Lessons from Dolly
Why caregivers need to safeguard their own health when caring for others Shortly after singer Dolly Parton’s death in August, the world learned of the country music star’s personal health struggles while caring for her husband Carl Dean, who died in 2025. In public statements released before and after Parton’s death from cancer, the singer […]
Grief’s Many Faces
How caregivers navigate guilt and loss when their caregiving responsibilities end Susan Skeldon, 72, of Joliet, Illinois, remembers the worry she felt when she became her mother’s primary caregiver. She feared that she was abandoning her husband, Chuck, to focus on her mom. Skeldon was in her 60s when her 93-year-old mother, Mary Duchene, fell […]
A Fest for the Ages
Chicago seniors celebrate aging, connect with resources in Millennium Park Thousands of seniors made their way to Chicago’s Millennium Park this past Thursday for the city’s annual Senior Fest. They came by shuttle, train, car, and on foot, filling Millennium Park with wheelchairs, walkers, and joy. “Older Chicagoans are the soul of our city — […]
Peekaboo, Mama
A fictional glimpse at caregiving’s little moments In The Quiet Songs of Remembrance, Chicago writer Benjamin Cameron Davis Jr. explores caregiving, memory loss, and the quiet bonds that hold families together. Below is an excerpt from Davis’ debut collection. Davis has been working with Arlington Heights Memorial Library in Arlington Heights, Illinois, on a narrative […]
Here and There
5 tips for snowbirds juggling medical care across multiple systems For retirees who split time between Illinois and somewhere warmer — Florida or Arizona, for example — managing two medical systems can create gaps in communication. It can also lead to medication confusion and delays in follow-up care, particularly for people with chronic conditions. “When […]
Beyond the Wheelchair
Understanding the history of July’s Disability Pride Month Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine someone with a disability. Who do you envision? What accommodations do they have? Many people associate disability with physical disabilities. They might picture a wheelchair user because of the well-known International Symbol of Access — the figure in […]
Never Too Late to Learn
Indiana University Northwest course offers older adults digital training, building confidence and inspiring change Joyce White thought she’d have her PhD by now. But technology kept getting in the way. As part of the work for her degree, White, who is 72, was meeting with people and recording audio of the interviews for her dissertation […]
Balancing Act
Caregiving writer Valerie Nikolas reflects on her family’s journey caring for her yiayia through the end By the time my yiayia (grandmother in Greek) passed away this past year, I had spent more than half my life acutely aware of her impending death. From offhand comments about “when I die” (not unusual among Greek grandmothers) […]
Hope vs. Help
New Alzheimer’s drugs offer hope for some, but good dementia care protects the humanity of those they cannot help Above photo: Robert Kneschke/Shutterstock By Kate Irving, Dublin City University Disease-modifying drugs for Alzheimer’s offer a meaningful glimpse of hope for many people who fear dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, but […]
An Unexpected Dementia Defense
For people with Down syndrome, an anti-seizure medication may block early changes linked to Alzheimer’s At Quinlan Terrace, a residential home on Chicago’s North Side for aging adults with disabilities, about half of the 60 residents are people with Down syndrome who have developed Alzheimer’s disease. Director Susy Rivera says care needs vary from person […]