Extreme cold and heat put seniors’ lives at risk. Know which thermostat settings are safe for older adults — and why. Temperature regulation is a serious health concern for older adults, especially when the facilities they live in don’t enable them to control their own thermostats. This proved lethal for three individuals in May 2022 […]
Illinois Family Caregiver Coalition gives caregivers a voice, connects them with resources Balancing a career with caregiving put Amy Brennan in a precarious position. In 2016, the Chicago resident took five months off work with partial pay, through the Family Medical Leave Act. Her mother was in the final stages of cancer, and Brennan needed […]Read More
What did our readers want to read about in 2022? It was a mixed bag! Our top 10 stories range from powerful supplements to cultural care, aging’s anxieties to head injuries. People had a lot of questions about aging and caregiving — and we were here for them. Thank you to all of the caregivers, […]Read More
Keep your loved ones with dementia safe through this holiday’s winter storms. While the snow, wind, and colder temps coming this week are a major inconvenience for most of us, for individuals with dementia, they can be life-threatening. The fact that the winter storm’s arrival coincides with the holidays is creating a quandary for families […]Read More
Magnesium has many benefits for older adults — if they’re consuming the right amounts. Ubiquitous in the human body, magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral primarily located within the cells, as well as in bones and teeth. Yet, aging can complicate the body’s relationship with magnesium. Nearly every cell in the body uses magnesium […]Read More
Supporting a loved one with cancer through the holidays Everything that makes the holidays so special — family time, parties, gifts — can also make this time of year extra taxing for people with cancer. The diagnosis itself, in addition to treatment, can change how the person responds to and thinks about the world around […]Read More
Many veterans’ caregivers qualify for compensation with a little-known Veterans Affairs program. When Kathy Parker became the primary caregiver for her husband, an Army veteran with stage-four kidney failure, she felt confused, scared, and alone. She didn’t know exactly how to take care of him and felt she wasn’t getting the help they needed from […]Read More
When staffing shortages impact patient care, advocates look out for patients’ best interests, says former nurse and current patient advocate Teri Dreher. Caregiving Magazine is committed to publishing a diversity of opinions. The opinions expressed in this guest essay are the author’s own. A son in California called me last month to help his Chicago-area parents. […]Read More
Caregiver travel grants offer respite and adventure to those caring for others. At 61 years old, Yolanda Sampan accomplished something that her mother had always dreamed of for her daughter: She earned her U.S. citizenship. Sampan knew in that moment last August that she wanted to return to Washington, D.C., to see the cherry blossoms […]Read More
Make a plan to ease the organization process when a parent passes away Grief has no timeline. Everyone grieves in their own way and at their own pace. Yet, shortly after a parent dies, adult children often face a daunting task: preparing the house for sale while the surviving parent still lives there. If you […]Read More