Caregiving + Original Articles

Simple adjustments can increase bathroom safety when you have arthritis and reduce your risk of falls and injury. Every year thousands of falls and accidents occur in bathrooms. Having arthritis, fatigue, stiff joints or weak muscles makes your risk even higher. Exercises can improve your strength, flexibility and range of motion, but there are also easy fixes you can make to improve bathroom safety when you're living with arthritis.

From causes to treatments, learn more about this common problem. If you've got a "grumpy old man or lady" in your life, he or she may be depressed. According to the Geriatric Mental Health Foundation (GMHF), depression affects 15 percent of Americans seniors. Depression is a serious illness characterized by a combination of symptoms that disrupt normal living.

The National Alliance for Caregiving and MetLife Foundation honored innovative programs for caregivers. Caregivers are most often family members of the person for whom they are caring. Currently there are 44.4 million family caregivers in the United States, and experts anticipate that family caregiving will continue to grow in the years ahead. Because nearly 60 percent of caregivers work and 40 percent have children under the age of 18, it can often result in caregiver stress, burnout, and other health problems.

It's important to begin capturing memories to pass along to the next generations of your family. The holidays are the perfect time to get started. Many of us congregate around the dining room table during the holidays, whether it's Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or New Years. These are the times when families come together in the spirit of reunion and caring. We listen to Grandpa's stories about the good old days, and we watch Grandma put together that memorable recipe as no one else can.

As life expectancy increases, so, too, does the prevalence of dementia. Here, a look at the disorder, from symptoms to treatment. For many patientsand the families who love thema diagnosis of dementia can be devastating. A degenerative disease, the condition causes a progressive decline in cognitive function, including memory, attention span, and problem-solving skills. In some cases, dementia patients may suffer from hallucinations or severe disorientation, failing to remember what decade it is, where they are, or even their own names.

Follow these tips to enhance your recall and make your mind more nimble. Have you ever lost your reading glasses and then found them on top of your head? Have you ever gotten your kids off to school, only to find their lunches still in the refrigerator? If so, you're not alone. According to experts, many of us have minor problems with recall as we age.

Everyone worries from time to time, but too much worrying can affect your health. Here, 10 ways to stop stressing. Did you forget to turn off the lights? Weren't you supposed to call your friend? What ever happened to your high-school yearbook? For many of us, worrying just seems like a natural part of our daily lives. But experts warn that too much worrying can affect your emotional and physical health.

Mike Johnston, 49, an electrical contractor in Bristol, Tennessee, had his life turned upside down by Parkinson's disease. Learn about his courageous journey. Shortly after Mike Johnston learned he had Parkinson's disease, he felt as if his world were crashing down around him. But gradually--with faith, love, and the right treatment--he has learned not only to live with the disease, but also to flourish. I was on top of the world: I had a super daughter, a new house, and pets.

Follow these steps to make the holiday season easier for you and a loved one who lives far away. If you're caring for an elderly parent or loved one who lives far away, you're not alone. According to the National Institute on Aging, approximately 7 million adults are long-distance caregivers. And perhaps at no time is the challenge of long-distance caregiving greater than when you can't be there for the holidays.

Diabetes is a lifelong disease, but these tips can make it easier to manage the condition. According to the American Diabetes Association, more the 20 million Americans are living with diabetes. Try these tips to help manage the condition and prevent the serious complications associated with the disease. Follow a balanced diet. A low-fat eating plan with plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein can help keep blood sugar at healthy levels.

Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease can be a challenge. Follow these tips to make it easier. According to the National Alzheimer's Association, more than 10 million Americans are currently caring for a relative with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia. Although the task can be challenging and even overwhelming at times, there are things you can do to ease the process.

Are you concerned that a loved one may be suffering from Alzheimer's disease? Read on to learn about the most common early symptoms. For millions of Americans, it's an all-too-familiar scenario: Suddenly, a loved one will start asking the same question repeatedly, telling the same story continuously, or behaving inappropriately. His or her close friends, spouses, or children notice it but dismiss it simply as "getting old.

