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Outdoor image of distant hills and trees. Foreground shows a couple with the man seated, possibly in a wheelchair. The man is bald with a beard and glasses. He wears a gray and white striped sweater. His head is turned sideways and he's smiling. The woman hugs him from the back as she stands. Her hair is in an Afro with golden tips and she's wearing a gray sweater.

Caring For Those in Chronic Pain: How Spouses Cope

Traditional marriage vows generally contain the words “through sickness and in health.” For some couples, chronic sickness in the form of a painful disease...

Image shows a closeup of multi-colored file folders with red in the foreground, going to orange, purple pinks and on to green

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...

Woman in blue tee shirt standing by a table showing a book that looks like a picture album to a seated older man in a read flannel

Having “The Talk”: Discussing End-of-Life Issues with Parents

Sex and death: It’s odd that these two topics of conversation should bring so much anxiety to parents and children. One addresses the beginning...

Woman with long, graying hair in braids is wearing a gray sweater. Her hands are held palms open and up, out in front as if trying to explain something.

4 Challenging Caregiver Situations Many Caregivers Face

Caregiving throws many challenges our way, including establishing care routines for our elders that are not only challenging but may be somewhat embarrassing. By...

Imagine of book cover for Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories. Background is is a room blurred in muted brown tones. Foreground is of the author's father - an older man with dark rimmed glasses looking aside with a pensive expression on his face. Arms folded across chest in a relaxed posture.

Alzheimer’s and Dementia Books: Best Reads for Family Caregivers

Note: I was interviewed by A Place for Mom about caregiving books, so I chose just some of my favorites (can’t name them all)....

Older grandfatherly bald man in a dark suit, light blue shirt, and red tie with exagerated frown and stubborn look.

Coping With Older Adults Who Won’t Accept In-Home Caregivers

Hiring in-home care for my elderly neighbor, Joe was quite an ordeal. The company we chose and their professional caregivers were great, but the...

Making an Assisted Living Apartment Feel Like Home

While change is difficult for people of all ages, deviating from the status quo seems to become even more taxing as we get older...

Aging Parents Refuse to Assign POA because They ‘Feel Fine’

Dear Carol: My parents are in their 70s and healthy for their age. I’m the only adult child who lives near them, so it’s...

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...

When You Witness Cognitive Decline, Step in with Respect

Dear Carol: My mom and I have always had a good relationship, and I’ve admired her sharp brain and great humor. She was a...