caring for aging parents

3 Things Siblings Can Do to Care for a Parent

Posted on 11/29/2012 by | Home & Family blogger | Comments

Caregiving | Home & FamilyEditor’s note: The following is a guest post by Barry J. Jacobs, Psy.D., who specializes in helping families cope with serious and chronic medical illness. The brothers and sisters who file into my office have tight-lipped, apprehensive looks. They’ve voluntarily chosen to meet with me for a caregiving consultation in order to find a way to better coordinate their efforts to help an aging parent. But they’re afraid of what might happen once we begin talking: Will old rivalries and resentments rear their …

Veterans Aid and Attendance Benefits Can Help, But Process Difficult

Posted on 11/12/2012 by | Aging, Home & Family Expert | Comments

Caregiving | Home & Family | Money & Savings | Your LifeWhen I first started investigating the Veterans Administration’s Aid and Attendance and Housebound Benefits program for my Dad, a decorated WWII Veteran who earned the Bronze Star while serving in Italy with the 10th Mountain Division, I was excited to learn that he might qualify for some financial assistance to help with the cost of his care. Aid and Attendance is an enhanced or special monthly pension program for certain veterans who require care. Dad has developed Alzheimer’s disease and …

Parking Lot Sob-fest: Cleansed by Tears and Renewed by Chocolate

Posted on 09/21/2012 by | Aging, Home & Family Expert | Comments

Caregiving | Home & Family | Relationships | Your LifeI pulled into the Wal-Mart parking lot, slammed the shift into park and began to sob. The cries came from deep in my belly and slowly worked their way up to my tear-strewn face, emerging messily in a volcanic eruption of tears and snot. Yuck. No tissues in the car, of course. I tried to stop, but it wasn’t happening. And I got loud. I noticed a few people looking at me but I didn’t give a whip. Ahh … …

Mom and Dad Moving In: Plan B

Posted on 09/6/2012 by | Aging, Home & Family Expert | Comments

Caregiving | Home & Family | Relationships | Your LifeIn my last post I shared what happened to me when I let my ‘caring for the caregiver’ habits slide … back pain stopped me cold.  It happened at a critical time during my parents’ move from their senior living apartment back into the house with me. As I mentioned then, it forced me to go with Plan B, which usually involves: changing dates, asking for help, and spending more money. It turned out that adjusting my parents’ move date …

NBC Highlights Caregiving Campaign — And My Family!

Posted on 08/15/2012 by | Aging, Home & Family Expert | Comments

Home & FamilyAARP and the Ad Council are teaming up to raise awareness about the 42 million Americans who care for a loved one — people like me who are family caregivers. This campaign is designed to help us find the quality information, resources and support that we desperately need. As part of my work with AARP, I am serving as a spokesperson for this campaign — and I couldn’t be more thrilled. It’s the quintessential convergence of my personal and professional lives. I’m deeply passionate …

From Rolodex to Evernote: Organizing The List of my Parents’ Health Care Providers

Posted on 07/25/2012 by | Aging, Home & Family Expert | Comments

Caregiving | Home & Family | Your LifeIt was about 15 years old, and full of tattered business and index cards, neatly organized alphabetically – either by name or perhaps by service or type of physician or town or … well, it wasn’t consistent as far as I could tell. Finding the contact information for my parent’s health care and other service providers in my Dad’s card file was a journey into his mind and internal filing system. I’m sure it made sense to him, but it …

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