Photo credit John Mark Smith

“Mom continually accused me of stealing her money to travel,” Vicki Tapia, author of  "Somebody Stole My Iron," says. “Nothing I could say or do convinced her otherwise, leaving me both frustrated and upset.” After her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, followed closely by her father with Parkinson’s disease-related dementia, Tapia struggled to find practical, helpful information to light her way. “It would have saved me much distress and been very helpful had there been an experienced guide I could have asked for advice,” she says. While family caregiving provides opportunities for gratifying closeness and even joy, it’s often isolating and frequently scary, as well. 

Continue reading on eFamilyCare to learn more about how real-time advice from a qualified adviser can make for a more confident, less stressed caregiver:

Support a caregiver or jump-start discussion in support groups with real stories - for bulk orders of Minding Our Elders e-mail Carol