Dear VF: I’m sorry about your dad. This is a hard time for both you and your mom. You raise valid concerns about your mom making this decision so soon after losing your dad. Read more →

“As he aged, he fell often and was confused. It was awful,” Johnson remembers. It turns out her father’s symptoms weren’t a sign of age-related decline, as she’d suspected. Instead, he was over-medicated, and it was taking a toll. “Finally, he was seen by a new doctor Read more →

Dear LG: I’m sorry that you are put in the middle of your parents’ problem, but you are right to intervene. While people with earlier stages of dementia can and do travel, care must be taken Read more →

Dear PR: I'm sorry that you've got to deal with this because it’s a big emotional challenge. As you indicated, most likely your mom mentally slid back in time and was looking for a watch from long ago.... Read more →

Dear DG: It’s hard when we feel that we know what’s best for someone else and not be able to get them to do it, isn’t it? Yet, that’s the reality for many caregivers. Read more →

Dear KL: I understand what you’re saying and applaud you for thinking of your children ahead of time. Throughout the years, I’ve heard from caregivers who’ve lost a great deal both financially and emotionally due to caregiving responsibilities. Read more →

Dear GH: I know from experience how hard it is to leave older adults who have depended on us, and it’s even harder when they can’t remember why we are gone... Read more →

Dear DS: Congratulations for having proactive parents! Having the legal documents in place can offer significant peace of mind for many end-of-life issues that older adults and their family members need to address. Read more →

Dear MJ: It’s hard to be in your shoes, wanting to do your best for your mom and then having her refuse what seems reasonable to you. Yet, your mom has lived a long life and may, at this time of life, just want to live each day as she has been doing. That’s also understandable. Read more →

Dear LK: You are part of what is often termed the “sandwich generation,” which means that there’s a lot of juggling in your future. It’s smart of you to be proactive by becoming more educated both in self-care and learning how to prioritize the needs of your vulnerable loved ones. Read more →