Meryl cares for her mother, who is suffering from dementia. She works part-time in her home as a medical transcriptionist and also cares for her three children. With all that she has to do on a daily basis, Meryl rarely, if ever, has time for herself and is beginning to feel the impact. Meryl recently […]
Being Shamed for Your Nursing Home Decision
This past weekend, Kathryn hosted a graduation party for her daughter and was excited to spend time with the family and friends that came to celebrate. For the past few years, she hadn’t had much time to visit with friends or family with all of the caregiving duties she had for her mother, who suffers […]
When Caregiving Turns into Self Neglect
Q. I am concerned about my mother, Sharon. She is a caregiver for my 92-year-old grandmother, who lives with her and my father, who is not in the best of health himself. I saw my mother the other day when I stopped by for a visit. She looks emaciated and sleep deprived, and her personal […]
Do Caregivers Have a Higher Life-Expectancy?
Dear Magic, I read somewhere that caregivers have a higher life-expectancy than non-caregivers. With all of the stress that goes into caregiving, how can this be true? Thanks for your help! Liv Longer — Dear Liv, What you read is true! Studies show that by helping others, we’re actually helping ourselves, too. There is Great […]
When Your Adult Child Distances Themselves
Carla, age 38, is a helpful and caring adult daughter. She lives five miles from her parents and assists her mother with caregiving for her father, who suffers from early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. She scaled back her hours at work and made arrangements for aftercare for her children so she could stay with her father longer. […]
Caregiving for Veterans — There’s a Map for That
John was an Army officer who was struck by a bomb blast that threw him 20 feet from where he was standing while on a patrol. After a few months of recovery, John’s family realized something was very wrong. He began having spells of confusion and memory loss, and as he got older, things got […]
Yikes! Our Top 10 Scariest Articles of 2018
Believe it or not, in Elder Law, Estate Planning, and Special Needs Planning, there are some news stories that sound more like the scary plots of horror movies than real life. The topics can be so horrifying that suddenly, you need to turn on all the lights just to read the news stories and do […]
Can Your Spouse Get Paid for Being Your Caregiver?
Joseph quit his full-time job to provide full-time care for his wife, Stephanie, who is suffering from early-onset dementia. He bathes and dresses her, prepares her meals, takes her blood pressure, gives her prescribed medications twice a day, and takes her to all of her medical appointments. Joseph had to quit his job to fulfill […]
Can Caregiving Lead to PTSD?
Q. I was a caregiver for my father-in-law two decades ago, and I experienced a terrible scare. I took him into my home when he developed fronto-temporal dementia and he lived with my family. He would get angry at me a lot and sometimes even violent, and it terrified me to be around him. I […]
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 […]
Am I a Helicopter Child, and If So, Why is That a Bad Thing?
Q. I heard my sister and brother talking about my mother’s care the other day when they thought I couldn’t hear them. I distinctly remember them mentioning the term “helicopter child,” and they were referring to me! I have heard the term “helicopter” parent, and I know that it refers to someone who has the […]
Mistakes Adult Siblings Make When Caregiving for a Parent
Dear Bebe, When I was growing up, I was the organized one who was responsible and did what he was told, and my sister was also pretty on-top of things. My brother–not so much. Now, we are at a point where we need to work together to be caregivers for our dad, who lives in […]
The Ecosystem of Family Caregiving
Q. My family is new to caregiving, and we’re trying to figure out how to best support each other, but it seems like a tangled web. For instance, I am divorced, but I have a son who can help with practical responsibilities as I care for my mother with Parkinson’s disease in our home. My […]
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 […]
Resources for Millennial Caregivers
Dear Angel, I am 22 years old and I am a caregiver for my 80 year old grandmother. It is both challenging and rewarding. She is in a wheelchair and needs help cooking, dressing, and shopping for groceries. I am often concerned about her falling when she is transferring to her chair. Sometimes I get […]
Questions to Ask When Hiring a Home Health Agency
Dear Angel, Our mom had a pretty bad stroke recently, but fortunately it was not a massive stroke, and we will be able to bring her home soon. We’re looking for a home health agency to assist her when she comes home from the hospital. The hospital gave us the name of just one agency, […]
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 […]
Caregiving for a Veteran
Dear Ribbit, My husband is an partially disabled veteran and I am his caregiver. Sometimes, it can be stressful, and I can use all the help, support, and educational resources I can get. A friend told me she thinks that there’s some type of program that offers “comprehensive assistance” for family members who provide […]