Q. I was 25 years old when I met my now husband, Elliot. We became best friends and two years later, then we got married and had a baby. Fifteen years and three children later, I began to notice lots of changes in his personality … [Read more...]
Print This PageCritter Corner: New Mental Health Bill Introduced in Congress
July 15, 2016 by
Dear Commander Bun Bun, I am a caregiver for my brother, who has schizophrenia. I heard something about a bill to help caregivers like myself and those with mental illnesses. Do you know anything about it, and if so, can you … [Read more...]
Print This PageOvercoming Emotions: Moving Mom to a Nursing Home
July 8, 2016 by
Q. My aging mother has lived in her home since I was a child. My family loved the neighborhood so much that we never moved, and when I got married and had my own family, we bought a house a few blocks away. Now, dad's been gone … [Read more...]
Print This PageMuhammad Ali’s Vision Was Realized
June 14, 2016 by
For more than 20 years, Rachel’s father has had Parkinson’s Disease. When she first moved to the DC area in 1998, her father walked with a cane, and although his hands shook a little, he was still able to dance with her at her … [Read more...]
Print This PageCritter Corner: Red Flags that You Need a Break from Caregiving
May 20, 2016 by
Dear Commander Bun Bun, I am a caregiver for my mother, Ellen, who had a stroke last year. She is very demanding at times, and I may be approaching burnout. I rarely take time for myself, and my emotions range between feeling … [Read more...]
Print This PageCan Caregivers Take Vacations?
May 20, 2016 by
Q. I am a full-time caregiver for my father, Frank, who has Alzheimer’s. I am able to work from home, but I often feel like I have two full-time jobs, since caregiving for dad is a full-time job in itself. At work, I am entitled … [Read more...]
Print This PageBeing Her Brother’s Caregiver
May 10, 2016 by
A year ago, Helen Ries’s mother died unexpectedly, and she became the primary caregiver of her brother, Paul Knoll. Knoll has Down syndrome and had lived with his parents most of his life. Ries admits that her first year as a … [Read more...]
Print This PageMilitary Caregivers: Challenges and Strategies
April 22, 2016 by
Q. My father, Steve, is a retired Marine who is recently widowed. My mother used to provide care for him full-time until she passed away suddenly. My brothers and sister live far away, and my father needs assistance now. He has … [Read more...]
Print This PageHow Caregivers Can Collect Social Security Benefits and Reduce Work Hours
April 8, 2016 by
Q. My mother had a stroke and really needs my help until we can find other arrangements. I’m afraid I’ll lose my job and wind up unemployed if I take time off work to care for her. Do you know if I have any rights under the Family … [Read more...]
Print This PageCritter Corner: Should I Have a Caregiver Contract?
April 6, 2016 by
Dear Angel, I will be quitting my job to care for my father next month. He will be paying me, since I have no other income to support myself. My dad used to have a caregiver through an agency, and the agency had a written … [Read more...]
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