Stroke

Supporting the Person with Dementia as They Are while Grieving What’s Lost

Dear Carol: My dad was my rock and was always there for his little daughter when I needed support, even more so after Mom...

The image shows a dark background with a shower head in the foreground. Water is on making a rainbow effect.

What to Do When a Senior Refuses 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...

A man or woman with a short mop of curly auburn hair, mostly covers their face with their hands. The viewer can see tears on the check and one eye that can be seen. They are wearing a black turtlenecked, long-sleeved sweater.

Is It Normal to Grieve long Before Someone Dies?

Nearly everyone involved in caring for an ill or aging loved one is experiencing some degree of grief. However, we don’t usually identify the...

Black and white image of older woman in an outdoor setting. She's got white hair and a wrinkled face. Her expression is a soft smile

Aphasia: Speech Problems Caused by Brain Injury

My uncle was an avid reader and loved playing word games. After a series of strokes, he had extreme difficulty communicating. The worst part...

Outdoor image of distant hills and trees. Foreground shows a couple with the man seated, possibly in a wheelchair. The man is bald with a beard and glasses. He wears a gray and white striped sweater. His head is turned sideways and he's smiling. The woman hugs him from the back as she stands. Her hair is in an Afro with golden tips and she's wearing a gray sweater.

Caring For Those in Chronic Pain: How Spouses Cope

Traditional marriage vows generally contain the words “through sickness and in health.” For some couples, chronic sickness in the form of a painful disease...

Father and adult daughter site together on a couch, each with a computer open. It appears that the daughter is helping the father figure out a computer problem. The daughter hs long brown hair and is wearing a white print shirt. The Father is wearing jeans and a white, long-sleeved shirt. The background is a room interior with shelving.

How Caregiving Can Change Your Personality

There’s no getting around it: being a family caregiver is bound to impact how you think and who you are as a person. Taking...

Balck and white image of a younger person with curly dark hair and wearing a white shirt bending over to kiss an older man on the cheek. The older man is smiling with please. He wears a white shirt and glasses, and is mostly bald.

8 Nearly Universal Truths of Dementia Caregiving

As we travel our own unique journeys, most of us find that certain phrases or concepts take on the status of truth in our...

Interior view of a large common room. A round, dark-wood table and two chairs are visible on the right. A large square coffee table is visible on the live. A large screened TV sits on a wall next to a fireplace. Windows cover one side.

What to Look for When Visiting Someone in a Care Facility

So, you and your loved one have taken the plunge. You’ve put in the time and effort to research senior housing options, take tours...

Background is a bright blue sky with clouds. An older woman with frizzy white hair is viewed from the back as she sits in a wheelchair looking up at the sky

You’re Not a Terrible Person If You’ve Secretly Wished Your Ill Loved One Could Die

Every so often, someone will admit that they secretly wish the person they’re caring for would pass away. Often, this person is sick, suffering,...

Affectionate older gray-haired couple, man in blue sweater and woman in red sweater.

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...