Housing

This image shows a gate to an outdoor garden. The wrought iron gate is turquoise. In for foreground, we see an older couple with the woman standing beside her seated husband who holds a decorative wood cane uplifted against his chest. Both of them have short white hair, medium toned skin, and sober expressions. The woman wears a black and white narrow striped dress with a back collar. Her arm rests outward against the chair back behind the man. The man wears a plaid flannel garment buttoned mid- hest with a barely visible gray tee shirt under it.

Should You Convince Your Aging Parents to Move Closer to You?

As a columnist for a newspaper on the northern plains, I often have readers write me that they are begging their parents to “come...

An older couple is shown against a white background. They are both smiling. The woman has shorter brown, curly hair, and is wearing white, short-sleeve top. She holds her arm upward, so we see a bold bracelet. An older mane claps her hand from the back. He is wearing a white tee shirt and a small gold chair, plus a gold watch on his upraised arm. He wears dark wire-rimmed glasses, a trimmed beard and has thick but trimmed white hair.

How to Keep Seniors Active and Engaged

I recently spoke with a caregiver named Ann who was struggling with how to adapt to life as a caregiver. For the last several...

The indoor background is blurred. IN the foreground, we see an older dark skinned woman with short gray hair. She has a blue ribbon tied around her head. The blue blends with her brown top that has blue and red in the print. Under her short sleeved top, we see she is wearing a long-sleeved brown top. He expression ois one of pleasure as she holds her arms up to be guided in dance by a younger drak-skinned man. We only see a porteion of his face but he has a dark mustaches. His had that holds th arm of the woman wears a wedding ring.

Adult Day Services Can Fill a Gap for Seniors and Their Caregivers

Most older adults are keen on staying in their homes as they age, but family caregivers often struggle to meet their loved ones’ needs...

Respecting the Right to Age With Dignity

The impact of aging frequently makes the news. Sadly, the coverage is consistently negative, and all facets of this topic are portrayed as “problems”...

Multi-generational Households: The Ins and Outs of In-law Suites

When I was a teenager, my parents had a new home specifically built with separate quarters so my grandmother could live with us and...

This indoor closeup shows an older man in a cream-colored golf shrit. He's looking down at something interesting with an expressiona as though he's talking to someone. The viewer varely sees some grap hair on the far temple. He has a darker, thing mustache, and olive tonned skin. His downcast eyelids obscure his eyes.

Home is Where Our Heart Is, Especially for Older Adults

For many of us, the word “home” signifies refuge, safety, caring, and warmth –a sanctuary where we belong. It’s a place that we know...

This closeup is of an older woman's lap. She's wearing a back and white geometric print skirt under a cream cable-knit sweater. We see her hands, nails tipped with red polish as if growing out, holding a turquoise pillbox of the weekly variety.

Strategies for Getting (and Staying) Organized While Caregiving

Caring for a vulnerable elder can be rewarding as well as frustrating. It can increase our self-esteem to know that we are helping someone...

The image background is a blurred shelf with decorative objects. In the foreground we see an older coule. the sit closely with the mans' arm around the womans shoulders and the woman's hand placed against the man's chest. The man has brown hair and is wearing a light blue, long-sleeved shirt. He smiles as he looks down slightly at the woman's face. She has graying blonde hair and is wearing a gray long-sleeved sweater. Both have light skin and are smiling softly.

Caregiver Distressed That Wife Living at Home Still Wants to ‘Go Home’

Dear Carol: My wife of over 40 years has Alzheimer’s disease and I care for her at home. While I’ve worked to become educated...

This indoor image shows white sheer curtains in the background. In the foreground, we see an older woma with short gray hair and a gray sweater sitting in a wheelchair where we just view the handles. We see the face of a young woman with long, dark-blonde hair and light skin bending forward from the back to speak near the ear of the older woman. She appears to be pushing the wheelchair. Both women are smiling and look pleased.

Family and Professional Caregivers Are More Alike Than Different

Most of us who are family caregivers know that, while we often experience a sense of fulfillment when we provide care for our loved...

This indoor image shows two empty closets in the background. The walls are white. In the foreground we see piles of boxes taped with brown straping tape. Some boxes are white, others normal brown.

Downsizing Tips for Seniors Who Are Moving to Assisted Living

For most seniors, moving from a long-term home into an assisted living facility is difficult. For some, it’s nearly paralyzing. In addition to countless...