Having Uncomfortable Care Conversations to Strengthen Family Relationships

 September 13, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille

A mom and daughter stand in the kitchen having tough conversations to strengthen family relationships.

It’s easy to let other relationships take a back seat when you’re committed to caring for a senior loved one. After all, there are only 24 hours in a day, and you can only spread yourself so thin. This can lead to additional stress, hurt feelings, and misunderstandings. (more…)


Do You Know the Signs of a Senior With an Eating Disorder?

 August 21, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille

An older adult leans on her counter with a plate of uneaten food in front of her, perhaps indicating a senior with an eating disorder.

It’s common for older adults to experience changes in their weight and diet. Dental problems, medication side effects, less physical activity as a result of mobility issues, and other factors should be explored and either addressed or ruled out. But there’s another explanation that you may not have considered: eating disorders in older adults. (more…)


How Do You Deal With Challenging Dementia Behaviors in Public?

 August 11, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille

An older adult stands in the produce section of a grocery store, resting her arms on the shopping cart.

It’s hard to predict how someone with dementia will behave from moment to moment. The disease can transform a person’s mood, personality, and behaviors in the blink of an eye. When you’re at home providing care for a person with dementia, these changes can be hard enough to manage. But what happens when you’re at a restaurant, grocery store, or hair salon? (more…)


We Have Advice for Welcoming a New Caregiver Into the Home

 August 3, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille

A senior welcoming a new caregiver into his home with a handshake.

It’s finally time for welcoming a new caregiver into Dad’s home! While this can be an exciting time, it can also bring feelings of uncertainty and anxiety. These feelings are typical and perfectly normal. A little advance planning and preparation for this important milestone will help ensure a comfortable and smooth transition for everyone. (more…)


How to Navigate Discussing Home Care Options With Your Parents

 July 19, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille

The adult child of a senior and the senior parent sit on the couch discussing home care options.

Everyone remembers “the talk” with their parents. How could you forget? If you thought that was uncomfortable, brace yourself for “the talk” with an older parent about concerns you’re noticing and the need for care at home! Discussing home care options with your parents can be a tough conversation for many reasons: (more…)


How to Handle an Abrupt Worsening of Alzheimer’s Symptoms

 July 12, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille

The adult child of a senior with Alzheimer’s places her hand on the senior’s shoulder reassuringly after noticing an abrupt worsening of Alzheimer’s symptoms.

It would be great if Alzheimer’s care came with a manual – a step-by-step guide on what to expect at each stage of the disease. While there are some general commonalities in the progression of dementia, each person’s experience is unique. So, it’s difficult to know what to prepare for on any given day. (more…)


The Risks of Caregiving: Caregiver PTSD

 July 5, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille

A dismayed caregiver experiencing caregiver PTSD sits on a blue couch upright in the fetal position.

Contrary to popular belief, PTSD doesn’t just occur after experiencing life-threatening danger. PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) can arise after any traumatic event or experience. It may surprise you to learn that providing care for a family member is one of the main causes of PTSD: a condition known as caregiver PTSD. However, it’s common for the condition to go unnoticed and untreated. This is because the person receiving care is usually the primary focus of both healthcare providers and the family at large. (more…)


Time for Bed Already? Helping Seniors With Chronic Fatigue

 June 20, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille

Senior man napping with dog

Everyone knows the feeling of not being able to get out of bed in the morning. But for seniors with chronic fatigue, that feeling is intensified a hundred times over. As one chronic fatigue sufferer describes it, “I feel like I have a drained battery pretty much all of the time. It’s sort of like being a wrung-out dish rag.”  

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