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?’ “...
Dementia
Once Close Friends Often Drift Away after Dementia Diagnosis
Dear Carol: My 67-year-old mother struggles to care for her 75-year-old husband with Alzheimer’s. In many ways, things are going pretty well,...
When a Person with Dementia Says, ‘I Just Want to Go Home’
“I want to go home.” Nearly every dementia caregiver has heard this heartbreaking plea from their loved one. They may already be...
A Caregiver’s Struggle: Balancing an Elder’s Sense of Purpose with Their Safety
As caregivers, we walk a thin line between keeping our loved ones safe and helping to preserve their independence. One of my...
Should Your Parent Risk an Anesthesia Disaster or Forego Surgery?
Just last week, a reader asked me whether she should try to sway her mother, who had colon cancer, toward surgery. Her...
The Emotional Toll of Moving Your Elderly Parent to Senior Living
Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home. For most of us, the feeling is less about how large or...
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...
Why an Older Adult Might Refuse to Bathe or Change Their Clothes
When it comes to caring for the elderly, hygiene issues are surprisingly common. Determining why their bathing habits have changed is the...
The Hazards of Alcoholism in the Elderly
Millions of people consume alcohol, but each person has their own unique relationship with this substance. While many are able to drink...
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...
