Family Caregiver

I don't get it. Why is it so hard to do good work?

I determined I could be my wife's caregiver, while running a small business and parenting four school-age children—and, I could do this all without asking for help.

Family caregivers often think that taking a vacation with an elderly parent or relative who requires special care is out of the question. But with careful planning and some minor accommodations, many seniors can still participate in family vacations.

I don’t resent Charlie for his lack of empathy. It’s just one more thing I have to face as a dementia caregiver. When he isn’t himself I just try to remember the man he used to be, the man I fell in love with.

Discovering hobbies from your loved one's past can also lead to a more enjoyable life for you, their caregiver.

A personal story about the struggles of adjusting to the changes in daily life while caring for a loved one with dementia.

I was trying to cope with all of the horrible things that had happened and Charlie’s lack of compassion wasn’t helping. I am starting to suspect he is losing his empathy along with his mind.

Another "hard talk" Carol and I had before her diagnosis with ovarian cancer was the need to balance quality of life and quantity of life.

Family caregivers often find that their social circles shrink over time, but these friends who become scarce are not necessarily “bad people.” More than likely, they simply don't know how to help a caregiver.

Too many people avoid the "hard talks" by postponing them, but such conversations are essential to making sure an elderly loved one's medical care respects their personal preferences.

Bryan's caregiving duties were so distracting that he accidentally set the house on fire while cooking dinner one day. Learn how he survived his middle and high school years while caring for his ill parents.

My family has always celebrated milestones and kept traditions together, but Alzheimer’s disease now prevents my mom from participating the way she used to. Her absence from these gatherings is tough on all of us.

The much-anticipated book arrived a few days ago. Two hours later, I was well into this wonderful series of stories and poetry about caregiving.

Many people do not take the time to listen carefully to one another, and for this reason, hurt feelings and misunderstandings abound. Caregivers can avoid these challenges by listening at a deeper level and encouraging others to do the same.

Look around. Whom do you see? All across the world, in every country, we are there. We are the caregivers. Yet we are alone.

I have been a caregiver off and on for over forty years, but when I read posts from others on AgingCare.com, I realize how lucky I have been.

Here’s why I think caregivers are some of the most courageous people out there.

The duties of caring for an aging adult are often shared by multiple family members. We need to start recognizing not just the primary caregiver, but also the other family members who are sometimes "invisible" to the outside world.

I recently found a few interesting memory care tricks from an unlikely literary source: "And The Mountains Echoed," by Khaled Hosseini.

Amy Grant, the best-selling Christian music performer in history, shares how she and her family find solace while witnessing the decline of two parents with dementia.