When I began caring for my elderly parents (both with early Alzheimer’s not properly diagnosed), I was shocked to read that family caregivers are often more depressed than those they care for. And caregivers who have a chronic illness have a 63% higher death rate than their peers of the same age. A year later, without a day off with my... Read more
Ohhhh, I had this exact situation while I was caring for my parents, so I know how exasperating it is! Actually I went through 40 caregivers that first year—most applicants only there for about ten minutes as my father would be so nasty they’d run out--or he’d just throw them out of the house. Here’s what I ... Read more
At one of my recent seminars, an “at-her-wit’s-end” adult daughter, Sally, rushed up afterward pleading for my advice on how to get her elderly parents to move to Assisted Living before their health deteriorated any further. She lived cross-country and was terrified about them being alone as there had already been a few close... Read more
My challenging elderly father always said he was feeling a bit chilly, but he’d refuse to put on a sweater or more clothes at home, nor would he wear a jacket over his thin summer clothes whenever he went outside, which of course he also wore in the winter. A wonderful caregiver (Ariana) and I constantly offered warm soups and warm... Read more
Recently I was so dismayed to see a sweet little elderly lady (obviously suffering from dementia) and her devoted adult daughter, being delayed and searched at an airport checkpoint. The daughter was a bit heavy and apparently her underwire bra kept setting off the alarm, which finally embarrassed her to tears. The mom, seeing her daughter ... Read more
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