7 Pitfalls to Avoid When Visiting Someone with Dementia
Whether you’re caring for someone with dementia or visiting them from time to time you’ll want to do your best to make them feel...
Communication
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 experiences and...
Confabulation in Dementia Can Feel Like Hurtful Lies
When a person develops any form of dementia, it is difficult for family and friends to witness their diminishing capacity and the unbearable frustration...
Gifting a Family Caregiver without Creating Extra Burden
Dear Carol: My friend’s husband has been living with Alzheimer’s disease for several years which, of course, has dramatically changed both of their lives....
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 lifetime devoted...
Dad Agonizes Over the Inevitable Loss of Privacy After Death
Dear Carol: My dad is a retired college professor and researcher with a reserved nature. He’s told me that while he’s come to accept...
A Caregiver’s Struggle: Balancing an Older Adult’s Sense of Purpose with Their Safety
A recent question on the AgingCare Caregiver Forum brought back memories from my early days of caregiving. The member wrote, “My 81-year-old father still...
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 lifetime devoted...
Making Hard Decisions: Listen to the Emotions Behind Their Words
Dear Carol: I’m struggling to understand how to help my dad who has dementia. I can be with him for part of each day...
10 Things Not to Say to a Person Living with Dementia
Providing care for someone who lives with any type of dementia — whether it’s Alzheimer’s, vascular, Lewy body, or any of the myriad incarnations —...