It's common for seniors to experience sadness and grief, but when these feelings are persistent, they may be a sign of depression. Although depression is common among older Americans, experts say it's not just a normal part of the aging process. Whenever feelings of sadness and grief are persistent and interfere with daily activities, they may be signs of major depression--a disease that affects 1 to 5 percent of senior citizens in the mainstream community, the National Institute of Mental Health reports.

Elderly patients often get confused or agitated toward the end of the day. Learn about the symptoms known as sundowning. When the sun goes down, elderly patients can become irritated, irrational, even violent. The phenomenon, known as sundowning or sundowner's syndrome, refers to the extreme agitation and confusion elderly people may suddenly experience during the late afternoons or early evenings.

Caregiving expert Jackie Pinkowitz explains what families need to know when a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.  For many families, determining whether their loved on has age-related memory problems or Alzheimer's disease (AD) can be a challenge. And if their family member is diagnosed with AD, they then face a daunting, open-ended question: "Now what?" Most Alzheimer's caregivers wish that they had known early on what to expect in terms of the disease's progression and their loved one's behaviors.

As the average life span continues to increase, more people are requiring caregivers in their later years. Here, a look at the trend by the numbers. At some point, most of us will care for an elderly loved one with a debilitating illness. In fact, an estimated 80 percent of all care received by older Americans is provided by family member spouses, children, grandchildren, and other relatives. Here, a look at the phenomenon by the numbers.

Caregiving expert Jackie Pinkowitz discusses the difference between age-related memory problems and Alzheimer's disease. If you talked to as many caregivers as I have over the years, you'd know that it's not the least bit unusual for them to wonder, "Is it Alzheimer's or just aging?" This heart-wrenching question hangs over the heads of many, many families for many, many months without ever once being spoken out loud.

Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease can be overwhelming. Follow these tips to help deal with the diagnosis and cope with the holidays. Caring for a loved one who has Alzheimer's disease (AD) means that each new day brings a unique set of challenges. Coping with changing levels of ability and new patterns of behavior can become overwhelming at times. Not surprisingly, research has shown that caregivers often are at increased risk for depression and illness, especially if they do not receive adequate support from family, friends, and the community.

These strategies can help you cope with the most common caregiver emotions. When you're caring for an elderly loved one, it's normal to feel sad or discouraged from time to time. Ignoring your feelings won't make them go away; in fact, it may even make them grow stronger. Instead, try these six suggestions from the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.

When it comes to assisted living, understanding all of the options available can be a challenge. Here, the most frequently asked questions and answers. It's never easy when an aging loved one needs to move to a residential facility. But understanding the basics in advance can help ease the transition when the time comes. As you and your loved one prepare for the future, refer to this Frequently Asked Questions guide provided by the national nonprofit Consumer Consortium on Assisted Living (CCAL).

Americans 45 and older are planning for ReFirement, not retirement. It should come as no great surprise that the most well-educated, well-traveled, and affluent generation in history doesn't plan on retiring. Instead, as they consider their options for the future, they're looking to reinvigorate their health, their work, their relationships, and their lives.

A new study shows that preparedness makes all the difference when it comes to caregiving. Findings from the CVS/pharmacy and Caring Today 2007 "Caregiver Insights Study: Well-Being and Care Management" indicate that family caregivers find the caregiving experience more enjoyable than expected. Findings further revealed that those caregivers who were better prepared to fill the caregiver role and responsibilities had more positive experiences than those who were unprepared.

Understand your choices for better decision-making. It goes without saying that those of us who see our aging parents' needs change want for them exactly what we would want for ourselves. Quite simply, we want them to have the right care at the right time in the right place. But wanting it and knowing what it means specifically for our moms or dads, understanding what our options are, and knowing where to find reliable information on each option isn't at all simple.

12 Ways to Beat Exhaustion and Burnout For caregivers, juggling the demands of work and family with parenting our own parents can be a struggle. Just listen to the emotional turmoil expressed by fellow caregivers attempting to manage a turbulent, uncharted course and fill a role they most definitely never wished for.

When it comes to caregiving, what you don't know can hurt you. None of us relishes the fact that our parents are getting older, their health conditions are getting more serious, and their needs are escalating. So many of us choose not to think about a time when they might need long-term care services, much less begin to plan for it.