Parents Leaving Serious Discussions for Later

Dear Carol: Though my family is large, we happily gather at our parents’ house each Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year should be like...

An older man sits at a table hugging a brown plate to his chest. He's leaning toward the table and sucking on a sucker stick as he looks over his glasses at someone. He has short gray hair in a classic cut ad wears a brown plaid shirt.

Getting Medications Down Someone with Dementia Who Can’t/Won’t Take Pills

Dementia care demands incredible creativity. The ever changing needs of the person who has dementia challenges family caregivers and professionals alike. One...

Image background is light purple. On top is a banner that says Memory Board in white with a heart next to it. Beneath that we see the image of a electronic tabliet. The words we see are to remind a loved one when the family will be over and to say, "love you."

Memoryboard: A Tool Designed by Caregivers to Bring Comfort and Connection

Sponsored We developed Memoryboard based on our family’s experience with loved ones with memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. We saw firsthand the...