Browse Our Topics

• Insights on Aging– What can you expect as a caregiver, as you watch and experience your family member going through the aging process? How can you best support your loved one in maintaining their independence as much as possible through the changes to come? These articles describe the normal changes of advancing years, point out changes that are problematic, and offer valuable guidance on when it’s time to seek help.
  • Physical changes
  • Emotional changes
  • Mental changes
  • Your strengths
  • Your legacy
• Important Documents – Being a caregiver often involves much more than assisting your family member with the day-to-day challenges of a chronic health condition.  There are also long-term considerations and decisions that you and your loved one will likely face.  Here are a series of practical and insightful articles to help you better understand what lies ahead, how to be prepared and how to have those important conversations with your loved one.
  • Finances and estate planning
  • Quality of life and serious illness
  • Starting the conversation about end-of-life wishes
  • Health care planning: the Advance Directive
  • POLST – physician order for life sustaining treatment
• Tips and Tools for Family Caregivers – The average family caregiver will spend 4.3 years actively assisting an ailing relative. With that in mind, you need to pace yourself to prevent caregiver burnout, take time for self-care, and also get help from family, community and professional resources when you need it.  These articles offer guidance, support and suggestions that can help you in your elder care journey.
  • Your Changing Role
  • Coping with Stress
  • Dealing with Family
  • Educating Yourself
  • Finding Help
• Staying Independent – Helping your aging parents or loved ones to remain as independent as possible is a key part of being a caregiver.  Older adults frequently decline after an episode severe enough to cause a hospitalization. Thus, helping prevent a crisis or injury is one of the best ways you can contribute to your aging parents’ health. These articles offer helpful information that addresses common, avoidable causes of injuries and complications that can result in hospitalizations.
  • Preventing Hospitalizations and Re-hospitalizations
  • Managing Medications
  • Preventing Falls
  • Driving Safely
• Common Conditions – Most likely your aging family member is experiencing one or more chronic health conditions. As a caregiver, active management of these conditions is key to helping your loved one maintain the best quality of life possible. Often this is easier said than done, especially when your loved one is resistant to necessary lifestyle changes or has dementia. These articles offer practical tips to help you and your loved one more effectively manage a variety of chronic health conditions, and communicate in ways that help minimize confusion if your loved one has dementia.
  • Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
  • Living with cancer
  • COPD: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
  • Dementia: The Challenges of Memory Loss
  • Diabetes: Active Management is the Key
• Difficult Symptoms – If the person you care for is struggling with a serious condition, there are things you can do to help them address the common symptoms of their disease, or even
  of the treatments. These articles will help you learn more about managing pain, assisting with shortness of breath, easing nausea and more.
  • Trouble Breathing
  • Depression and Anxiety
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea, Diarrhea, Constipation
  • Restlessness, Agitation and Delirium
• Medical Concerns – As a caregiver you work in partnership with your loved one’s physician and other health professionals to help support your family member’s well-being.  In this section you’ll find caregiving tips and information on concerns you may have such as nutrition, recognizing and dealing with pain, and discussing treatment options and decisions with your loved one.
  • Caregiving Tips
  • Nutrition, eating and serious illness
  • Managing pain
  • Talking with your doctor
  • The last few days: What to expect
• Emotional-Spiritual Issues in Serious Illness – Caring for someone with a serious illness brings up a lot of feelings. For the person who is ill. But also for family members.  These articles offer suggestions and resources to help navigate the emotional and spiritual side of caring for your aging parent or loved one. 
  • Hope and serious illness
  • Grief and serious illness
  • Spirituality and serious illness
  • Family conflict
  • Mourning your loss