Articles

1. 9 Common Alzheimer's Myths

   Article - Alzheimer's disease affects newly learned information or recent memories first. Memories of the more distant past -- including arcane details such as names and places -- may endure for some time. The majority of longer-held memories don't typically erode noticeably until the middle stage of the disease...

2. Moving

   Article - Moving an older relative from his family home to a new residence is labor intensive for you and emotionally disruptive for him. Here, some guidelines to help prevent emotional flare-ups and ensure a smooth process.

3. Stroke Care

   Article - Tips and information to help you figure out what kind of care your loved one will need after a stroke.

4. Getting a Second Opinion on a Cancer Diagnosis

   Article - Guidance from Caring.com on when, why, and how to get a second opinion on a cancer diagnosis.

5. Understanding a Cancer Prognosis

   Article - Unlike the diagnosis, which provides information about the type of cancer and where it originated, a cancer prognosis tells you how far the cancer has advanced and what happens next.

6. How to Tell if Someone Is Having a Heart Attack

   Article - Learn how to recognize early heart attack symptoms and common heart attack signs to avoid heart attack risks at Caring.com.

7. ECHO Housing

   Article - Learn how backyard cottages and ECHO housing can be a great senior housing solution for elderly loved ones at Caring.com.

8. Explaining Alzheimer's to Children

   Article - If you have a parent, other family member, or close friend who has Alzheimer's disease or some other form of dementia, it affects not only you; it has an impact on your children, too. The time Grandma blanked on your son's name? Those overheard long, worried phone conversations with your family about your aunt...

9. Alzheimer's Diagnosis

   Article - Learn about dementia diagnosis and Alzheimer's diagnosis, the difference and how someone is diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's at Caring.com.

10. Preventing Falls With Exercise

    Article - Improving balance and strength through exercise is a great way to help elderly loved ones prevent falls, as improving balance is critical to fall prevention.

11. How to Care for Someone With Urinary Incontinence

    Article - Realize it's normal to feel uncomfortable. There are some discussions between close relatives, especially a parent and child, that many of us would rather avoid: Talking to your own children about sex is probably not something many parents can glide through without some discomfort...

12. Managing Congestive Heart Failure

    Article - The term "heart failure" is something of a misnomer. It makes it sound like the heart has stopped working, but that isn't really the case. What congestive heart failure means is that the heart isn't pumping efficiently enough to keep up with the body's needs. "Heart inefficiency" might be a better term...

13. Physical Therapy for Incontinence

    Article - Physical therapy for incontinence - including exercises, biofeedback, and "bladder retraining" - can help a patient improve control over urination.

14. Cancer and Mouth Sores

    Article - Learn how cancer chemotherapy can produce mouth sores in cancer patients, and how to help prevent mouth sores for loved ones undergoing cancer treatment at Caring.com.

15. Defining Your Role as a Cancer Caregiver

    Article - Before you take on the role of caring for someone with cancer, read this comprehensive look at what the job entails --- how to offer the best care and how to avoid burnout.

16. Medigap Insurance 101

    Article - What is medigap? What are the medigap insurance plans, and what do they cover? Who's eligible for medigap?

17. Financial Red Flags

    Article - Keep your eyes open for red flags that your loved one's finances might be off track.

18. Stop Driving

    Article - It's one of the most difficult conversations you'll have with your loved one. Here, tips for what to say, how to listen, and what to expect.

19. Demystifying Your Aging Parents' New Stage of Life

    Article - Communicating with elderly parents may seem tough. But communicating with elderly parents shows you that they're still developing, even late in life.

20. When to Stop Driving

    Article - If your aging parent or family member is like most people, the decision to stop driving will be a tough one. Our senior driver assessment will help determine when a loved one should stop driving.

21. How Medicare Works

    Article - How does Medicare work? What is Medicare? Who qualifies for Medicare? What does Medicare cover?

22. How Medicaid Works

    Article - Learn about Medicaid care, Medicaid eligibility requirements and Medicaid coverage. Find out if Medicaid care is a good option for elderly loved ones.

23. Reverse Mortgage

    Article - Reverse Mortgage: A Beginner's Guide. A free informative guide on reverse mortgages.

24. Family Issues

    Article - Why moving and money are two of the toughest issues to discuss with aging and ailing loved ones -- and practical advice to help.

25. Bathing Your Mom: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Article - Strategies for tackling one of the trickiest and most intimate parts of caring for your mother when she's unable to care for herself.

26. Bathing Your Dad

    Article - Strategies for tackling one of the trickiest and most intimate parts of caring for your father when he's unable to care for himself.

27. How to Find Out Exactly What Kind of Cancer Someone Has

    Article - Learn which questions to ask to understand someone's cancer diagnosis, so you can help her make the best treatment decisions and get the care she needs.

