Death and dying

New Year’s Resolution for Caregivers: Reframe Guilt as Regret

Dear Carol: Once upon a time, I closed out each year with satisfaction and looked forward with optimism to the next. Now, after taking...

When a Loved One with Alzheimer’s Doesn’t Recognize You

Watching a loved one move through the stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) can be one life’s toughest and most heart-breaking challenges. If we had...

10 Common Caregiver Confessions

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...

Detaching With Love: Setting Boundaries With Difficult Elderly Parents

When the family member we are trying to care for is critical, impossible to please or emotionally abusive, long-standing family dynamics are often to...

Mom with Dementia Begs to Go Home: How to Help

Dear Carol: I take care of my 93-year-old mother in my home. Mom’s been physically frail for years, yet until recently, she’s remained cognitively...

The Substantial Sacrifices of Caregiving

Most caregivers have some idea of how they intended to spend their lives. But thanks to medical advancements, aging parents are living longer than...

Why Caregivers Shouldn’t Feel Guilty About Calling Hospice

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

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 away. Often,...

Thanksgiving: Gratitude Is Possible Even During Tough Times

Dear Carol: As Thanksgiving approaches, I’m struggling because my husband of 53 years can no longer reliably recognize who I am. After several years...