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This indoor image has a window in the background where we see a blurred outdoor scene. In the foreground is a smiling older woman with short blonde hair. She has her head tilted with her chin down as she leans slightly forward in her chair gripping a cane. One hand is on top of the cane handle and the other grasps the stick of the cane.

Mom Won’t Use a Cane Because She Thinks It Makes Her Look Old

Dear Carol: My mom has always been a fashion slave. She’s looked young for her age from a distance due to rigorous weight control,...

A clear blue sky with puffy clouds is on the horizon as an older woman is seen from the back. She's got frizzy gray hair and is sitting in a wheelchair. She looks shadowed by the bright sun.

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...

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 hearing is...

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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....

The image shows a hospital room with white blinds closed in the background. Int he foreground, a tech is olding an IV line up as another tech wheels a patient with a cast from let to hip back to their bed. The first tech wears a white coat, then second one wear blue scrubs. The man in the chair is wearing a beige gown or robe.

Hospital Delirium: Cognitive Decline After Hospitalization

Note: While more is known now about hospital delirium, there is still not enough done to prevent hospital delirium or quickly treat it, if...

The image shows a background of a kit table covering done in cream. four decorative objects, one in pumpkin orange, the other shades of cream sit with a small sign that says, My brain has too many tabs open.

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 the last...

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 January 1...

The image shows an indoor background with a kitchen window. IN the foreground, a woman with brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, holders her hand to her forehead as she leans on her elbow. She wears a medium blue, short-sleeved shirt, and there's a water gladd sitting nearby. Her expression shows worry or sadness.

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 of moving...

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 (AD) in...

The image shows a closeup of a man with brown hair wearing a beige tee shirt. Heis face wears a bemused expression with raised eyebrows, blue eyes wide open, and mouth showing puzzlement.

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 experiences and...