Mental Health

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Confabulation: How the “Lies” That People Living with Dementia Tell Aren’t Really Lies

When a person develops any form of dementia, it is difficult for family and friends to witness their diminishing capacity and the unbearable frustration...

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Coping with Alzheimer’s Caregiver Burnout

You watch your once mentally sharp loved one decline before your eyes. Their uncontrollable behaviors, mood swings, outbursts, confusion, and memory loss are heartbreaking....

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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...

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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You’re Not a Terrible Person If You’ve Secretly Wished Your Ill Loved One Could Die

Every so often, someone will admit that they secretly wish the person they’re caring for would pass away. Often, this person is sick, suffering,...

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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...

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Should Your Elderly Loved One Move in With You?

Decades ago, it was fairly common to have grandparents living with family and it often worked well. It did for my family. My parents...

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When a Person Living with Dementia Says, ‘I Just Want to Go Home’

Update: Some current thinking is that the emotion behind this sad lament is more about finding a level of emotional comfort than thinking back...

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Choosing Senior Housing and Care Based on Your Parent’s Needs

As our population ages and more of our national focus is on senior care, we can find ourselves in a muddle over confusing choices....

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Specialized Moving Services Ease Transitions to Senior Living Communities

When an aging parent transitions from their home to assisted living, independent living, a nursing home, or a relative’s home, it can be a...