Caring for a Spouse

  • What’s Language Have to Do With It?

    Research has shown that being bilingual may decrease a person's risk for cognitive decline, perhaps I should brush up on my French.

    1 Comment
  • God Bless the Caregivers

    Day-to-day annoyances wear on caregivers after a while. Sometimes, all we can do is grit our teeth, focus on the positives and try our best to get through it.

    25 Comments
  • The Dangers of Dementia and Catalog Shopping

    Charlie's dementia-fueled obsession with ordering items from magazines has proven challenging to deal with.

    6 Comments
  • Exploring Our Long-Term Care Options

    Family Caregiver Blog: Charlie and I just visited a local assisted living facility to see whether it might be a viable housing option for us in the future. We were shocked.

    15 Comments
  • Find Your 'Stress Busters'

    From one caregiver to another, you must develop ways to relieve your stress. Here's how to find what works best for you.

    2 Comments
  • The Peanut Butter Sniff Test for Alzheimer's

    The newly-proposed 'peanut butter sniff test' for Alzheimer's disease has gotten a great deal of attention. But I wonder how accurate it really is.

    25 Comments
  • Why Renting May Be Better than Buying for Seniors

    Family Caregiver Blog: The pros and cons of renting versus buying for aging adults, and how Charlie and I became comfortable with being renters.

    5 Comments
  • Charlie's Brain and His Teeth

    Charlie's latest dementia-fueled obsession: his dental health. He's always asking me to make appointments with the dentist, even though he doesn't need to go.

    6 Comments
  • A Sense of Purpose Can Keep Depression at Bay

    What do you do when your loved one is suffering from depression? It's essential for us caregivers to know how to stave off depression in ourselves and those we care for.

    2 Comments
  • Dementia Fixations and White Lies

    Handling Charlie's dementia-induced obsessions sometimes forces me to lie in order to keep him calm.

    46 Comments
  • What Do Your Teeth Have to Do With Your Brain?

    Maintaining good dental health is important for you and your loved one. Some studies even say that oral hygiene is linked to brain health.

    4 Comments
  • Defining Frailty: What Does it Really Mean?

    I recently participated in a study to help researchers develop a "frailty index" for people over 65 and I'm not sure what to think of my results.

    4 Comments
  • Dementia and the One Drink Rule

    Alcohol can affect the elderly in different, more profound ways than it effects younger people. Unfortunately, Charlie enjoys wine a little bit too much.

    3 Comments
  • Putting it in Writing May Relieve Your Stress

    While caring for my husband with dementia I've learned that writing has helped Charlie and I express ourselves and cope with difficult emotions in a more productive way.

    0 Comments
  • What’s a Caregiver to Do When an Elder Won't Accept Outside Care?

    I'm having trouble trying to find respite care for Charlie while I undergo knee replacement surgery. He simply doesn't want to accept outside help.

    28 Comments
  • I Need a Charlie App

    Different types of technology can be very helpful for caregivers of elders with dementia. What I really need is a "Charlie App."

    11 Comments
  • Exercising to Avoid Falls in the Elderly: A Caregiver's Story

    Physical fitness is vitally important for both caregivers and their loved ones. Here's how Charlie and I manage to stay in shape.

    0 Comments
  • Seniors, Mobility, & Falls: Remember Humpty-Dumpty?

    Statistics show that one out of three people over age 65 take a fall each year. Whether you are a caregiver or an aging adult living alone, take a good look around your home and eliminate trouble spots.

    0 Comments
  • Bladder Control: More is Not Always Better

    One of the challenges in caring for my spouse became his "going" problem. He was emptying his bladder constantly – at least every hour. We evaluated his prostate, got medical attention, and most importantly adjusted his fluid intake.

    1 Comment
  • The Hardest Thing I’ve Done

    The caregiver's path is unpredictable, but we somehow seem to keep moving forward for the sake of our loved ones--even when things seem impossible.

    2 Comments
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