Mental Health

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...

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...

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...

Image shows woman with light brown hair drawn into a ponytail. Her head bends forward, showing forehead in her hand. Elbow is on the table, with a water glass nearby. She wears a blue, short-sleeved shirt. The image is one of profound sadness.

Coping With the Decision to Put Your Parent in a Care Facility

Guilt is one emotion that every family caregiver will experience at some point during their journey. When you take on responsibility for another person,...

Image shows blurred dark alter or table. ON tip are rows of votive candle holders, some with lit candles and some empty. We see a total of five flames, three in back and two in the foregroud.

Mixed Emotions: Grief and Relief When the Loved One You Cared for Dies

When my mother died in a local nursing home, my “career” of visiting this exceptional facility nearly every day for almost 15 years ended....

Brown haired woman lying back on bed with hands covering face in emotion and tears.

Hindsight Can Be a Blessing or a Curse for Caregivers

They say hindsight is 20/20. But things from the past that may seem “clear” to you now can still be distorted by difficult emotions...

Brown haired woman sitting in front of a laptop computer, silver in color. She's holding her head with her raised hands in frustration or worry.

5 Questions to Determine the Impact of Caregiving on the Caregiver

Are you prepared to take on the responsibility of caring for a family member? Will you be able to handle the commitment of moving...

Close up image of brown haired woman, long hair covering part of her face, screaming in frustration.

New Caregivers: Tips on Caring for Elderly Parents

I have interacted with countless professional and informal caregivers over the years, and I’ve noticed two prominent patterns that characterized my own experiences and...

The image background shows an indoor room, probably a bedroom with decorative pillows. Foreground is a sitting older man looking dignified with his white hair and relaxed pose. He's wearing a maroon sweater with a front zipper. We see a blue and white shirt collar above the zip. His hands are folded in front of him and he leans on a chair arm with his right elbow.

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 (AD) in...