Mental Health

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How Often Should You Visit After Someone Moves to Memory Care?

Dear Carol: My mom is on a waiting list for memory care and should be able to move in soon. I’m struggling to accept...

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A Caregiver’s Struggle: Balancing an Elder’s Sense of Purpose with Their Safety

A recent question brought back memories from my early days of caregiving. The member wrote, “My 81-year-old father still thinks he can do handyman...

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Caregiver Guilt: How to Stop Feeling Guilty About Elderly Parents

Get used to it – the guilt, I mean. The incessant phone call thing was just one of the many games I had to...

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Siblings Who Feel Shut Out of Caregiving

There’s a great deal of anger in the world of family caregiving over siblings who don’t help care for their aging parents. Very often,...

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Handling Controlling Elderly Parents

The responsibility of providing care for an aging or ill loved one is a monumental challenge in its own right. But when a care...

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What to Do When Siblings Can’t Agree on a Parent’s Care Needs

For some lucky families, having all adult siblings gather around and plan how to take care of Mom and Dad as their parents’ health...

Family Disagrees about Moving Widowed Mom Weeks After Husband’s Death

Dear Carol: Dad died two weeks ago at 89 years of age. Mom is 87 and has what they think is early-stage Alzheimer’s. She’s...

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How to Communicate with Someone Who Can No Longer Speak

Years ago, I stumbled upon a video that remains vivid in my mind. In it, an elderly couple who had spent a lifetime devoted...

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What to Do When Older Adults Refuse to Bathe and Change Their Clothes

When it comes to caring for the elderly, hygiene issues are surprisingly common. Determining why their bathing habits have changed is the best way...

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Alcoholism in the Elderly: How Can You Help?

Millions of people consume alcohol, but each person has their own unique relationship with this substance. While many can drink in moderation without it...