Neighbor Asks if She Should Alert Woman’s Absent Family about Cognitive Changes
Dear Carol: I’ve lived next door to a woman for over twenty years, and while we aren’t close, we’re friendly and occasionally get...
Communication
Caregivers: You’re Doing a Better Job Than You Think!
Caring for a vulnerable person is daunting. We have to make decisions for them that are often a matter of quality of...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
