Caregiver Support

My husband has dementia. I have mixed feelings every time I hear his cane hit the floor in the morning. I dread the day that I can no longer cope and he has to go into long-term care.

Caregivers are faced with overwhelming stress and difficult care decisions daily. Finding opportunities to laugh and ways to incorporate a little humor into your routine will lift your spirits and bring proven health benefits.

We tend to think of temper tantrums as only pertaining to small children or teens, but even the elderly act out at times. Learn what's behind these angry outbursts and how to best handle them without losing your own temper.

Family caregivers often find themselves in high-stress, high-stakes situations where anxiety and depression can quickly take root. Left unchecked, these natural emotions can endanger a caregiver’s health and even be transferred to their care recipient.

When a parent with dementia begins acting childlike or deceitful, it is sometimes assumed they are being manipulative because their behavior is just so outrageous. The fact is that most seniors with dementia aren't capable of truly manipulative behavior.

Family caregivers can't do everything on their own. Putting together a care team that includes doctors, family, neighbors, friends, and even outsiders can help a caregiver provide better care, build a network of support and avoid burnout.

Even well-intentioned comments and questions can be hurtful when they come from someone who doesn’t understand what family caregivers are going through.

By participating in a support group and interacting with one’s peers, caregivers can combat loneliness, stress and caregiver burnout while improving their mood and receiving personalized advice and encouragement.

Caregiving is often stressful and can lead to a dangerous condition called caregiver burnout. When your day-to-day life revolves around someone else, how do you begin to make yourself a priority?

Narcissists have a limited ability to love other people and value their emotions. Accepting this reality will help you come to terms with your uniquely difficult caregiving role and set boundaries with your narcissistic mother or father.

In situations where seniors’ adult children aren’t willing or able to assist with their care, grandchildren are rising to the occasion. These younger caregivers face countless challenges, but there are resources available to help them navigate this role.

What happens when the person you care for dies and caregiving ends? For a family caregiver, relief after the death of a care recipient is a common yet conflicting occurrence.

Caregivers desperately need to decompress and lift their spirits. One way to go about reducing caregiver stress is to teach yourself how to laugh despite the everyday challenges of caring for an aging loved one.

Many of us dive into caregiving with full hearts and little forethought. Doing some honest soul searching can help you sort out your priorities, set goals for your loved one’s care and establish your own boundaries.

While it is often seen as a sign of weakness, crying relieves stress that, if left unchecked, can negatively affect one’s physical and mental health.

Memory loss is a hallmark symptom of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, but neurological damage can also cause patients to make up hurtful stories and level false accusations toward their caregivers.

Countless family caregivers rely on optimism and a sense of humor to power through the most challenging aspects of caring for an aging loved one. Lighten up your day by reading funny and uplifting stories from real caregivers like you.

Whether you're providing hands-on care or managing care decisions, setting boundaries with difficult elderly parents enables family caregivers to provide care while safeguarding their own mental health.

Family caregivers report much higher levels of stress and depression compared to non-caregivers, but caregiving and depression don’t have to be a package deal. Use these tools to combat low mood and find treatment options that are right for you.

Dealing with negative elderly parents is tough. Some are chronic complainers, but there can be valid reasons for these difficult moods. Explore causes of complaining and negativity and identify when these behaviors are a red flag.