Minding Our Elders

Minding Our Elders Blog

this indoor image shows a gray-haired woman with dark skin waring a dressy violet pull-over knit sweater. She sits in a wheelchair and is smiling at the camera.

Adult Day Services Can Fill a Gap for Seniors and Their Caregivers

Most seniors are keen on staying in their homes as they age, but family caregivers often struggle to meet their loved ones’...

Caring for Aging Parents Who Didn’t Care for You

Years ago, a journalist (we’ll call her Nancy) requested an interview with me to discuss common caregiving issues for an article she...

How to Stop Feeling Guilty About Aging Parents

The first call of the day from your mom, you can handle. “Oh, hi, Mom. Yes, it’s a very pretty day. Maybe...

A field of yellow, red, white, and mixed tulips dominates the image, with an American flag leaning slightly inward and waving in the breeze.

Wishing you a meaningful Memorial Day

On this Memorial Day, we honor those we’ve lost. Memorial Day also symbolizes the beginning of summer, so I’m hoping you have...

With Medical Test and Treatments for Older Adults, Often Less is More

Dear Carol: I’m upset because my dad, age 84, is refusing a colonoscopy even though he’s had some blood in his stools....

A Story from the Sandwich Generation: Caring for Kids and Parents

Watching out for elders has always come naturally for me. I grew up close to my grandparents, and during my teenage years,...

Cover of Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories. The background is a sepia-toned room. In the foreground is a picture of the author's father, sitting in a contemplative pose with arms crossed. This image is also sepia-toned in browns of different shades. To the right is the book title.

Should You Join Someone With Dementia in Their Reality?

It was not unlike any other day, but on this particular afternoon, Dad was adamant. He was waiting for his medical degree...

The Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease (the 7 Stage Model)

The only certainty when diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease is that a senior’s condition will progressively worsen. The national Alzheimer’s Association has developed...

This indoor image shows a woman with Asian features, long, dark hair tied back lovingly hugging an older adult from behind. The older adult, also appearing Asian, has thin gray hair drawn ack and wears a red jacket. The younger woman has one hand on the olde adult's arm and with the oppsing arm slung around their shoulder. The older person is touching the younger person's hand on the shoulder.

Is It Normal to Grieve 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...

This indoor image shows an older man in the forground. He's sitting in a chair but looking up at a younger woman who is smiling at him. He wears a pastel plaid summer sport shirt and she wears a white professional jacket.

Hospice Care: Help During the End Stages of Life

“No one needs to die in pain.” That is what the social worker told me as I signed the papers that would...