How to Communicate with a Senior 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...
Grief
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...
How to Talk About a Friend’s Death When Someone Has Dementia
A friend recently faced the task of letting her mother, who has mid-level dementia, know that the mother’s elderly brother had died....
Caregiver Guilt: How to Stop Feeling Guilty About Elderly Parents
Get used to it—the guilt, I mean. The incessant phone call thing was just one of the many games I had to...
Is It Normal to Grieve Before Someone Dies?
Nearly everyone involved in caring for an ill or aging loved one is experiencing some degree of grief. However, we don’t usually...
Hospice Care: Help During End Stages of Life
…We knew Dad was wearing down. He didn’t have long to live, but did he have to be in such discomfort? I...
When Your Loved One Rallies Before Death
Family members are often relieved and hopeful when a dying loved one suddenly becomes more aware of their surroundings or begins talking...
How to Engage in Self-Care While Grieving
Many caregivers watch their loved ones endure a long, slow decline that will eventually end in death. As they age, we grieve...
Life As a Caregiver: How to Make Tough Care Decisions
Many of us feel honored to provide care for our aging parents or ill spouses, but this honor can also present serious...
Breaking the News That a Loved One is Going on Hospice Care
When the paperwork was finally signed to get hospice care for my dad, I was grateful. There would now be a routine...
