Minding Our Elders

Minding Our Elders Blog

We see a dark-haired woman from the top io her head. Her hands are in her hair as she holds her head forward, eyes closed and nose wrinkled, mouth open as if to scream. Her upheld arms show the wrists of a black tweed sweater or coat.

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...

This black and white image shows a closeup of a middle-aged man with short dark hair, a wavy lock falling over his forehead. He wears rectangular, dark rimmed glasses and a worried expression.

5 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...

Sibling Pressures Caregiver to Take Mom Home to Save Money on Care

Dear Carol: I’m a middle-aged single woman who only wants the best for her mom. Six months ago, she moved to assisted...

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...

Cover of The Invisible Employees by Zack Demopoulos and Selm Archer. The colors symbolize and rainbow element and we see the top of gradeient read umbrella opened in a storm

A Book for Employers Who Are Tired of Employee Turnover

Other than disagreements about the merits and challenges of offering paid family leave to employees, we hear precious little about how employers...

This outdoor image shows a large tree behind the two women in the foreground. A lovely summer day. The older woman has shorter, curly white hair and is smiling toward the younger woman who has both arms around the older woman's shoulders from behind. She, too, is smiling. The older woman wears a light blue blouse, and the younger woman wears a beige sweater.

How To Communicate with Your Older Parents So They Hear You

“My mom is 81 and lives alone in her condo,” Judy Hanson writes. “Her arthritis is painful, but she gets around with...

This indoor image shows a bouquet of lilacs in the background. In the foreground, we see a younger woman with dark hair pulled back learning over an older woman to accept a hug. She wears a Beige sweater and looks pleased by the hug. The gray-haired older woman hugging her is seated. She wears a hospital gown. We see her thin, aging arm as she hugs the younger woman.

Why Would Mom Choose to Smell Rather Than Use Incontinence Products?

Dear Carol: My mom is only 79 but she has a lot of health problems including lung disease requiring oxygen. She receives...

Caregiver Burnout is Best Prevented Since Recovery Is Hard on Everyone

Dear Carol: My mom, age 79, has had steadily declining health for several years. Arthritis is a genetic problem in my family,...

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.

In What Way Does Food Affect Incontinence?

Situations such as dementia, heart ailments, and incontinence do not go away whether your loved one is in a care facility or...

This indoor image shows an older man with receding white hair, wearing a gray shirt with an open collar. He holds a cell phone in one hand as he looks up at a young girl with long dark blonde hair. She wears a purple print top and appears to be explaining something to the man.

Daughter Wonders if Widowed Dad Should Live with Family or Move to Assisted Living

Dear Carol: I’m a 43-year-old woman, married with two kids in middle school. We’re grieving my mother’s recent death and trying to...