This new reality may simply nudge you, or it may sock you in the gut, but reality it is. Your parents are aging. They are on their way to “being old.”... Read more →

Slowly, Mom's body was slipping into death. She was comatose. Her extremities were mottling and, though her heart kept beating, she was completely unresponsive. Beth and I kept vigil over the three-day period that Mom went through the final death process. We stayed with her, held her hand, talked with her. During this time, the nursing home staff tried their best to divert Mavis and keep her from... Read more →

...So, caregivers stop extending and accepting invitations to socialize, cut phone calls short, and begin to drift away from their support systems. Although most try to be understanding of all the different directions a caregiver is being pulled in, friends still get tired of being canceled on or having caregiving dominate the conversation. Read more →

The terms home care and in-home care are used to describe different types of services provided in the home. Additionally, state regulation and licensing entities follow certain definitions... Read more →

These results shed light on the importance of lifelong exposure to art for improving the recovery process after a stroke. Introducing art into nursing care after stroke could help improve stroke survivors' quality of life." Read more →

I first came across the term care partner in conjunction with Alzheimer’s disease. This, at first glance, would seem to be the last place where this term fits. People with Alzheimer’s need someone to take over their lives, right? Read more →

It seems natural to ask your dad who is living with Alzheimer’s about events from his past. However, doing so directly can be a problem. Why? Because he may not remember the event, but the expectation that he should remember could make him anxious. Instead, when you want to engage him in conversation about the past, leave the topic open. You can say,.. Read more →

Be sensitive to how they are feeling and ask from time to time if they have had enough or they want to stop and rest. Your effort to help brighten their day could have a big payoff or simply be a diversion. It doesn’t matter... Read more →

Harry Urban has lived with dementia for well over a decade. He shares about his life on Facebook at Forget Me Not — Lewy Body Dementia and Following a Dream: World Without Dementia. Harry doesn’t sugar coat his story — at times sharing his frustration with people telling him... Read more →

When this request for his "lost" college ring popped up, it evolved into a passion. It wasn't an idea he could be diverted from. I tried hard, as I knew we couldn't get him the graduation year he wanted... Read more →