Family

Old woman with glasses wearing a huge sombrero type straw hat colored with orange, yellow, and red circles. Her expression is bemused and slightly confused.

Far Too Many People Still Attach a Stigma to Illnesses That Cause Dementia

Anyone who has cared for a disabled child or has a visible disability of their own knows this. However, people who care for an...

The background is the exterior of an older brick building. Foreground is an old woman in a flowered hat and contrasting flowered shirt and beige pants slouching in a wheelchair. Her expression is unhappy

Some People Aren’t Happy Unless They Complain. How to Cope with an Older Adult’s Negativity

Some Seniors Are Prone to Chronic Complaining: If an aging loved one has always been abrasive, complaining may be the only way they know...

Two younger adults facing each other arguing and pointing fingers. Both the man and woman are likely Asian descent. The man wears a dark gray tee shirt and the woman wear a dark gray elbow length top

Adult Siblings Are Often in Denial About a Parent’s Declining Health

Whether it stems from a subconscious need to ignore the fact that a parent is declining, or they want to pretend that caring for...

The Sacrifices of Caregiving: Yes They Are Real

The plain truth is that assuming the responsibility of caring for another person dramatically alters one’s life. This change can happen abruptly or it...

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How to Overcome Feelings That Prevent You From Visiting Someone in a Care Facility

People cite numerous reasons for why they hate visiting care facilities. Some can’t stand funky smells, others find the sight of disengaged, listless seniors...

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How Hiring a Handyman Can Help Your Older Parents

Years ago I saw a van whose driver was letting teenagers off in front of the local high school, where I was doing the...

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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...

Image background is a green house with rows of flowers. Foregound is a middle-aged couple. The gray haired man is tall and wearing a brown sweater. He's embracing a woman with long brown hair drawn back showing gray hair at the temples. She's wearing a brown and white print summer dress with off-the-shoulder ruffle.

Accepting Alzheimer’s Diagnosis Hard, Yet Capacity for Joy Remains

Dear Carol: Six months ago, our lives changed when my husband, age 58, was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease. He has good doctors who...