...Many activities directors welcome suggestions from residents and family members. They may even decide to embrace a promising idea on a larger scale so that more residents can partake. Read more →

...An even more common situation, however, is when caregivers are responsible for looking after two or more elders who are ill and live in varying locations, sometimes over long distances. It’s a circumstance that I know well. During my busiest eldercare years, I was the Read more →

Yet, I was still fearful for the first few weeks after the move that Dad would not receive the kind of attention he’d grown accustomed to. I was afraid he would decline further without my one-on-one care. Read more →

...I refer to this as the “creep-up factor” because ​while ​many situations are far less dramatic than the one above, being an adult child adds the role of caregiver to your list that frequently includes 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 →

However, if mom is showing signs of needing assistance with her meals and transportation, I'd recommend looking around at assisted living facilities. Assisted living does not generally offer nursing care, and if help with dressing and other activities of daily living (ADLs) are needed, she'd likely still have... Read more →

...Loving family members, and others who care for and about people with dementia, would like an answer to their question about how much a person understands. Personally, my non-medical viewpoint is that it varies. As a caregiver, my experiences with many types of dementia suggest to me that people likely do Read more →

Dear GH: Unfortunately, this is a common problem that families see, but it certainly doesn’t make it easier for us to witness. I’m sorry that you went through it. The same thing happened after surgery left my dad with... Read more →

My mom once had lush, natural curls. As she aged and her overall health declined, her hair got quite thin. Most women have some hair thinning after menopause, but Mom's was more pronounced due to her medical issues. She also lost her curls. We had Read more →

Short-term memory loss makes it impossible for dementia patients to remember what they just said, so they say it again and again and again. Anyone who has been in this situation will tell you that there’s a limit to how many times you can muster a genuine response. It’s enough to drive a person mad. So, Read more →