These days, having an aging loved one move in is still an option for some families, but it has become more complicated. Multigenerational living can have serious implications, and there are a number of factors that are often overlooked that must be taken into consideration Read more →
Entries categorized "Grief and Death"
....Was it because they saw how rushed and exhausted I was and felt guilty that they still lived reasonably calm, structured lives? Or did they keep me at arm’s length out of fear Read more →
...Instead, their fatigue stems from the fact that they are incredibly bored. With no schedule to keep and not much to look forward to in their lives, they slide into the habit of napping throughout most of the day. Read more →
I'd had this same hospice organization with my dad's care, and they were superb. Hospice and the nursing home worked seamlessly together to give my dad the best care possible. He had his familiar nurses and aides because he remained in the home where he'd lived since his brain surgery left him with severe dementia. However, he also acquired expert hospice nurses, Read more →
...Dad may not be very old, but things can change in an instant. Dementia, a stroke, Parkinson’s disease or some other health condition can affect memory and the ability to communicate, robbing you both of precious memories new and old. Don’t hesitate to sit down with a loved one and simply enjoy their company. Read more →
...Understand that hospice is simply care that helps a dying person live his or her last months as pain-free as possible, and when possible, in a way that is meaningful to them. You and a hospice chaplain or other support person can explain to the ill person Read more →
Dear ME: I'm deeply sorry about both of your losses. As you mentioned, my family experienced the deaths of both of our parents close together, as well. We had five months separating them, so we had a little more time to adjust... Read more →
...Naturally, adult children of a couple such as the one described above would expect the surviving parent to go through the grief process and need a lot of comfort and care for a while. However, more often than many would expect, Read more →
...No matter how difficult or stressful caregiving becomes, we can wind up feeling lost once this job inevitably comes to an end. Our natural grief may even be accompanied by a sense of relief, especially if we cared for loved ones who suffered Read more →
...With AD, short-term memory is destroyed first. Therefore, while your spouse or parent may not know you as you look today (short-term memory), if you pulled out a photo album showing you 20 or 30 years ago, the person may recognize "you" immediately (long-term memory). Read more →