Relationships

This indoor images shows an older woman with short gray hair, covering her ears as if she is blocking out bad news. Her expression is sad and bewildered.

When One Parent Dies the Other Often Needs Extra Help

Long-term marriages generally evolve into a support system so efficient that even adult children hardly notice changes in their parents. If Dad’s...

A New Year Calls for a New Attitude Toward Caregiving

How long has it been since you’ve distanced yourself from caregiving long enough to decide what is good for you? When was...

Hindsight Can Be a Blessing or a Curse for Caregivers

They say hindsight is 20/20. But things from the past that may seem “clear” to you now can still be distorted by...

The image shows a gray desktop with a window in the background. In front is a spiral bound calendar standing upright showing a front page that in read says: Life is short. Do stuff that matters.

New Year’s Resolutions for Caregivers

It’s human to want a fresh start. Even though I know that December 31 of one year is rarely that different from...

Questions to Determine the Impact of Caregiving on You and Your Family

Are you prepared to take on the responsibility of caring for a family member? Will you be able to handle the commitment...

the indoor image is of a celebratory combination of gold egg shaped bulbs and white ones on ticks in a vase. There are additional gold and white twisted favors stuck in the base, too.

Happy 2025 to You All from Minding Our Elders!

On New Year’s Day I often think of how, as a small child, I’d revel in my new pointy crayons and fresh...

An indoor image of a very old woman with dark, gray-steaked hair pulled back. She is exceptionally wrinkled. She looks to her side with her eyes looking up at someone. Dark shadows underscore her eyes. She wears a black and white checked apron type top over a green blouse.

Are People with Advanced Dementia Aware of Their Surroundings?

Even among medical experts, you will find differing opinions on how much someone with advanced dementia of any type understands. Alzheimer’s disease...

New Caregivers: Tips on Caring for Elderly Parents

I have interacted with countless professional and informal caregivers over the years, and I’ve noticed two prominent patterns that characterized my own...

This festive indoor image shows a family table with windows in the background and holiday lighting. Four arms are show toasting with stemmed glasses containing red wine. On the left, an arm shows a dark red sweater sleeve and ext to that person, we see an arm clad in black. Two bear arms show on the right as if short sleeves are worn.

Communicating with Intentional Goodwill Key to New Year’s Caregiving Conversations

Dear Carol: Our parents are in their mid-80s and are comparatively healthy. While I live near them, I work and have kids,...

This image shows a blurred indoor background in black and gray. The foreground shows an older woman dressed up for an event. She las curled gray hair and is wear a double-stranded pearl necklace with a light yellow, bulky knit jacket. Her expression shows a soft smilt as she seems to be looking at someone off camera.

Coping with Repetition Caused by Dementia

According to the Alzheimer’s Association repetition is common in individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia, often in association with a person’s desire...