Caregiving

Take one older relative in need of assistance. Add in several adult children and grandchildren, all of whom live in different parts of the country. Mix in some unexpected health problems…and what do you have? A potentially volatile situation, as everyone struggles to figure out their roles and responsibilities. Tensions…

If you’ve been paying attention to the news, or are just a consumer of popular culture, you know that loneliness is now considered a major public health problem. In a bit of irony, it seems the more “connected” we are as a culture, the more many of us feel alone…

If you’ve been involved in the care of someone with dementia, you’ve probably faced this moment of truth: Should you always be brutally honest, no matter how hurtful that seems or how little you may be understood, or do you tell a “white lie” or create a deception in the…

They say necessity is the mother of invention. Or, as Oprah has said, “Turn your wounds into wisdom.” Well, with dementia running in their families, two noted physicians have taken that advice to heart. First, meet Dr. John DenBoer, an Arizona-based clinical neuropsychologist who specializes in preventing the onset of…

While you can feel enormous satisfaction from being a family caregiver, the burdens and sacrifices are real and substantial. A recent seminal report from AARP makes clear that the challenges faced by today’s family caregivers are growing more complicated. The report, Home Alone Revisited: Family Members Providing Complex Care, details…

As we get older, there are important life events to be celebrated- significant birthdays, the birth of a grandchild, milestone anniversaries- and it’s perfectly normal to raise a glass of alcohol in celebration. Many of us also drink a glass of wine with our nightly dinner and appreciate a good…