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FAMILY CAREGIVING ADVICE COLUMN

Written by Mary Haynor, President & CEO

Family Caregiving Advice betters the lives of family caregivers. More than twenty-five years of caring for patients has taught us a great deal about patients' families. We understand that caregivers are under a lot of pressure and stress; therefore, we want to make sure they are taken care of, too! 

How to Choose the Right Home Care Provider

QUESTION: "Mary, how do I know which home care provider to choose for Mom? There are so many choices, and I want to make the very best decision. Do I focus on price? How do I determine quality? Is there some other criteria I should use?" - READER

Read

Jul 12, 2019

How to Choose the Right Home Care Provider

Jul 5, 2019

Mom Hardly Eats. How Can I Help?

Mom Hardly Eats. How Can I Help?

QUESTION: "My 85-year-old mother eats like a bird. She lives alone and no longer cooks. She only eats toast, yogurt, tea, jam, and cookies. That's it. When we stop over with food, she eats a little bit, but most of the time she is too busy talking to actually eat. My sister and I are concerned she is wasting away. While she has not had any health issues, she is quite thin. She has always been small, but she used to eat more. What can we do to help Mom resume a healthy diet?" - READER

Read

Family Caregiving Topics

All Tags

Family Caregiving

Finances

Medication

Caregiving - Planning

Siblings

Health

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Dad Cannot Care for Mom Anymore

Finances

Health

Medication

Siblings

Family Caregiving

06-21-19
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Mom Treats Her Children Differently

Siblings

Family Caregiving

06-14-19
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Debunking A Common Hospice Myth

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Family Caregiving

06-07-19
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How Can I Make My Father's Parkinson's Easier on Him When We Are Dining Out?

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Family Caregiving

05-31-19
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The Rewards of Caregiving and Why It's Important

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Medication

Siblings

Family Caregiving

05-24-19
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Do You Need Hospice in Your Final Days?

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

05-17-19
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My Nurse-Sister Is Meddling with Mom's Care and Bossing Around Her Health Care Team

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

05-10-19
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I Want to Be a Caregiver

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

05-03-19
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The Best Way to Help Mom with Her Finances

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

04-26-19
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Dad Smells Bad

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

04-19-19
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Mom Is Grinding Her Teeth After Her Stroke

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

04-12-19
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Mom Is Grinding Her Teeth After Her Stroke

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

04-12-19
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Dad Spends All His Time by Mom's Grave

Family Caregiving

04-05-19
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Is Mom's Purse Putting Her in Danger on Walks to the Park?

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

03-29-19
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Dad Drinks Heavily Since Mom Died

Health

Medication

Siblings

Family Caregiving

03-22-19
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How Can I Convince My Father to Eat Healthier?

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

03-15-19
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I Am Running Out of Steam with Caregiving

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

03-08-19
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Mom Is Not Active Anymore

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Family Caregiving

03-01-19
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Unwanted Caregiving Advice

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Medication

Siblings

Family Caregiving

02-22-19
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Dad Wants to Travel Alone

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Family Caregiving

02-15-19
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A Lonely Valentine's Day for Mom

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

02-08-19
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I Am Lost Without Mom

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Family Caregiving

02-02-19
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My Elderly Father Shoveling Snow Scares Me

Health

Family Caregiving

01-25-19
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Alzheimer's and Advance Directives: Figuring out Dad's Wishes

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

01-18-19
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Taking Down Holiday Decorations

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

01-11-19
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9 Things Mom Can Do During the Winter Doldrums

Caregiving - Planning

Siblings

Family Caregiving

01-04-19
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Am I Experiencing Caregiver Burnout?

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

12-28-18
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Caregiver Gifts & Ideas for Dad

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Siblings

Family Caregiving

12-20-18
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How Do I Tell My Father with Dementia We Need to Move Him? | [Video]

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Family Caregiving

12-18-18
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Children Not Helping Stepmother with Father's Care

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Family Caregiving

12-13-18
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Should I Be Paid to Care for My Father

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Siblings

Family Caregiving

12-07-18
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Mom's Shopping Addiction Jeopardizes Her Ability to Pay for Health Care

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Siblings

Family Caregiving

11-30-18
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Is Dad Overmedicated?

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Medication

Family Caregiving

11-23-18
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Mom Refuses Hearing Aids

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

11-16-18
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Should I Bring Mom on Vacation?

