It's said there are three sides to every story, the sides of the people affected - and the truth. That's because there's always the matter of perspective to consider. With elder care, often, the adult child living closest to aging parents becomes the default caregiver. Sometimes this is a good fit, other times not. The family members who live at a distance can have a rather out-of-sight-out-of-mind attitude about the elders. Read more →

The Alzheimer’s Association recently released a groundbreaking study titled “Generation Alzheimer’s: The Defining Disease of the Baby Boomers.” Readers will be familiar with many concepts contained in this report, but seeing stark statistics and the agonizing human cost of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) gathered into one document has enormous impact. Read more →

Hiring in-home agencies to send caregivers into the home can literally be a lifesaver. These folks can allow the primary caregiver a break, the offer the elder companionship and help with daily tasks. However, not all elders are going to take to the idea right off the bat. Read more →

Dear Readers: Today we celebrate Mothers. Many women will be honored with special meals, cards and gifts given by their biological or adopted children, often with the loving help of their adult children’s spouses. Women who are mothers will also be honoring their own mom. Many people will also be celebrating the lives of women who are not their biological mothers, or even the woman who raised them. Read more →

As a lifelong non-smoker, it feels odd to write something positive about tobacco, however encouraging research is showing that the nicotine from tobacco could be the base for a compound that may prevent or cure Alzheimer's disease. That news is, indeed, positive. Read more →

It's never easy to talk about death, but death will be an eventual reality for each of us. Medical advances have made it easier for people to stay alive for a longer period of time. Most of us would want everything done medically that is possible, as long as there's a reasonable chance that we will have a decent quality of life. However, there comes a time for many when the choice is down to little more than whether to keep a heart beating or let a loved one go. Read more →

As our nation’s population ages, there’s a need for in-depth discussion around the need for policy that addresses the cultural shift sparked by an aging population. On May 10, 2011, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, the Volunteers of America will host their third annual panel discussion in Washington, D.C. on the future of care and services for older Americans Read more →

Sometimes even elders who have a history of being sweet and caring can become control freaks when they age. The more dependent they feel, the more likely this behavior can present itself. Why can't they appreciate all you do? Read more →

Families can skate along with little friction until caring for their aging parents becomes an issue. Then, some families can fracture. How do they go about finding middle ground when each adult child may have a different view? Read more →

Dear Carol: My mother is 95 years old, and in good health other than some short-term memory loss. She currently lives with my husband and me. My siblings and I are thinking of sharing her care by having her live with each of us for four months at a time. Since there are three of us, we’d each get a break. Both of my siblings live out of state. Read more →