Death and dying

This holiday image shows a cold, stary sky with snowy evergreens along a street lit with light. A tall building with lit windows and Christmas decorations on the main floor faces the street.

Christmas Is Here: Our Best Is Good Enough

The decisions caregivers must make during the Christmas holidays are fraught with opportunities to make mistakes in judgment. Chief among them is how much...

This indoor image shows an older woman with short, curly, redish brown hair and dark rimmed glassed. hes got her fingers pressed against the sides of her forehead and is looking down, forehead creased, and sad. her clothing is dark but she's wearing a turqouoise necklace and a small bracelet on each bare arm.

Making It Through Holidays with Grief and Loss in Our Hearts

Dear Carol: I’m a new widow dreading all the Christmas hoopla and yearly optimism of a New Year. Planning Christmas presents for my grandkids...

This indoor image shows a closeup of a woman with long brown hair holding her hands over her face. She's wearing red nail polish, wedding rings, and a black modern watch along with a rust colored sweater or wrap visible on her shoulders. She appears to be crying or at least frustrated.

Common Caregiver Thoughts We Aren’t Proud Of

Wouldn’t it be nice to be a family caregiver who never gets frustrated and is an eternal optimist? Maybe there are some like that...

An outdoor view with semi-cloudy sky, green grass, and a multi-storied, red brick building in the foreground. One sees cement walks and a crosswalk in front.

How to Get Over Feelings That Prevent You From Visiting the Nursing Home

People cite numerous reasons for why they hate visiting nursing homes. Some can’t stand funky smells, others find the sight of disengaged, listless seniors...

The indoor setting shows two women sitting on a beige couch with white alls in the background. One the left is an older woman with her head turned. She has short gray hair and is wearing a cream colored blouse. By her side is a young woman with long brown hair in a low ponytail. She is wearing medium blue scrubs and has stethoscope hanging around her neck.

Calling On Hospice Care Doesn’t Mean You Gave Up

A billboard in my city carries a simple message: “Most families say, ‘Why did we wait so long to call hospice?’ “ When I...

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How to Stay Sane During the Holidays as a Sandwich Generation Caregiver

If one can believe the old Westerns, frontier women were the ultimate multi-taskers. They could rock a cradle with their foot to quiet a...

Second-Guessing Ourselves Is Part of the Caregiving Experience

Dear Carol: Over years of caring for my husband who had a combination of vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s, I found myself gradually becoming less...

This image shows a classic hospital room with a insturtional cover over sheets on a hospital bed. There's is a gray visitor's chair near the bed.

Should Your Parent Risk an Anesthesia Disaster or Forego Surgery?

Note: More is known now about the downfalls of surgery on older adults, yet some are still undergoing surgery that leaves them more damaged...

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 the beginning...

This black and white image shows a close view of a woman with downturned head, hands covering her face in grief. She has dark hair and Hispanic looks.

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...