Caregiving - Planning

Siblings

Family Caregiving

11-09-18
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Mother Was Not Told of Her Son's Death While She Was on a Cruise

Family Caregiving

11-02-18
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What to Do When Dad's Caregiver Is Not Meeting His Needs

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Medication

Siblings

Family Caregiving

10-26-18
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How Do I Accept That Mom Is Not Immortal

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Family Caregiving

10-19-18
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Motherhood: Adjusting to Life as a Caregiver

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Family Caregiving

10-12-18
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"I Am an Exhausted Caregiver"

Family Caregiving

10-05-18
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"The Joys of Caregiving"

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Medication

Siblings

Family Caregiving

09-28-18
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"Do I Have to Care for Dad?"

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

09-21-18
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"When a Sibling Visits from out of Town and Disrupts Caregiver Plans"

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

09-14-18
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"When a Live-In Caregiver Friend Gets Too Familiar”

Finances

Family Caregiving

09-07-18
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"Get me out of here!" - Wanting to Leave Assisted Living

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Family Caregiving

08-31-18
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Why Does Letting Go Feel Okay?

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Family Caregiving

08-24-18
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3 Steps to Find Meaningful Work for Dad

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

08-17-18
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Dad Plays with His Medication

Health

Medication

Family Caregiving

08-10-18
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Mom's Caregiver Is Taking Her to a Mystery Appointment with Her Lawyer

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Family Caregiving

08-03-18
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When Caregivers Need a Break

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

07-27-18
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How to Get Paid as a Live-In Caregiver

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Family Caregiving

07-13-18
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Can I Bring Hope Back to Dad?

Health

Family Caregiving

07-06-18
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Do We Tell Mom?

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

06-29-18
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The Odd Sister Out

Caregiving - Planning

Siblings

Family Caregiving

06-22-18
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Paying for Care

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Family Caregiving

06-15-18
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Caring for Father with Mental Health Issues

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Medication

Family Caregiving

06-08-18
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Mother Needs to Slow Down

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Family Caregiving

06-02-18
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Dad Living with Buddies

Finances

Family Caregiving

03-30-18
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What to Do with Mom’s Things

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Siblings

Family Caregiving

03-23-18
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Interesting Funeral and Burial Plans

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Family Caregiving

03-16-18
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Mom Thinks She Is A Burden

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

03-10-18
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Yard Work

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Siblings

Family Caregiving

03-02-18
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When Children Are Pushing End-of-Life Planning

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

02-23-18
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When Live-In Facilities Have Lousy Food Options

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

02-16-18
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Sibling Is Stealing from Parent

Finances

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

02-09-18
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Is Mom Misplacing Things, Or Is Someone Stealing Them?

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Siblings

Family Caregiving

02-03-18
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What Is the Best Way to Complain?

Family Caregiving

01-27-18
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I Do Not Want to Move

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Family Caregiving

01-20-18
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How Do I Get Dad to Talk

Caregiving - Planning

Siblings

Family Caregiving

01-13-18
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Asking My Children for Help

Family Caregiving

01-05-18
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Planning for Mom to Move In

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Family Caregiving

12-30-17
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Packing with Dad for the Holidays

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Medication

Siblings

Family Caregiving

12-22-17
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Too Tired for the Holidays

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Family Caregiving

12-16-17
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Bringing the Christmas Spirit Back

Health

Family Caregiving

12-08-17
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Motivating Dad

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Family Caregiving

12-01-17
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Shopping with Grandma

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

11-24-17
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Should Grandma Choose Surgery?

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

11-17-17
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Job Opportunity

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Siblings

Family Caregiving

11-10-17
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Who Gets Grandma for Christmas

Caregiving - Planning

Siblings

Family Caregiving

11-03-17
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Mom Calls Me Too Often at Work

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

10-27-17
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We Want to Move

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

10-20-17
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Should I Be Worried About the Caregiver

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Family Caregiving

10-13-17
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Sandwich Generation Problems

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Health

Family Caregiving

10-06-17
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Delegating Care to Siblings

Caregiving - Planning

Siblings

Family Caregiving

09-29-17
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Cheated Out of Time

Health

Family Caregiving

09-29-17
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How to Protect Parents From Scams

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Family Caregiving

09-15-17
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Dad Cannot Hear

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Family Caregiving

09-08-17
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Dad's Prostate Cancer Treatment

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Family Caregiving

08-31-17
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When School Starts for Caregivers

Family Caregiving

08-25-17
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When Parents Should Stop Driving

Caregiving - Planning

Health

Family Caregiving

08-18-17
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Incontinence

Health

Family Caregiving

08-11-17
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Should My Sister Be Paid to Take Care of Dad?

