Dementia

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 identify the...

How to Respond When Someone with Dementia Hallucinates

Dear Carol: My dad has Lewy body dementia (LBD) and likely Alzheimer’s, as well. The current crisis is that he thinks bugs are crawling...

An older woman is sitting in an easy chair but leaning slightly forward and to her right side. She has short steel-gray hair with whispy bangs, grazing her forehead. Her expression is annoyed, as she holds her hands over her ears. has an annoyed expression

5 Tips for Safeguarding Ear Health

Hearing problems don’t just happen to the very old. Boomers, as well as their parents, need to pay attention to ear health. Working with...

This black and white image has a dark background. In the right foreground, we see an older man with short likely graying hair parted on the side, the front grazing his forehead. We see a wrinkled brow and frustrated expression on his face. He appears to be wearing a pull-over sweatshirt with a drawstring.

Aphasia: Speech Problems Caused by Brain Injury

My uncle was an avid reader and loved playing word games. After a series of strokes, he had extreme difficulty communicating. The worst part...

This indoor image shows a gray wall in the background. An older woman sits on a lavender and green print couch She has short, dyed blonde hair and wears a purple short-sleeved dress and glasses. She holds a smart phone to her ear and she listens to someone talking to her. Her expression is pleasant with a slight smile.

Protecting Older Adults from Scams While Honoring Their Autonomy

Dear Carol: I understand that scammers have always targeted older adults, but technology is making this a nightmare. My 84-year-old mother is generous and...

This image is the cover of "Bringing Art to Life" by Daniel Potts. Close up on the left, we see a bright yellow sphere, with orage on top. Further down is more yellow with splotches of color on the left. The sphere could be a hat or a paint pallet. The cover art is slightly abstractt.

Dementia Can Open the Door to Artistic Expression

The treatment of people with dementia has changed dramatically since I first became personally involved with the disease. It’s now widely recognized that while...

This image has a black background. In the foreground we see an older woman on the left with long gray, flowing hair. She's wearing a black and white print sleeveless dress. With her eyes closed, she's holding her cheek out toward a younger woman who is kissing it. the younger woman has dark hair and is wearing a black and white striped open-collared shirt. both women have medium toned skin.

Caregiver Upset by Lack of Clarification Regarding Medical Terms

Dear Carol: I’m frustrated with medical people who think family caregivers should automatically understand their abbreviated terms. At appointments, my mom’s doctor asks about...

This outdoor scene shows thick bushes in the background. In the foreground, we see an older man who is bald in fromt but has gray hair along the sides. He sits on teh broud with his arms wrapped around his knees as he looks off into the distance. He's wearing a black, gray, and white striped golf-style shirt.

Learning About Normal Aging and Capacity Can Prevent Future Family Division

Dear Carol: I’m 84 years old and as a past caregiver, I appreciate how you balance the legitimate concerns of caregivers with respect and...

An fit-looking older man sits in a comfortable chair. He's wearing a dark collared cardigan over a white golf style shirt, We shee his lighter brown pantsleg on whiche one had rests. He's golding a phone to his ear with the other hand, and by his expression, enjoying the conversation. This gentleman has light skin, are receding hairline with closely cut gray hoir on the sides, and he wears modern wire-rimmed glasses.

Maintaining a Sense of Purpose Relieves Loneliness and Lowers Dementia Risk

Dear Carol: I’m worried about my healthy, recently retired father. He had a high-energy, social personality so his successful sales career suited him. When...