Relationships

Image is black and white. It shows a close up view of an older woman with curly white hair looking down. She's wiping tears from her eyes with a handkerchief by lowering her glasses. She wears a dark sweater. The impression is one of deep grief.

Minimizing Grief for a Surviving Spouse with Dementia

Deciding whether to tell someone who is cognitively impaired that their spouse has died is a serious and often recurring struggle. Dementia and death...

The image shows a gray-haired woman, presumably the grandmother, interacting with a teenager. The teenager has long brown hair and is looking at the grandmother in a fun way as she holds a cookie between her teeth.

Living with Elderly Parents: Do You Regret the Decision?

If you are like most family caregivers, you probably made a promise to your parent(s) years ago that you would never place them in...

Siblings Who Care More About Their Inheritance Than Mom and Dad’s Care

“We don’t want strangers taking care of Mom!” “We promised Dad he would never have to go to a nursing home!” “If you really...

A family dinner table with a happy black family sharing a meal. There is a husband/father with a beard wearing a blue shirt with rolled-up sleeves, a wife/mother with curly black hair wearing a gray top, and two children, a girl and a boy. The girl is in the foreground. They are all having a good time.

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...

The image shows an gray-haired woman in a red sweater sitting with a man, presumably her husband. The man has his arm around the woman. He wears a fedora with a red feather, dark-rimmed glasses, and a blue sweater.

Alzheimer’s: Theft, Paranoia or Forgetfulness?

“She took my sweater!” Victoria says. “I saw her. She stole it! That woman took the sweater my mother made for me!” But did...

The image shows an interior background with an older man and younger woman sitting on a couch looking at an electronic device. The man is balding and has a whote beard. He wear a light blue shirt. The woman has dark blond hair, a cream shirt, and jeans. They appear to be having fun.

Should You Convince Your Aging Parents to Move Closer to You?

As a columnist for a newspaper on the plains, I often have readers write me that they are begging their parents to “come back...

The image has a dark indoor background. In the foreground is an older woman with darker, wrinkled sking and very short white hair. She's wearing brown rimmed glasses and a top that has blue and white sleeves and trim with a deep red vest like shoulder. Her expression shows her eyes turning left and her mouth as if she's speaking bitter words.

Caring for Aging Parents Who Didn’t Care for You

Years ago, a journalist (we’ll call her Nancy) requested an interview with me to discuss common caregiving issues for an article she was writing....

The view is from the top looking down on a desk. We see the arms in a person with a white medical coat. They have the bulb from a blood pressure cuff in their hand as they measure blood pressure of the patient. The patient is seen from the back. He has short dark hair and is wearing a light blue, casual long-sleeved shirt.

Caregiver Needs Help Preparing for New Doctor in Different Network

Dear Carol: Since my mother’s doctor is retiring, she’s going to try someone recommended by a friend. The challenge is not just changing doctors, which...