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Siblings

Family Caregiving

08-04-17
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Helping From a Distance

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

07-27-17
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How to NOT Grow Grumpy with Age

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

07-21-17
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Dad Is Losing Weight

Health

Family Caregiving

07-14-17
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Family Visits "Wear Me Out"

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

07-07-17
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Funeral Planning

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

06-30-17
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Mom Wants to Work

Finances

Family Caregiving

06-23-17
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Mom Is Grinding Her Teeth

Family Caregiving

06-17-17
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Dad's Pilgrimage South

Finances

Family Caregiving

06-09-17
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Caring for Grandchildren

Family Caregiving

06-03-17
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What Happened to My Sweet Daughter?

Family Caregiving

05-27-17
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Grandparents and Bills

Finances

Family Caregiving

05-18-17
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Mom Wants to Try Online Dating

Family Caregiving

05-13-17
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Why Do I See People Getting Care That I Cannot Afford

Finances

Family Caregiving

05-11-17
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My Son Wants to Sign Onto My Accounts

Finances

Family Caregiving

04-15-17
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Husband Wants Me To Regularly Eat Lunch With Mother-In-Law

Family Caregiving

04-08-17
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Why is it So Taxing Caring for Mom?

Family Caregiving

04-01-17
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Oh No! Mom is Throwing Away Her Planning Papers!

Family Caregiving

03-25-17
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College Money

Family Caregiving

03-18-17
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Heart Failure and Diet

Family Caregiving

03-11-17
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When Should I Move Mom with Alzheimers Into A Facility?

Family Caregiving

03-04-17
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Pressure to Remodel Home

Family Caregiving

02-25-17
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Millenial Concern: Can My Parents Afford to Retire?

Finances

Family Caregiving

02-18-17
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My Children Want Me to Live with Them

Family Caregiving

02-11-17
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Let's Throw A Party!

Family Caregiving

01-28-17
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Frustrated by Health Care Bills

Finances

Family Caregiving

01-21-17
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Mom Has Dementia

Family Caregiving

01-14-17
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Dad Talks About Death

Family Caregiving

01-07-17
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Dad is Giving Away Money

Finances

Family Caregiving

12-31-16
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My Parent's Shoveling Scares Me!

Family Caregiving

12-24-16
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Missing Pain Medication

Medication

Family Caregiving

12-17-16
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Should Dad Keep Coming on Vacations?

Family Caregiving

12-10-16
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Motivating a Disabled Spouse

Family Caregiving

12-03-16
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Dad is Falling

Family Caregiving

11-26-16
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Gift Ideas for Dad

Family Caregiving

11-19-16
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Think Like a Child. Create Your Own Fun.

Family Caregiving

11-11-16
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I Need Work Flexibility

Family Caregiving

11-05-16
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Mom Complains of Health Care Costs

Finances

Family Caregiving

10-22-16
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Dad's Caregiver is Not Doing the Job

Family Caregiving

10-15-16
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The "One-Year" Rule

Family Caregiving

10-08-16
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My Mom Thinks She Can Walk

Family Caregiving

10-01-16
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Dad Lives in a Jungle

Family Caregiving

09-24-16
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Having Fun with Mom Again

Family Caregiving

09-17-16
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What to Do When Mom's Memory Slips

Family Caregiving

09-10-16
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Should I Move In?

Finances

Family Caregiving

09-03-16
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Dad's Not Coming Home From Rehab

Family Caregiving

08-27-16
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Feeling Guilty Traveling Without Parents

Family Caregiving

08-13-16
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How Does Hospice Work?

Family Caregiving

08-08-16
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My Sibling is Draining My Father's Resources

Finances

Family Caregiving

08-05-16
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Mom Wants a Dog

Family Caregiving

07-23-16
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11 Tips to Prevent Elderly Falls

Family Caregiving

07-23-16
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Dad Won't Let Me Set Up His Medication

Medication

Family Caregiving

07-09-16
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Dad Hates His New Home

Family Caregiving

07-02-16
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"Homebound" - what does this mean?

Family Caregiving

06-25-16
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Taxes and Caregiving

Medication

Family Caregiving

06-04-16
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Mom Gives Away the Money That We Give Her

Finances

Family Caregiving

05-21-16
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I Work Multiple Jobs and Mother Needs Care

Family Caregiving

05-14-16
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How Do I Talk with My Parents About Moving?

Family Caregiving

05-07-16
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How Do I Get Mom to Wear a Lifeline Device?

