Memory loss

Understanding the Difference Between Healthy Reflection and Memory Loss

Dear Carol: I’m worried about my grandma. She’s a healthy, active 74-year-old who reads, volunteers, and plays Scrabble. Mom says Grandma is the...

Cover of Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories. The background is a sepia-toned room. In the foreground is a picture of the author's father, sitting in a contemplative pose with arms crossed. This image is also sepia-toned in browns of different shades. To the right is the book title.

Are People with Advanced Alzheimer’s Aware of Their Surroundings?

Even among medical experts, you will find differing opinions on how much someone with advanced dementia of any type understands. Alzheimer’s disease...

This black and white image shows an older man up close. We see his wrinkled brown, his busy eyebrows, and a side-eye expression . He holds reading glasses lense side down in front of his frowning mouth with one stem pointing upward.

Confabulation in Dementia Can Feel Like Hurtful Lies

When a person develops any form of dementia, it is difficult for family and friends to witness their diminishing capacity and the...

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...

This indoor image shows an older man with short white hair and a receding hairline. He wears a crips light blue collared shirt under a gray pullover sleeveless sweater. Sitting next to him is a younger man who has his arm around the older man's neck as he looks him in the face. We only sewe the back of the younger man's head. He has short brown curly hair and is wearhig a light pinkish colored long sleeved shirt.

Caregiver or Care Partner? What Evolving Terminology Means

Decades ago, when I began my caregiving life, I just did what I did. I’m not sure I was referred to as...

This image has a blurred outdoor background with pine trees. In the foreground we see an older man with very white hair and a trim beard and mustache. He wears a dark red jacket or sweater. Hugging in slightly from the side is a younger woman with very long, dark blonde hair and dark-rimmed rectangular glasses. She wears a very dark read garment that we see covering her arm that encircles the man.

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 of life’s toughest and most heartbreaking challenges....

This sepia-toned image shows an older could with content smiles since they have their arms around each other. We see the woman's profle as she looks off to the side. She has short, older fashioned brownish hair and is wearing a dark, formal wrap with a high, standing collar. The man has his hand on her shoulder and he looks out over her head. He's got receding gray hair and is wearing a dress suit with a white shirt and dark tie. Both have light skin.

Coping when Both Parents Have Dementia

“My mom and dad both have dementia. I am all alone taking care of them since. I have no one to help...

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...

This indoor images shows an older woman with short gray hair, covering her ears as if she is blocking out bad news. Her expression is sad and bewildered.

When One Parent Dies the Other Often Needs Extra Help

Long-term marriages generally evolve into a support system so efficient that even adult children hardly notice changes in their parents. If Dad’s...

An indoor image of a very old woman with dark, gray-steaked hair pulled back. She is exceptionally wrinkled. She looks to her side with her eyes looking up at someone. Dark shadows underscore her eyes. She wears a black and white checked apron type top over a green blouse.

Are People with Advanced Dementia Aware of Their Surroundings?

Even among medical experts, you will find differing opinions on how much someone with advanced dementia of any type understands. Alzheimer’s disease...