Relationships

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” that...

How to Talk to the Doctor About Your Elderly Parent or Spouse

A frequent problem expressed among family caregivers is that their aging loved ones aren’t honest with their doctors. At home, they may gripe about...

Dementia Can Open the Door to Artistic Expression

The treatment of people with dementia has changed dramatically since I first became personally involved with the disease. It’s now widely recognized that while...

What Is Parentification and How Does It Relate to Role Reversal?

I was pleased to see one on my articles referenced in this excellent piece about the relationship between aging parents and their adult children...

Hospital Delirium: Cognitive Decline After Hospitalization

In the expected course of treatment, people are hospitalized because they are ill. Then, barring a terminal condition, they are released because they are...

Balancing Elder Care with Other Relationships

Becoming a family caregiver is often something that either happens very suddenly or slowly sneaks up on a person. When a loved one has...

Reconciling Grief & 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....

Cognitive Decline After Illness Common, but Check Medications, Too

Dear Carol: Until about six months ago, my mom, 93, was as cognitively sharp as ever. Unfortunately, she was hospitalized for several days for...

How to Support a Friend Who Has a Chronic Illness

Living with a chronic illness, such as cancer, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, or an immune disorder, can be isolating and...