Family

Image shows a blurred background of an with a speeding ambulance in the foreground. Ambulance shows red and blue graphics on white.

Elder Care Needs Can Change in an Instant

During the years I cared for multiple elders, I grew to dread the ringing of the telephone. It seemed most calls meant emergencies. One...

Image of a large room interior with multiple windows and seating. Muted earth tones dominate, with a deep brown couch.

Paying for Assisted Living: When Siblings Split Costs, What Is Fair?

There are many options for the care of our aging parents, but most of them are costly. There was a stretch of time during...

Older woman in a wheelchair wears a gray sweater. She has short, salt and pepper hair and has a appears happy. A younder woman, presumably her caregiver, is bending down to listen to the older woman. The caregiver has long brown hair, white skin, and has her hand on the wheelchair push handles.

How Involved Should Families Be When Elders Live in a Senior Living Facility?

Over the course of 15 years, five of my elderly loved ones lived, for various spans of time, in a nearby nursing home. I...

older, gray-haired man sitting at a table with younger man. The setting shows a room in a facility such as assisted living. Large windows appear in the background along with some foliage from a tree branch.

Do Parents Really Want to Live with Their Adult Children?

It’s difficult to pinpoint how many aging parents live with their adult children, but there is certainly a lot more interest in this type...

A very close shot of an older face. The person has blank looking blue eyes, the skin is white, sun damaged, and wrinkeled.

Repetitive Questions in Dementia Stems from Memory Loss and Confusion

Dear Carol: My mother, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, repeats the same question multiple times an hour. I know that’s typical behavior with...

Background of a light wood interior door in a large room. Foreground is a communal dining table set with flowers, cups and other white tablewear. Sitting at the table is an older couple. The white-haired woman is wearing a blue dress with a white collar. The white-haired man wis wearing a dark blue suit with military medals pinned to the jacket.

Encouraging Parents to Socialize After the Move to Senior Living

Moving to senior living is often a difficult transition for aging loved ones. Even elders who are on board with the decision to relocate...

Cover image of the book "Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories". Image showes older man looking pensive, with arms crossed over chest. Sepia tones show a light shirt. He's wearing dark rimmed glasses and has receding hair. Background is indoors, blurred and brownish tones.

Caregiving: A Legacy To Be Proud Of

Have you thought about what you’d want your obituary to say about you? I hadn’t until I was recently asked to write an article...

Mother and daughter sit on a park bench with trees and walkway i the background. The older woman weathers a tourqouise shirt with short sleeves. She sits with her hands in her lap. The younger woman with long black hair and glasses, wears a light orange sleeveless shirt and jeans. She has on hand placed on older woman's arm and they are both laughing.

Should You Quit Your Job To Care for Your Aging Parent?

As parents age and need more assistance, most adult children do what they can to help. For many, the first step is a weekly...

Older couple of Asian descent standing outside. Home featuring trees and flower pots. A short, gray haired woman in a light green dress smiles as her taller husband stands beside her, arm around her shoulders. He holds a a small bouquet of red and yellow freshly picked flowers in his other hand.

Surviving Providing Care for Multiple Older Adults at the Same Time

Each of our aging parents is unique. Some people age so well that they need little help until they are well into their eighties,...

Man and woman sit on a couch with expressions and gestures of those who are arguing. The woman has long brown hair and a light sweater. She's turned toward the man, with hands out in front as if explaining something. The many has arms crossed with one hand gesturing. He has dark brown hair and a beard and mustasch.

Hands-On Vs. Distance Caregivers Can Offer Different Perspectives

Dear Carol: I’m a husband and father living about 200 miles from my aging dad. Since my sister lives in his community, she checks...