Q. My aunt Rae, 84, was the primary caregiver for my Uncle Leo, who suffers from dementia. Leo would wander, so Rae couldn’t leave him alone, and she missed the conversations she and Leo used to have. Rae became resentful and depressed because she had to forego her dreams of world travel and didn’t even […]
I’m Finally Taking a Vacation — What to Do About Caregiving Duties
Caroline’s sister and her family live in sunny Tampa, Florida. She’s been wanting to visit for three years now, ever since her sister’s family bought their house near the beach. But it has been tough to get away, since Caroline is a live-in caregiver for her mother. Caroline gave it a lot of thought and […]
Including Grandchildren in Caregiving
Dear Magic, My mother moved close by after my father passed away. She suffers from diabetes and has hip problems. My 13-year-old daughter, Bella, and my 9 year old, Rex, want to visit to help with grandmother’s caregiving and spend meaningful time with her. What are some ways that young Bella and Rex can help […]
Millennials are Emerging as a Generation of Caregivers
Q. My name is Kelsey, and I’m a junior in college. I lived on campus my first year but ended up moving back home when I learned that my mother needed caregiving help. College tuition is costly and so is caregiving, so I figured that I would save money on housing and having to hire […]
Can a Marriage Survive Caregiving for an In-Law?
Q. When my husband, Paul, first met my parents, they didn’t hit it off. He can be stubborn sometimes, and mom is difficult, and she never thought that he was good enough for me. After Thanksgiving dinner, when we announced we were engaged, my mother threw him out of her home, and my mother and […]
Long-Distance Caregivers: Making the Most of Your Role
Kate is concerned about her mother, a recent widow who lives alone in Kate’s childhood home in Fairfax County. Although Kate lives in Massachusetts, she grew up in Northern Virginia and it’s where her mother feels most comfortable. Kate’s mother’s decline in health since her father died requires Kate’s help and attention, but due to […]
Reprioritizing to Stay Healthy and Wealthy as you Get Older
What would happen if you are doing everything right regarding your own finances — and then have your plans derailed by the needs of a family member, such as a parent or sibling, who didn’t plan ahead? A recent study by the Transamerica Institute found that caregiving is risky business for those who step in […]
Bill to Support 40 Million Caregivers Becomes Law
Q. My friend, Molly, is the primary caregiver for her mother, Anne. Anne suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure, among other things. After a hospital stay for an infected gall bladder, she came home and the responsibility of caring for Anne fell completely on Molly. According to Molly, her daily routine includes preparing Anne’s […]
Family Caregiving is NOT Cheaper Than Professional Care. Here’s Why!
Five years ago, Karen got her PhD to teach at the college level. Upon graduating, she began her dream job, but she only was able to teach for about a year, when her mother’s Alzheimer’s began getting worse. Karen quit her job and put her dream on hold, and has been caring for her mother […]
When Caregiving Makes You Crazy
Q. My mother passed away six months ago, and my father is living alone in our family home, about a mile away from me. He is in the early stages of dementia, and has gotten quite forgetful lately. I have been a caregiver for him since mom died, but it’s hard with a full-time job, […]
Virtual Caregiver Support Groups
Dear Magic, I am a new caregiver for my mother who has Alzheimer’s. I would love to chat with some people who are going through the same thing as me. I am interested in finding a virtual support group. Since you’re in the know about tech stuff, can you recommend any good ones? I use […]
Advice from the Caregiving Experts
Q. I am new to caregiving. And, when I say new, I mean completely new. I am a workaholic who is divorced and doesn’t have children, and never even had a pet. I am very close with my mother, who I speak with on the phone daily. Recently, I got some troubling news about mom […]
How to Care for a Loved One When You Are Sick Yourself
Q. I am a new caregiver for my mother, who has had Parkinson’s for nearly a decade. My father passed away recently, so now it’s just me, my mom, my two children, and my husband, who travels frequently for work. We have no other family living nearby, unfortunately. Last year, I had the flu and […]
Family Caregivers in 35 States Now Get More Support from Hospital to Home
A few years ago, Gwen’s mother, Emily, was discharged from the hospital after a short stay. When Emily was ready to go home, Gwen arrived to find her mother dressed and sitting in a wheelchair with a list of medications on her lap. Gwen was never given instructions on her mother’s new prescriptions, and assumed […]
Training for Unpaid Alzheimer’s Caregivers
Q. My father is an 80-year-old widower who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. I live close by, and will assume the role of his full-time live-in caregiver. By trade, I am an auto mechanic, and am single with no children. I don’t know the first thing about caregiving, but I am all that my father […]
A Must-Have Document for Family Caregivers
Kayla’s father, Bob, is in the early stages of dementia. She has hired paid caregivers who have come and gone because Bob has tendencies towards anger and violent outbursts. Kayla has decided that the time has come to quit her job to care for her father. Although she didn’t want to at first, she will […]
7 Reasons You Don’t Want To Be A Hero In Caregiving
Guest Post By Jennifer Fitzpatrick of Jenerations Health Education “She heroically cared for her mother.” “He is a real hero in the way he’s caring for his wife.” I’ve heard many versions of this sentiment referring to someone in the caregiving role as a “hero.” While the person commenting means to give the caregiver a […]
New Virginia Regulations Limit Caregiver Pay
Stephen Grammer suffers from cerebral palsy, a physical disability that makes it impossible for the 36-year-old to walk, feed himself, or go to the bathroom on his own. Currently, he’s able to live alone in an apartment because he has caregivers with him 16 hours a day. However, Grammer worries that his independence is in […]
Caregiving: Where Clinton and Trump Stand
According to a recent AARP study, approximately 34.2 million Americans have provided unpaid care to an adult age 50 or older in the prior 12 months. Nearly half of these caregivers provide care to someone 75 years old or older (47%), and in most cases, the main reason their recipient needs care includes “old age” […]
Homecare Will Create the Most New Jobs in the Next Decade. But Who Will Fill Them?
Dear Commander Bun Bun, It wasn’t easy, but we found a good, reliable home health aide that has been caring for my mother at her home for a year. This was after two other ones left the industry due to low wages and no insurance. I worry about the future for people like my mother. […]