A Common Caregiver Confession: “I Secretly Wish My Ill Loved One Would Die”
Every so often, someone on the AgingCare Caregiver Forum will admit that they secretly wish the person they’re caring for would pass...
Death and dying
How to Get Over Feelings That Prevent You from Visiting Someone at a Care Facility
People cite numerous reasons for why they hate visiting nursing homes. Some can’t stand funky smells, others find the sight of disengaged,...
Why Caregivers Shouldn’t Feel Guilty About Calling Hospice
Accepting that our own or a loved one’s life is limited to a few months, weeks or days is gut-wrenching. However, when...
Music Therapy Can Increase Quality of Life for Those in Hospice
For many, music from certain eras can bring back memories of better times. For others, music soothes anxiety or gets them pumped...
Imperfection Is Perfect: Cherish Your Messy Christmas as Unique and Precious
(Reprinted from my column “Minding Our Elders” – December 23, 2023) Dear Carol: I can only imagine how often you’ve heard from caregivers...
Family Deaths Will Alter Holiday Traditions but Life Still Offers Hope
Dear Carol: My husband and I used to go all out with a fresh tree, lots of decorations, and big family gatherings....
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...
Having “The Talk”: How to Discuss End-of-Life Issues with Parents
Sex and death: It’s odd that these two topics of conversation should bring so much anxiety to parents and children. One addresses...
Siblings Who Feel Shut Out of Caregiving
There’s a great deal of anger in the world of family caregiving over siblings who don’t help care for their aging parents....
Minimizing Grief for a Surviving Spouse with Dementia
Deciding whether to tell someone who is cognitively impaired that their spouse has died is a serious and often recurring struggle. Dementia...
