...Furthermore, gaining an understanding of difficult conditions like dementia, stroke and urinary tract infections (UTIs) will help you avoid misconstruing symptoms as intentional slights or manipulation. Read more →

....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 →

...Here’s another puzzler. My mother-in-law, Alice, was in a care facility, where she’d flourished despite her dementia progressing in the sad way that it does. But then, Alice took a turn for the worse when came down with pneumonia. She was given antibiotics Read more →

... However, for family caregivers with Type A behavior pattern (TABP), the challenge can be monumental. These individuals are often highly organized, ambitious, extremely driven, impatient, overcommitted, Read more →

...While we should understand this better than anyone else, sometimes we caregivers are the ones comparing hardships and leveling harsh words. From time to time, we must step back and remember that each person Read more →

...Some of the cuts you make are obvious. If you’ve been volunteering significant time to a fun project, but it’s not one of your life’s priorities, you may need to take a break. Other relationships aren’t so easily altered, so hurt feelings — and even marriage problems — can arise. First, try to breathe, and next, Read more →

How do you handle elders like this? Well, it depends on the reasons behind this behavior. In some cases, caregivers step in to lend a hand after an elder has a health scare or an accident. Even if they aren’t in terrible shape, we caregivers tend to nurture and sometimes coddle our... Read more →

Dear PS: Over time, most older adults will experience life changes that can eat away at their sense of autonomy. For that reason, I remind caregivers that they can’t “fix” aging. Sometimes the best thing they can do is Read more →

...Similarly, your aging parents are at a vulnerable point in their lives where they rely on you for a great deal. They could easily jump to the conclusion that you will not have time for them if you begin focusing on your love life. Therefore, I’d advise caregivers to refrain Read more →

We Laugh so We Don’t Cry: Caregivers must handle difficult care decisions and an inordinate amount of stress every day. We’re constantly trying to cope with the knowledge that our loved ones are losing their independence, getting older and often living with serious medical conditions. Although we... Read more →