Minding Our Elders

Minding Our Elders Blog

A rutic, brown wood table is bare except for a spiral notebook that's open to a blank page. A fountain pen rests on top as if it awaits someone's thoughts.

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...

a closeup image of an oldr man with a weathered face and a lost yet determined look on his face. We see his gray hair under a tan colored baseball style hat and he wears a navy golf shirt with white stripes in the collar.

People Experiencing Dementia Symptoms May Deny Any Concerns

Dear Carol: Do people with dementia deny their disease because of the stigma, or do they just not know they have it?...

This image has a black background. In the foreground we see a close up of an oval-shaped female face that seems to be floating due to the dark clothing below. She has her hand raised and slightly cupped along the side of her face. Her expression is sober, her eyes tilted downward.

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...

We see a blurred outdoor background with trees. In the forground, a woman with long blonde hair learns her head to one side on her upheld hand. She's looking away from the camera with a sad expression. Her eyes appear blue and she's wearing red lipstick, with the blue of her shirt barely visible in the image.

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...

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.

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...

This image has a blurred outdoor background with pine trees. In the foreground we see an older man with very white hair and a trim beard and mustache. He wears a dark red jacket or sweater. Hugging in slightly from the side is a younger woman with very long, dark blonde hair and dark-rimmed rectangular glasses. She wears a very dark read garment that we see covering her arm that encircles the man.

Questions to Determine the Impact of Caregiving

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

The image shows an outside looking in view of a window with a cheer curtain in front. We see a woman's shadowy head with her hand upraised against the window. The feeling is one of grief or frustration.

New Caregivers: Tips on Caring for Aging Parents

I have interacted with countless professional and informal caregivers over the years, and I’ve noticed two prominent patterns that characterized my own...

A young woman with darkhair combed back wears pink heart-shaped sunglasses and a red halter top. She's holding an ice cream confection to her mouth ready to take a bit. On a plate in front of her are more treats.

Coping with Caregiving: The Habit of Emotional Eating

As far back as breast or formula feeding, most of us learned that a sweet taste meant care and comfort. As we...

Father and daughter sit together looking at images or text on their laptops literally held on their laps. The older man wears jeans and a white long sleeved shirt. The younger woman wears a white top and pants with a black pattern.

Parents’ Neighborhood Changing as Old Friends Move Away

Dear Carol: Like most older adults, my parents want to live out their lives in their home. They’re very healthy for people...

this is a very close image of an older woman with whispy white hair, medium framed plastic rimmed glasses and a serious expression. Her white top is barely visible.

What to Do When a Person with Dementia Repeats the Same Things Over and Over

One sign of the aging brain is repeating things more often, especially stories and questions. There are reasons for this that are...