Elder Care ABC

If you’re caring for parents, it may pay off to put a positive spin on your eldercare practices. I recently read an interesting article in The Washington Post about a possible link between personality, lifestyle, and risk for Alzheimer’s disease. The study, conducted by the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, found that older adults who [...]

Home health care technology can assist baby boomers to successfully age in place by promoting independence and offering assistance when it is needed. Boomers have made it perfectly clear they want to remain in their communities and stay in their homes for as long as possible. The results of a survey conducted by The American [...]

When there is a birth of a child, or an adoption of a child, you look at ways to save money for the upbringing of such child. Here are some important methods. Before discussing the methods, it is important to remember that you need to get a social security number for your child. For claiming [...]

Most of us find it difficult to know when to step in and provide parent care.  We are used to seeing our parents as capable.  It can come as rude shock the first time we realize that they are vulnerable and need our help. Some people talk about this transition as “parenting” your parents.  This [...]

If you’re providing eldercare to your parent and have wondered whether complementary or alternative medicine could enhance your parent’s standard elder health care plan, the National Institutes of Health’s Senior Health website includes a terrific section on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). Here are some highlights from the site: Complementary medicine is defined as being [...]

If you provide eldercare for one or more parents, you might want to consider adding a pet to your caregiving routine. Pets have long been recognized as having special qualities that can help people with a range of challenges, especially those requiring senior care. Pets have been shown to lift mood among the depressed, stimulate [...]

The middle of a crisis is the worst time to discuss end-of-life decisions with your parent.  When my mother was dying, I had some peace of mind because I knew what type of elder care my mother wanted. 4 Key elements of a successful discussion about end-of-life issues 1.     Plenty of time to talk (weeks [...]

We all know that caring for parents is a tough job even though it’s also a privilege. We want to do our best to be effective caregivers, and sometimes that means pushing ourselves a little harder than we’re used to. While this can be rewarding and gives us a sense of accomplishment, it can also [...]