Minding Our Elders

Minding Our Elders Blog

We see a red and white gingham table cloth spread out with a read plate of donuts. The visible donuts have sprinkles and frosting, one peanut butter, one chocolate, and one strawberry.

Planning a “Picnic” for a Loved One in a Senior Living Community

While most senior living communities offer an array of programs and events, activities directors often work with limited budgets and are challenged...

This outdoor image shows two women sitting on a bench with a brick building behind them. The woman on the left has long brown hair and is wearing sunglasses, a blue short-sleeved shirt, and black shorts. Her head is turned toward a woman with dark hair pulled back. She is wearing a sleeveless black top and a tuquoise skirt. Her had is tippped back as she looks at her friend. They are both laughing.

Unplugging from Caregiving Is Essential, but How? Read for tips:

Jen has been caring for her parents for almost two years, and she is quickly approaching caregiver burnout. A close friend booked...

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...

This image has a gray indoor backdrop. IN the foreground, a woman with long, light brown hair bends her had forward where she covers her face with her hands. She has light skin and red polished nails.

Loving Yourself: A Caregiver’s Ultimate Challenge

We’ve all heard that we must first learn to love ourselves before we can love others. Yet, many of us have grown...

This indoor image shows an older Arfrican American couple sitting on a couch with heads turned facing each other. The love they have shows in their faces. The man o the left has very short gray hair with a receding hairline. He wears wirerimmed glasses and a muted gray plaid shirt. The woman, on the right, has short gray hair and glasses and wears a muted ivory top.

Caring For Those in Chronic Pain: How Spouses Cope

Traditional marriage vows generally contain the words “through sickness and in health.” For some couples, chronic sickness in the form of a...

An older man with white hair and a trim beard and mustache sits on a couch next to an older woman. They appear to be sharing a laugh. The woman has gray hair pinned up, and wears glasses and a blue sweater. The man is wearing a brown cardigan.

How Confabulation in Dementia Differs from Lying as We Understand It

Dear Carol: My husband of 43 years has been diagnosed with dementia. We were fortunate to have a good marriage based on...

We see a colorful display of produce such as carrots, red and yellow peppers, broccoli, and mushrooms.

8 Classic Tips from a Healthy Aging Expert

While diets come and go, common sense and balance both work for most people. This is an older article, but because it...

Kitchen Safety Concerns for People with Dementia

Sharing a kitchen with another cook can be trying for some people. Sharing a kitchen with a person who has dementia can...

This indoor image shows tree trunks out a porch window. In foreground we see an older couple each holding a toddler on their lap. The man has gray hair and a receding hairline. He wears glasses and a pink checked shirt with an open color. The child appears to be a girl with a little tow in her sparse hair. She's earing a red and blue print top. The woman has short gray hair and glasses and wears a maroon, long sleeped bop. She hold toddler, but we only see the arm wearing a light blue jacket along with a little blonde hair. She is touching the face of the baby held by the man, so they are all interacting.

The Importance of Grandparents Never Fades

The importance of grandparents in the lives of children cannot be denied. Before our society became so mobile, it was common for...

Father and adult daughter site together on a couch, each with a computer open. It appears that the daughter is helping the father figure out a computer problem. The daughter hs long brown hair and is wearing a white print shirt. The Father is wearing jeans and a white, long-sleeved shirt. The background is a room interior with shelving.

Creating a Bucket List: Tips for Seniors and Family Caregivers

The Bucket List, a 2007 movie starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, helped contemporize the old expression “kick the bucket,” a common...