Minding Our Elders

Minding Our Elders Blog

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.

How to Cope With Alzheimer’s Caregiver Burnout

You watch your once mentally sharp loved one decline before your eyes. Their uncontrollable behaviors, mood swings, outbursts, confusion, and memory loss...

a middle aged African American couple is show happily working in the kitchen. The background shows a home interior. The woman has long, straight black hair and is wearing a lavender sweater. She appears to be peeling a vegetable. The Man is on her left. He has dark hair with a receding hairline. He is wearing a beige sweater and has his arms crossed. Both people are smiling happily.

Dating and Caregiving: An Impossible Mix?

Back when you were in high school, you likely found that bringing your new love home to meet your parents was a...

This black and white images shows blurred foliage in the background. In the foreground, a very old woman looks at the camera. She has curly gray hair and round glasses and wears a dark sweater over a striped shirt. Her exopression is one of stubbornness.

Detaching With Love: Setting Boundaries With Difficult Elderly Parents

When the family member we are trying to care for is critical, impossible to please or emotionally abusive, long-standing family dynamics are...

The background shows a white wall and closed white blinds. The foreground shows a man and a woman arguing and pointing fingers at one another. On the left, the man has short dark hair, and wears a short-sleeved dark gray shirt. On the right, the woman has long dark hair and is wearing a 3/4 sleeved dark gray shirt.

Most Used Excuses From Siblings Who Don’t Help With Caregiving

Unfair as it may seem, even in families with many adult children, one sibling usually becomes the primary caregiver for their aging...

This indoor shot shows an older woman with olive skin and very short, spikey white hair. She's wearing brown-rimmed glasses and a blue print top with a red apron over it. Her expression is one that could be read as accusatory.

Accusing Others of Stealing Common for People Experiencing Dementia

Dear Carol: My mom’s been in memory care for over a year, and she’s been happy with the caregivers and social opportunities....

This image shows a large common room with big windows looking out to a snowy yard. There's a brown faux-leather couch on the right, a rustic coffee table in the center and a brown recliner somewhat visible on the left.

How to Convince Your Parent to Move to Assisted Living

Conventional wisdom says that we all want to stay in our own homes for as long as we can. That is likely...

This black and white image has a slightly blurred outdoor background. In the foreground, we see an older man looking directly at the camera. He is balding but has wavy hair sticking out on the sides above his ears and wears a beard. Hair and beard are white. HIs skin is wrinkled and he wears a bemused expression. His shirt is a non-descript collared variety.

Caregivers Coping with the Stigma of Dementia

People stare. Most are not unkind, they are just curious. Yet when someone “different” from the norm becomes part of their environment,...

The indoor image shows a bare white wall with shading. The foreground shows a dramatically frowning older man with a bald head and no glasses. His head is slightly tipped upward to show off his frown. He's wearing a navy blue suit with a white shirt and red knotted tie.

How to Cope With an Older Adult’s Complaining and Negativity

You took your mom to the doctor, and she’s upset with you because the appointment took too long. You helped Dad with...

Siblings in Denial About a Parent’s Declining Health

Nearly all family caregivers with siblings have experienced some version of sibling denial regarding their aging parents. Whether it stems from a...

The foreground of the image shows older female hands, one holding a white cup for tea or coffee. The person is wearing a print dress with a black background and lots of color in Green and red, much like Christmas. The blurred background could be a Christmas tree.

8 Ways to Ease Caregiver Stress

Most of us lead frantic lives. That’s the nature of the world today. When you add to that the job—for it is...