Question from Trish: I am the mother of a 6-year-old with Duchenne MD. His life expectancy is 20 years old. I am also an LPC intern (I currently work as a crisis counselor for hurricane victims in …

Bereavement photographer Todd Hochberg will offer a photo workshop for caregivers on September 18 in Chicago. The full-day session is for all caregivers interested in improving the quality and content of photographs they take for grieving …

By Carol O’Dell –
For many of us,?caregiving for a spouse is in our future. We like to not think about it, or at least imagine that it’s a long, long time from now. For many, …

By Karla Wheeler ?
When someone we love is terminally ill, it can be the most challenging time in our lives physically, emotionally, socially, and even spiritually. But if we can learn to be gentle with …

Most of us pine for the days when we had home town doc who delivered us, knows everything about us–and cared that we stay alive. Not that most ever had that–but it sure sounds good, doesn’t …

By Carol O’Dell
Creating a meaningful memorial service for your loved one is cathartic, and you don’t?have to wait until your loved one passes to begin to think about what they — and you — want …

I have to admit that I didn’t attend a caregiver support group while I was caring for my mom.
Not everyone is the “group” type.
I started full time caregiving back in 1998 and honestly, I didn’t even …

Move over, Michelle Obama, cause Mama’s in the house.
That’s right, Michelle Obama’s mother is moving into the White House.

Multigenerational families aren’t new, and now that the Obama family joins the rank, perhaps it …

By Carol O’Dell –

By Carol O’Dell –

I was recently at an event where a woman received the caregiver of the year award for her community.
Her daughter wrote a lovely letter about all her mother did for her mother.
The list started at …

By Ryan L Malone
In an assisted living environment, caregivers are often thought of only as “hired help.”  In fact, both short and long-term relationships with caregivers offer benefits far exceeding assistance with daily living.
The acceptance …

By Martha Paulson
Today, every six seconds someone turns 62. Makes you stop and think, doesn’t it? As more and more aging adults start to retire, families at one point have to take on the responsibility …

Life lessons are everywhere, and I was recently reminded of what it’s like to be a caregiver?by my two dogs–Kismet and Rupert. Kizzy (short for Kismet) is an Alaskan Malamute?and her son, Rupert who is part lab. (She had a tryst in the front yard before we could stop her). Miracle was, she only had [...]

We avoid thinking about or dealing with death at every turn.
Even caregivers who are caring for their aging parents try not to think about the inevitable end.

Cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, combined with age will eventually claim the lives of those we love. And sadly, by not fully anticipating and participating in [...]

Grieving is natural. It’s good for you. It’s necessary.
But can you take grief too far?
What is “too far?”
What’s right and necessary for one is dangerous for another.
I recently watched “Reign Over Me”about a man (played brilliantly by Adam Sandler–not his usual comedic role) who loses his wife and three daughters in the airplane crash [...]