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...
Relationships
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...
Dementia Losses Painful, but Focus on What’s Still Possible
Dear Carol: My brilliant wife was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 62. She faced this diagnosis with her trademark courage. I’ve been...
Tips for Balancing Caregiving Relationships between Generations
Caregiving can creep into your life or crash down with a bang, but either way, if we aren’t thinking ahead, we can find that...
Family and Professional Caregivers Are More Alike Than Different
Most of us who are family caregivers know that, while we often experience a sense of fulfillment when we provide care for our loved...
Alzheimer’s: Theft, Paranoia or Forgetfulness?
The truth, as they see it, is still the truth in their eyes. Delusions, hallucinations, agitation, aggression, and depression are all part of the...
Should You Agree with How Someone Living with Dementia Sees Reality?
It was not unlike any other day, but on this particular afternoon Dad was adamant. He was waiting for his medical degree from the...
The Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease
The only certainty when diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease is that a senior’s condition will progressively worsen. The National Alzheimer’s Association has developed a very...
Dad Agonizes Over the Inevitable Loss of Privacy After Death
Dear Carol: My dad is a retired college professor and researcher with a reserved nature. He’s told me that while he’s come to accept...
