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The Senior Community Lifestyle
Working through Sibling Conflict When Caring for a Parent
Dear Donna: My dad’s health has been gradually declining over the past few years. During that time, my husband, children, and I have been helping him out around the house and with transportation. I’ve also started preparing most of his meals. It’s become a near...
Unique Mother’s Day Gifts for a Senior
Mother’s Day is a holiday that began in 1908 by a West Virginia daughter. Her goal was to honor her activist mother, Anna Jarvis, and her commitment to teaching women how to properly care for their children. Over the years, Mother’s Day has evolved. On the second...
How Do We Start the Process of Downsizing Our Home?
Dear Donna: My husband and I have decided it’s time to move to a senior living community. We have a large home in northern Michigan that we raised our family in. Now it’s too much to maintain. It’s costing us too much time and money. Our goal is to start downsizing...
What Is an Independent Living Community?
Retirement is something most people plan for and look forward to over many years. Finally having the time and flexibility to travel, reconnect with old friends, pursue new passions, and spend time spoiling the grandkids are just a few perks of retiring. Sometimes,...
Is It Time for Assisted Living?
Dear Donna: My siblings and I have been dividing up caregiving duties for our father for several years. We all live about the same distance from him, and it’s worked well until recently. Dad’s personal care needs have increased, and we are struggling to keep up with...
How to Spark Joy in a Senior with Alzheimer’s
If a senior in your family has Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, you might find yourself wondering how they are feeling. As the disease impairs their communication skills, it can be tough to assess their emotional well-being. Dementia experts have long believed...
Self-Care Tips for Alzheimer’s Caregivers
More people than ever are becoming family caregivers. Being the caregiver for a senior loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease can be both rewarding and exhausting. While it is often a labor of love, managing the complex needs of an older adult with memory loss is...
How to Start a Conversation about Assisted Living with a Parent
Dear Donna: My mom has been living alone the last five years since my dad passed. While she did well the first few years, her health has been declining over the last two. She lives in an older home with a lot of stairs, outdated bathrooms, and a detached garage set...
Can Veterans Get Help Paying for Senior Care?
Dear Donna: My brother and I recently started looking for an assisted living community for our parents. Over the past few months, it’s become clear that remaining in their home is no longer an option. Both parents have had falls inside and outside their house....
How to Identify and Address a Parent’s Fears about Senior Living
Dear Donna: My 92-year-old mom has been living alone in the home she’s been in for decades. Until recently, she’s been fine doing so with the help of an in-home caregiver. Lately, however, it seems like her quality of life is declining. Because I live four hours away,...
Tips for Planning a Summer Container Garden
After a winter that left many people self-isolating at home to try to avoid COVID-19 exposure, spring is finally on the horizon. If you are a senior with a love of gardening, one way to continue safely enjoying this hobby is container gardening. Digging in the dirt...
Benefits of Moving to Assisted Living
Today’s assisted living communities offer a wide range of services and amenities, from life enrichment activities to transportation, beauty/barber salons, and safe, thoughtfully designed apartments. These services support the care, independence, quality of life, and...