Family Caregiving

04-30-16
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Should I Retire To Care For My Parent?

Finances

Family Caregiving

04-23-16
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Spring Activities for Caregivers

Family Caregiving

04-16-16
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Mom Keeps Firing All Her Caregivers

Family Caregiving

04-09-16
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How to Handle the Stress of Seeing Parent's Health Decline

Family Caregiving

04-02-16
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Should Mom or Dad Move In With Me?

Family Caregiving

03-26-16
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I Am Concerned About The Cost of Care For Mom

Finances

Family Caregiving

03-19-16
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Consider The Conversation Screening & Panel

Family Caregiving

03-16-16
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Time Saving Techniques for Caregivers

Family Caregiving

03-12-16
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Should Mom Make Repairs to Her Home?

Family Caregiving

03-05-16
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Young Adults with Dying Parents

Family Caregiving

02-29-16
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Mom is so Frustrating at Times

Family Caregiving

02-20-16
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Dad Hates His New Home

Family Caregiving

02-13-16
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Should My Parents Spend The Money They Saved on Care?

Finances

Family Caregiving

02-06-16
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Protecting Parent's Resources

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Family Caregiving

01-30-16
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I'm Afraid of Losing my Job Because of Caregiving

Family Caregiving

01-23-16
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Can I Take my Parents on a Roadtrip?

Family Caregiving

01-16-16
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Should You Accept Money for the Care You Provide?

Finances

Family Caregiving

01-09-16
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Seniors Targeted by Mobile Providers

Family Caregiving

01-04-16
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I'm Just Plain Tired!

Family Caregiving

01-02-16
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Choosing an Organization That Cares

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

12-26-15
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I Think Dad Needs Care - Where to begin?

Family Caregiving

12-19-15
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Including Children in the Caregiving Process

Family Caregiving

12-12-15
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I'm Uncomfortable When Mom Talks About Dying

Family Caregiving

12-05-15
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Palliative Care vs Hospice Care

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

11-28-15
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My Life is Being Stolen

Family Caregiving

11-21-15
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Dad is Lending Money and Getting Scammed

Finances

Family Caregiving

11-14-15
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Why is Respite Important?

Family Caregiving

11-07-15
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Lending Items to a Parent and Dealing with Siblings Later

Family Caregiving

10-31-15
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How to Work as a Team When Siblings Disagree on Care Decisions

Siblings

Family Caregiving

10-24-15
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Why Would I Sign Mom on to Hospice If She Is So Active?

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

10-17-15
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The First Day Home from Surgery: What Caregivers Need to Know

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

10-10-15
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Distant Siblings Are Telling Me How to Care for Mom, yet I'm the Real Caregiver!

Siblings

Family Caregiving

10-03-15
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Planning Fun With an Elderly Parent

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

09-26-15
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Managing Elders' Medications

Medication

Family Caregiving

09-19-15
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When Should You Talk To Your Parent's Physician?

Caregiving - Planning

Medication

Family Caregiving

09-12-15
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My Parent Does Not Appreciate What I Do as a Caregiver

Family Caregiving

09-05-15
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I'm An Only Child Trying To Take Care Of My Parents

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

08-22-15
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Caregiving Is Too Much For Me

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

08-15-15
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Mom Doesn't Believe I Know What's Best for Her

Caregiving - Planning

Family Caregiving

08-08-15
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Emotional & Financial Costs of Caregiving

Family Caregiving

07-31-15
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Should I Ask My Parents for Money?

Finances

Family Caregiving

07-25-15
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My Parent is Slipping!

Family Caregiving

07-18-15
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Mom Hates Me!

Family Caregiving

07-11-15
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Handling A Parent's Finances

Finances

Family Caregiving

07-04-15
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Will Hired Caregivers Steal From Me?

Family Caregiving

06-27-15
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Should My Parents Spend The Money They Saved on Care?

Caregiving - Planning

Finances

Family Caregiving

06-20-15
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What To Do When Caregiving Makes You Irritable With Your Parent

Family Caregiving

06-13-15
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Bathing

Family Caregiving

06-06-15
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Grandma Doesn't Make Cookies Anymore

Family Caregiving

12-31-69
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Siblings Won't Share Caregiving Responsibilities (8-29-2017)

Siblings

Family Caregiving

11-30--1

Contributors

Mary Haynor

President & CEO

Casimir Panawash-Bielinski

Communications Manager

Laura Hey

Health Healer

Tom Langer

Volunteer

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