Minding Our Elders

Minding Our Elders Blog

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A New Generation of Caregivers: Grandchildren Taking Care of Grandparents

A new generation of young people is stepping up to help their aging and ill family members. Although the Caregiving in the U.S. 2020...

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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 hearing is...

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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 change in...

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Mixed Emotions: Grief and 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....

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8 Tips from a Healthy Aging Expert

Like many Alzheimer’s advocates, I support increased funding for Alzheimer’s research. The goal is to discover a cure. However, the current reality is that...

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Tips to Help Older Adults Avoid Dehydration During Summer Heat

Dear Carol: We’re heading into the hottest part of summer and I’m getting nervous for my 79-year-old mother. She likes it warm, which I...

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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 difficult emotions...

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5 Questions to Determine the Impact of Caregiving on the Caregiver

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

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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...