28. 10 Essential Documents to Bring to the Oncologist's Office

    Article - Be prepared: The ten crucial pieces of Information you need to have when you visit a cancer doctor.

29. Questions to Ask the Oncologist About a Cancer Diagnosis

    Article - The 20 essential questions to ask the oncologist when a someone is diagnosed with cancer.

30. Stroke and Depression

    Article - Understanding the emotional aftermath of a stroke, including the warning signs of depression and what you can do to help.

31. How to Deal With Post Heart Attack Depression

    Article - Understanding the emotional aftermath of a heart attack, including the warning signs of depression and what you can do to help.

32. How to Tell if Someone Is Having a Stroke

    Article - How to tell if someone is having a stroke. 5 stroke symptoms to watch for and what to do if someone shows symptoms of a stroke.

33. What to Expect After a Heart Attack

    Article - What to expect after a heart attack. A caregiver's guide to common physical and emotional concerns. Find out what to expect and how you can help.

34. Giving a Bed Bath: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Article - Giving a bed bath: a step-by-step guide. When getting to the shower or tub isn't possible, a bed bath is the only option.

35. Home Share Explained

    Article - How to help someone determine whether sharing his home with a tenant who helps with housework (and cash flow) is the right housing alternative.

36. Cancer Treatment and Nausea

    Article - Chemotherapy is the number one cause of nausea in cancer patients. The first step to preventing nausea is to take the threat of nausea seriously.

37. How to Communicate Better With Someone Who Has Early-Stage Alzheimer's

    Article - How to communicate with someone who has early stage Alzheimer's or other dementias. Keep these simple communication techniques in mind.

38. What Is Neuropathy

    Article - Understand what neuropathy is, how it's connected to chemotherapy, and what you can do when coping with neuropathy.

39. Sundown Syndrome

    Article - Sundown Syndrome affects people with dementia and strikes around sunset. Learn how to minimize sundown syndrome agitation.

40. Hiring a Caregiver for In-Home Help

    Article - How to Hire a Caregiver. Hiring a home care aide or caregiver can help older adults remain at home -- and take some pressure off the rest of the family.

41. Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

    Article - Learn more about transient ischemic attacks -- also called TIAs or "ministrokes". How they happen, signs and symptoms, and what to do.

42. Nausea: Helping Someone With Cancer Maintain Appetite and Weight

    Article - An action plan for helping someone with cancer boost his appetite so he can get the nutrition he needs.

43. Dangerous Senior Drivers

    Article - How to keep a dangerous driver off the roads and out of harm's way -- what to do if your parents refuse to stop driving.

44. How to Provide Alzheimer's Support From a Distance

    Article - Ten great ideas to help you care for someone with Alzheimer's disease when you can't be there in person.

45. Alzheimer's Disease Assisted Living

    Article - How to tell if someone with Alzheimer's needs assisted living. These questions will help you decide.

46. How to Avoid Strained Sibling Relationships When a Parent Has Alzheimer's

    Article - The best ways to maintain family unity when caring for a parent with Alzheimer's disease.

47. Bowel Incontinence Care

    Article - Fecal or bowel incontinence can be caused by Alzheimer's, stroke, Parkinson's, and other diseases that strike older adults. Learn how you can help.

48. How to Get the Help You Need to Care for Someone With Cancer

    Article - Comprehensive information on getting help when caring for someone with cancer. Related information is available in the cancer section of Caring.com.

49. How to Ask for Help With Cancer Caregiving

    Article - Get support you can use in caring for someone with cancer with this guide to how to ask for assistance and ways to help you may not have thought of.

50. How to Have Strong Communication With Medical Staff

    Article - Basic approaches to getting the information you need to make good decisions about your parent's medical care.

51. How to Protect Older Family Members From Fraud

    Article - Common financial scams that target the elderly -- and how you can help your family avoid them.

52. How to Deal With Caregiver Theft

    Article - What you need to know to protect someone you're caring for from financial abuse and theft. Plus, what to do if a theft has occurred.

53. Lasting Legacy

    Article - How to help someone accept and be proud of all she's accomplished in her life.

54. Lasting Legacy

    Article - Practical projects and treasured memories to help older adults accept and feel proud of all they've accomplished in their lifetimes.

55. 12 Ways to Cope With "Chemo Brain"

    Article - Strategies for helping someone who's being treated for cancer with issues of memory, concentration, and organization.

56. Better Sleep for Seniors

    Article - Learn about better sleep for seniors, and how to help seniors sleep better with our senior sleep help article at Caring.com.

57. What to Expect from a Trusts and Estates Attorney

    Article - A trust and estates attorney deals with a range of legal issues, including the drafting of wills, varying types of trusts, tax and estate planning. Find out the typical things to expect when dealing with one.

