Q. My husband and I are in our mid 60’s. Our kids are married with their own children, and we are ready to retire. Fortunately, my mother is still doing well at the age of 85, but she needs assistance with certain things and gets lonely easily. She was living with us, but we are […]
New Technology for Better Aging
GPS SmartSole Many of us want to age-in-place as we get older. Unfortunately, in most cases, safety, health issues, and social isolation can interfere with that plan. This is why a growing number of seniors and their caregivers are turning to technology that helps them to age comfortably in their homes for as long as possible. New technology, including gadgets and apps, can remind seniors to take their medication and let others […]
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 […]
Tips for Sandwiched Caregivers
Dear Commander Bun Bun, I am caring for my father, while being a working mom with a husband and three children. I am feeling overwhelmed to say the least. Do you have any tips for someone in my situation? Thanks very much! Sandi Witch —– Dear Sandi, Many of us care for our family 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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
How Can Caregivers Help Protect Loved Ones Against Scams?
Dear Angel, I am a caregiver for my father, but not always around. I have a feeling he is being targeted by scammers. How can I know for sure? Also, do you have any tips for me on how I can help protect him against fraud and scams? Perry Tectingham —- Dear Perry, The growing […]
Help! My Husband Was Recently Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder
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 and mood. He agreed to see a psychiatrist, got a […]
New Mental Health Bill Introduced in Congress
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 provide information? Thanks, Bill Forus —– Dear Bill, Nearly 10 million Americans have serious […]
Overcoming Emotions: Moving Mom to a Nursing Home
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 for many years, and mom has had home […]
Muhammad Ali’s Vision Was Realized
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 wedding. Rachel knew that this was only the beginning, and as […]
Red Flags that You Need a Break from Caregiving
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 fulfilled and thankful that I can help my mother, and feeling stressed out […]
Can Caregivers Take Vacations?
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 to two weeks of vacation time a year, and in past years, I didn’t take it. My lifelong […]
Being Her Brother’s Caregiver
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 caregiver wasn’t easy, as she attempted to maintain the same standards for her brother […]
Military Caregivers: Challenges and Strategies
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 Parkinson’s Disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, and is depressed over the loss of my mom. […]
How Caregivers Can Collect Social Security Benefits and Reduce Work Hours
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 Medical Leave Act (FMLA)? A. Millions of […]
Should I Have a Caregiver Contract?
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 contract. But as an individual, I’ve never had a contract […]
Can a $6,000 Stuffed Seal Replace Caregivers?
Dear Baxter, I heard from my cousin, who told me that his mother recently leased a $6,000 stuffed seal to assist with stress relief, relaxation, and motivation. Supposedly when it came out, production of it was stalled at first with the fear that it would replace human caregiver. Have you heard of such a […]
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