What to Do When a Senior Refuses to Bathe and Change Their Clothes
The responsibility of providing care for an aging or ill loved one is a monumental challenge in its own right. But when...
Minding Our Elders Blog
Dementia Can Open the Door to Artistic Expression
The treatment of people with dementia has changed dramatically since I first became personally involved with the disease. It’s now widely recognized...
5 Tips for Keeping Your Brain Healthy While Caregiving
Many of us cope with the stress of caring for someone who has dementia. We agonize over the increasing losses that our...
What Is Parentification and How Does It Relate to Role Reversal?
I was pleased to see one on my articles referenced in this excellent piece about the relationship between aging parents and their...
When You Witness Cognitive Decline, Step in with Respect
Dear Carol: My mom and I have always had a good relationship, and I’ve admired her sharp brain and great humor. She...
Hospital Delirium: Cognitive Decline After Hospitalization
In the expected course of treatment, people are hospitalized because they are ill. Then, barring a terminal condition, they are released because...
How to Engage in Self-Care While Grieving
Many caregivers watch their loved ones endure a long, slow decline that will eventually end in death. As they age, we grieve...
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...
When One Parent Dies the Other Often Needs a Long-Term Care Plan
Long-term marriages generally evolve into a support system so efficient that even adult children hardly notice changes in their parents. If Dad’s...
Journaling for Caregivers: Rediscover Yourself and Reclaim Your Life
At some point during your caregiving journey, you may find yourself in a rut. The awareness may come with a birthday, a...
