2030 seems like the distant future, but it is only 12 years from the writing of this article—just as close in time as 2006. That year is going to mark a milestone in US demographics: for the first time, people 65 and older will outnumber those 18 and younger. Indeed, 1 out of every 5 […]
Continue ReadingHas family caregiving caused some conflicts among you and your siblings? It can feel unfair when you are pulling more weight than others. And managing your aging parents’ care can be stressful enough as it is. This could and should be a special time that you’re sharing with your parents in their later years, and […]
Continue ReadingCamilla and Susan were best friends for more than 40 years, ever since their kids were in school together. Both widowed in the last decade, they grew even closer to each other. Camilla even moved into Susan’s apartment building in the Mission Terrace area of San Francisco so they could spend every day together. But […]
Continue ReadingWhen you moved out of the family home and set off on your own, your mother likely went through a mix of worry and excitement for you. Your challenges were new, and you were bound to make some mistakes on your way to figuring out adulthood. Now that she’s living alone and facing the challenges […]
Continue ReadingSometimes simple statements, filled with numbers and statistics and the flat, census-based declarations, contain within them an enormous reservoir of pain and suffering and loneliness. That’s probably why we keep them so dry and clinical: to avoid looking at the hurt. Here are a few: In California, getting older increases the risk of falling below […]
Continue ReadingWhen you’re a caregiver it is easy to overwork yourself. Caregiver stress, fatigue, and overall burnout can be easy to dismiss as less important than undivided attention for your aging or disabled loved one. In other words, caregiving has the potential to be all-consuming. But it shouldn’t be so at the expense of your own […]
Continue ReadingGlen describes his stress as “a feeling that someone is gripping the back of my neck tightly. And I’m so tense that I can’t even turn around to see who it is—if I wanted to.” He feels the stress of healthcare expenses, family drama, and even death as he’s dealing with more unfamiliar health challenges […]
Continue ReadingWhen an older adult has a caregiver come to their home to assist them with everyday tasks, the possibilities for staying and aging at home are greatly extended. With the help of client service managers, homes can be updated for safety and accessibility, medical needs and appointments can be consolidated to minimize and simplify care, […]
Continue ReadingRay loved his home. He’d lived there with his wife Doreen for over 50 years. He knew every creaky spot on the hardwood floor, every crack in the walls, and every mark on the bathroom door where Doreen had recorded the heights of his growing children. Since Doreen’s passing, Ray’s children had been discussing talking […]
Continue ReadingChristie was overwhelmed. Ever since her aging mother’s stroke six months ago, she had been her primary caregiver. Every day before work Christie would drive to her mother’s house to help her get out of bed and make her breakfast. On her lunch hour, Christie would dart across town to bring her mother lunch, eat […]
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