From the Editor’s Desk
As I was working on this issue of Caregiving, a car struck my friend Lisa and fled the scene. She was walking across Franklin Boulevard in Humboldt Park. First responders took her to Mount Sinai Hospital, which we learned after another friend tracked her phone there. In those first few days, we knew little about […]
When Grandparents Become Parents
The opioid epidemic has left older adults to raise a new generation of children. Can they find support through opioid settlement funds? Fact checked by Ros Lederman Laurel Exner’s 16-year-old son, Adam Whited, didn’t want medication when diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, but by age 20, he needed pain relief. His dosage climbed from 10 mg […]
From the Editor’s Desk: Winter/Spring 2026
I’m part of the generation that grew up without ubiquitous technology — and then watched it become unavoidable. We played outside for hours, made calls on landlines, and learned our way around a card catalog. Then the internet came along, and I spent an entire evening making a presentation to my parents about what it was, how […]
From the Editor’s Desk: Spring/Summer 2025
Sleeping over at my grandparents’ house one night when I was 9, I had a horrible dream. The sleepovers always went the same way: My grandma would read to me and stay until I fell asleep. A nightlight glowed in the room, and I felt comforted knowing my grandparents were a few steps across the […]
1925 – 2025: A Century of Change
Fact checked by Shannon Sparks Ask any 100-year-old what life was like when they were young, and what they describe will feel foreign from life today. From the first trans-continental highways to commercial space travel, life in the United States (and on planet Earth) has seen mountains of change over the past 10 decades. Here’s a glimpse at […]
Our Top 10 Stories of 2024
We’re always curious at the end of the year to see which stories most resonated with our readers. Our top 10 of 2024 covers everything from menopause to older adults and homelessness. As we move into 2025, we’re excited to bring you even more stories to enhance your caregiving and aging experience. As always, thanks […]
Legal Updates
New Aging & Caregiving Laws Anti-Discrimination for Caregivers Effective January 1, 2025 An amendment to the Illinois Human Rights Act now protects workers with family responsibilities, such as caring for children, loved ones with disabilities, or aging parents. Governor J.B. Pritzker signed House Bill 2161 in August 2024, making a difference for the 1.5 million […]
Over the Threshold
America’s Unhoused Older Adults Did you know there’s not a single county in the U.S. where people can afford a 2-bedroom apartment on minimum wage? For older adults on fixed incomes and with complex medical issues, this is especially challenging. In this four-part series, published in spring 2024, Caregiving Magazine and Chicago Health Magazine delve into […]
Covering Chicago
Broadcast journalist Ron Magers reflects on his decades in journalism — and what the future may hold Fact checked by Shannon Sparks For 51 years — and an estimated 24,990 newscasts — Ron Magers narrated life for television news watchers. He is quintessential Chicago broadcast media, having started here in 1981. Magers anchored the 5 […]
Over the Threshold: Street Medicine
Street medicine is changing the way medical providers deliver care — meeting unhoused older adults where they are. This is part 3 in a 4-part series on older adults and homelessness. Read part 2 here about women and homelessness and part 1 here. On any given night, the small team at The Night Ministry packs […]