From Caregiving to Widowhood: Balancing Grief and Wellness One of the biggest challenges of being a caregiver is coping with the fear of losing a loved one. When that loss becomes a reality, the effects can be devastating. Those who provide care for their spouses can have a particularly difficult time coping with grief, as they are losing their life partner, someone of central importance to their heart and happiness. Read more
How to Handle Dementia-Related Sleep Disturbance Though dementia is most commonly associated with memory loss, it can touch many different aspects of a loved one’s life. One of the most challenging for caregivers is when a loved one experiences sleep disturbance—such as excessive napping during the day; insomnia; nighttime terrors and anxiety; and difficulty staying asleep without constantly waking up. Read more
Encouraging an Older Loved One to Get Tested for Dementia Cathy Franz, LSW, a Care Consultant with Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging’s WeCare…Because You Do, discusses tips on how to encourage older loved ones with symptoms of memory loss to visit a doctor to get tested for dementia. Read more
Caregiving for Older Male Loved Ones Every caregiving journey is unique, and there are so many factors that can change the experience. Your loved one’s family history, age, diet and ethnicity are all things that can affect his or her wellness, while their temperament, ability to communicate, values and beliefs can all impact the smoothness of providing care. Biological sex can also play a role. Those who care for the important men in their lives—fathers, spouses, partners, brothers, uncles, grandfathers, and many more—may experience different challenges than those caring for women. Read more
Keeping Your Older Loved One Safe from Grandparent Scams It’s an old stereotype that grandparents will do almost anything for their grandchildren—including opening their wallets more often than they probably should. If they hear their grandchild is experiencing a crisis, their first response is likely to do whatever they can to help them. Unfortunately, fraudsters are taking advantage of this natural impulse to help with a type of scheme known as a “grandparent scam.” Read more
What to Know as a Caregiver Before a Loved One’s Hospital Visit As caregivers, we may encounter sudden changes in a loved one’s health or behavior due to a chronic illness or accident, like a fall. This can be especially worrisome if these changes occur in the middle of the night. We want to get them the help they need as soon as we can, but the first challenge may be trying to decide what is the appropriate place to receive care. Read more
What to Know About Recent Government Policies to Support People with Dementia and their Caregivers The Untied States government has always been a key player in the fight against dementia, but recently it has made an even greater national commitment to address this serious threat to national health. We outline just three recent dementia-related public policies that older adults with dementia and their caregivers should know. Read more
How to Hold Family Meetings to Discuss an Older Loved One’s Care Family meetings can be a valuable tool. Each person can express their thoughts and concerns at the same time. Everyone will hear the same message and come together to support their parent and each other. This will help to reduce misinformation, and make it easier to develop a plan and next steps. Read more
Managing a Loved One with Dementia’s Sensory Challenges Dementia can change a loved one’s ability to experience these five senses, and that can have a huge impact on how they view the world. Their favorite food might not taste the same way. They may be startled by the sound of laughter they used to love. They may draw away from a once familiar touch. As a caregiver, it’s important to recognize these changes, and to help make your loved one’s world a more comfortable, less overwhelming place to be for each of their five senses. Read more
Your Loved One Receives a Dementia Diagnosis: Now What? You’ve worried, wondered, and second-guessed. You may be scared and nervous. Now you find yourself in the doctor’s office with your loved one. Following multiple assessments and a battery of tests, all things point to a diagnosis of dementia. Your emotions race everywhere. At first, you may be shocked or frightened – and maybe even a little relieved to have answers or explanations. Ultimately, even though you admit to having seen signs and symptoms for some time, the official diagnosis can leave you feeling unprepared and confused about what to do next. Read more
