You Have A “Right” to Seek Help From Others

October 6, 2011

Welcome to week #2 of my nine week countdown of the caregivers’ bill of rights discussed in Jo Horne’s book Caregiving: Helping An Aging Loved One.  Last week I revealed that you have the right to take care of yourself.  Yup — that’s right, people.  We’re talking earth-shattering news here. For those of you still [...]

Read the full article →

Long Term Care: “When the Money Runs Out, What’s Next?”

October 3, 2011

A recent visitor named Joan sent me a question that I just know is on the tip of many of your tongues. Here are the facts: Mom is 85 years old. She’s in good health despite having early dementia. The only hands-on assistance she requires at this point is help in managing her money which [...]

Read the full article →

You Have A “Right” to Take Care of Yourself

September 29, 2011

For the next nine weeks I’ll be counting down the family caregivers’ rights discussed in Jo Horne’s book Caregiving: Helping An Aging Loved One.  Each one is really an affirmation — the kind you ought to repeat in a mirror, in the shower, or in the car as you go about your day. You know, [...]

Read the full article →

Reflections From the Frontlines: An Exhausted Family Caregiver Lives in the “Moment”

September 25, 2011

The message below was sent to me recently by an adult daughter caring for mom.  I’ve decided to post it in its entirety because I think it illustrates so beautifully the uphill climb that caring for an aging parent can sometimes feel like. Those of you who think you’re alone in your exhaustion (and in [...]

Read the full article →

“Have Mom Live with Me or Move Her to a Nursing Home?”

September 5, 2011

Is this the debate that’s raging in your head? I’m not surprised.  And rest assured — you’ve got company. I often receive questions through this site from adult children who are standing at this particular crossroads. The decision of where mom or dad should live is bearing down on their shoulders and they’re tired (exhausted, [...]

Read the full article →

What’s Causing My Aging Parent’s Afternoon Anxiety?

August 19, 2011

Maria, My mother was diagnosed with dementia about a year ago. Her memory is about 90% gone. My question is: What is the cause of her anxiety? She can be very mean at times, especially in the afternoon. She was taking Prozac and Ativan. However, the doctor recently switched her to Zoloft, and it has [...]

Read the full article →

Five Must-Make Appointments for Mom

August 11, 2011

Okay, I lied. (Sort of.)  The following appointments would all benefit your mom (if  you’re caring for her). BUT if you’re a woman, this list is really for YOU. Why? Because you matter and it’s been too damn long. That’s why. This seems crazy, I know.  Part of you wants to close your browser right [...]

Read the full article →

Win the Bathing Battle Against Alzheimer’s

August 8, 2011

For most of us the image of a warm bath stirs the desire to undress, resurrect the bathroom candle from under the sink and lock the door… We want to submerge ourselves into a tub and steal a few moments away to play with bubbles.  The fact that we get clean while experiencing this blissful [...]

Read the full article →

What to Cover When You Talk with Your Aging Parents About the Future

July 10, 2011

I know, I know.  NO ONE wants to have the conversation with their aging parent or parents…the one where you actually talk about the worst case scenarios and ask them what they’d want. But it’s so important to talk about these things.  In fact, it’s hard to underestimate how important it is to talk about [...]

Read the full article →

On Taking Vacation

June 27, 2011

Over the weekend I attended a wedding where, as is often the case, I found myself in the ladies room chatting with other women. In between the rituals of hand washing and lipstick reapplication in the over-sized mirror, one woman’s comment about the day’s perfect weather led another to share how much she’d like a [...]

Read the full article →

Five Tips For Those Just Entering the Elder Care Maze

June 22, 2011

My name is Judy and I live in Northwest Ohio. For the past sixteen years I’ve been a family caregiver for my aging parents (which included my in-laws), although I haven’t always thought of myself that way. The past three years have been spent living on the edge as my soon-to-be 90-year-old mother transitioned to [...]

Read the full article →

What Should Replace Oprah

June 16, 2011

On May 25, 2011, 16.4 million people watched the finale of The Oprah Winfrey Show. And if her daily viewership is any indication, most of the finale watchers were female, and over the age of 55. Let’s recap what we know to be true about middle-aged, American women for a moment, shall we? 1. They [...]

Read the full article →

What Makes A Support Group Worthwhile

June 13, 2011

Twelve years ago I was a social work intern charged with running a voluntary support group for male teens recovering from drug abuse.  The setting was a small, outpatient mental health clinic and I was worried that no one would show. But slowly, and to my great surprise, they did show.  What’s more, the members [...]

Read the full article →

At the End of Her Rope Thanks to Alzheimer’s

June 6, 2011

I received a note recently from a reader named Cathy who lives about a hundred miles west of Chicago. In reality, Cathy lives everywhere because her story is like so many of yours. She is the primary caregiver for her mother-in-law whose battle with Alzheimer’s pushes Cathy daily (hourly) to the end of her rope. [...]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →