Dear WJ: You’re a dedicated caregiver who speaks for many. I believe that you and other caregivers understand that casual friends do mean well, but this is one of many situations in life where good intentions can backfire. A related situation is comforting people who grieve. Some people want company while others... Read more →

They’ve hopefully designated powers of attorney for both health care and finances, drawn up a will, and finalized any other legal documents and financial plans. It’s best if all siblings are aware of these preparations and all agree with what they entail. This is important because taking care of aging parents... Read more →

...moving Mom or Dad to assisted living or a nursing home because outside care is expensive. To make matters worse, they wholly oppose paying a fair wage to their siblings who have taken on the role of primary caregiver. Read more →

If you are like most family caregivers, you probably made a promise to your parent(s) years ago that you would never place them in a long-term care facility. You assured them that you would be the one to see to their care no matter what... Read more →

Incontinence accidents can happen for anyone with this health challenge, but when a person lives with dementia, preventing them is going to be a bigger problem, as you’re experiencing. Since I hear from a lot of caregivers... Read more →

What to do? As with most dementia-related challenges, there are no miracles, and what works one day may not the next. However, there are some things that you can try. Most of these tips stem from increased knowledge about what can trigger rebellion in a person living with dementia. Let’s take a look... Read more →

Please remember that I’m only providing information. Other than the Alzheimer’s stamp and the videos below, I’m not endorsing the products since I rarely do that, and I haven’t tried them. Read more →

Although it comes from external sources, this is still a type of undeserved guilt that must be overcome. It, too, can run family caregivers down, contributing to feelings of anxiety, depression, and burnout. In these cases, setting boundaries is crucial... Read more →

This wall was cluttered with both real and fake accomplishments, but I knew I would need to find room for more. Dad's broken brain would tell him he had earned something else and eventually I would need to produce it... Read more →

Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia than frequent memory lapses. If we feel that dementia may be in our future or that of our loved one, what other indications of cognitive change should we watch for? Read more →