...Maybe I didn’t have the time or the will to reflect on my own situation. That is the case with many caregivers. In fact, when I give presentations to groups of caregivers and professionals, I always stress self-identification. Caregiving is a job. When you have more than one generation to care for, it’s like working overtime or taking on a second job... Read more →

...He believes that people with dementia can live satisfying lives and continue to contribute to society long after their diagnosis. Zeisel feels strongly that the arts, Read more →

...A tale of two elders ...Years ago, I became the primary caregiver for an elderly neighbor, Joe, who was 100 percent deaf and was losing his eyesight. Joe's only son lived across the country. Joe was one of those people who would not have thrived in assisted living Read more →

...From there, Maureen went on to the topic of caregiver self-care. I told her that we go into caregiving - often just gradually providing a little care here and there - thinking this is short-term. For most people, the caregiving tasks increase and last much longer than anticipated. I now know that I should have taken better care of myself from the start but as the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20. Read more →

...People who post this type of advice mean well. Perhaps, they live in a locale where nursing homes are truly neglectful, whether due to lack of funding, lack of staffing, or both. Or they may have seen or heard about poor facility care Read more →

...After four or five decades in this small home, the place is packed with memories as well as junk. Then, one spouse - let's say Mom - dies. Dad is now alone in this house. He gets even more "thrifty," and doesn't want anyone coming to mow the yard. He's a bit paranoid,  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 →

...Dementia aside, significant research has shown that having a supportive social network is linked with positive health outcomes, both psychological and physical, while lacking such support can be harmful. Previous studies have also suggested that loneliness itself can kill Read more →

...Oftentimes, an aging parent is still cognitively sharp but their days lack outside interaction and structure, therefore they come to rely on their primary caregiver for all of their socialization. Spending a few days each week at a senior center could Read more →

...Nancy had spent years in therapy learning to cope with her childhood issues. Through hard work, she learned to forgive her father for his lack of involvement and the fact that he didn’t put a stop to the abuse her mother doled out. She’d learned that Read more →