58. The Stages of Alzheimer's: What to Expect

    Article - The stages of Alzheimer's disease: A comprehensive guide on what to expect during each Alzheimer's stage.

59. Nontraditional Therapies to Help Someone With Alzheimer's

    Article - These nontraditional forms of therapy have been found useful for people with Alzheimer's disease.

60. The Power of Power of Attorney

    Article - t's not uncommon for older adults to fear losing control of their lives. Indeed, as they age, they may try to hang on all the more tightly to their independence. Often this happens just when you feel your parent needs to turn over financial and legal responsibilities to you...

61. How to Create a Strong Cancer Support Team

    Article - Use these guidelines to assemble a cancer support team -- everyone from professional caregivers to family helpers.

62. Life Expectancy for Someone With Alzheimer's

    Article - Life expectancy for someone with Alzheimer's: What's the average life span of someone with Alzheimer's? What influences Alzheimer's longevity?

63. Alzheimer's Disease Support Groups

    Article - Here's what you can expect from an Alzheimer's support groups, from who attends to what happens at meetings.

64. Alzheimer's Caregiving Essentials

    Article - Stress-busters and tips to help you stay balanced and prepared while caring for someone with Alzheimer's.

65. Slowing Alzheimer's Progress

    Article - The cognitive changes of Alzheimer's disease can't be reversed. But there are some proven ways to delay further decline, at least over the short term.

66. Chemotherapy and Hair Loss: All Is Not Lost

    Article - Find out which chemotherapy drugs cause complete hair loss and how to use wigs and scarves to help you cope with chemo drug induced hair loss.

67. How to Help Someone Live With Angina

    Article - A basic guide to keeping someone healthy, comfortable, and safe while living with angina.

68. Winding Up Legal Affairs After a Death

    Article - Winding Up Legal Affairs After a Death. This article covers the distribution of assets and wrapping up of affairs.

69. A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Eulogy

    Article - Here's how to write a eulogy: Before you begin to write a eulogy, take the time to gather the raw material and talk to friends and relatives.

70. What Atrial Fibrillation Means

    Article - What atrial fibrillation means: how it's treated, how to prevent stroke, and what warning signs you should watch out for.

71. How to Help Someone With Diabetes Stick With Diet Recommendations

    Article - Help someone with diabetes make smart food choices. Educate yourself and her about what she can and can't eat without driving her crazy.

72. A Step-by-Step Guide to Shampooing an Older Adult's Hair

    Article - Step-by-step guidelines to shampooing an older adult's hair -- what supplies you'll need and tips to help keep her comfortable.

73. Talking to a Loved One About Death

    Article - Guidance for talking to a loved one about death, from what issues you might want to discuss to being a good listener.

74. What to Expect When Someone With Heart Disease Has Coronary Angioplasty and Stenting

    Article - Maximize the benefits of an angioplasty. From what to do when the patient first gets home to how much activity he or she can handle.

75. Coronary Bypass Recovery: What to Expect

    Article - What to Expect after Coronary Bypass Surgery. Recovery issues may include loss of appetite, leg swelling, shortness of breath, and trouble sleeping.

76. How to Handle Someone With Alzheimer's Who Wanders

    Article - What you need to know to create a safe environment for someone with Alzheimer's who wanders.

77. How to Help a Diabetic Follow Exercise Recommendations

    Article - A guide to how to encourage someone with diabetes to exercise

78. What Is Long-term Care Insurance?

    Article - Long Term Care Insurance is one of the best ways to minimize expenses as you care for an aging parent or other family member.

79. Medicare Part A

    Article - How Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) Works. Who's eligible for Medicare Part A and what hospital care is covered by Medicare Part A?

80. Time for Assisted Living

    Article - It's hard to know if and when an aging adult should move from home to assisted living. Use these tips to help decide if the time has arrived.

81. How to Help a Diabetic Follow Medication Recommendations

    Article - Strategies to help you help diabetics take their diabetes medications on time and consistently.

82. Eldercare Options

    Article - What's the right elder care option for your loved one? Learn more about what's available and how to choose. Expert tips from Caring.com.

83. Moving to Assisted Living

    Article - Get help navigating the emotional and practical minefield of moving an older adult out of her home.

84. Mild Cognitive Impairment

    Article - Worried about memory loss? Find out about MCI -- a subtle decline in mental ability and possible precursor to dementia. Learn what causes it, what the signs are, and how to get someone to get checked for MCI.

85. Non-Alzheimer's Causes of Dementia

    Article - Alzheimer's isn't the only cause of dementia. A basic overview of different kinds of dementia and how they can affect someone.

86. 6 Things Not to Say to Someone With Cancer

    Article - What do you say to someone with cancer? Don't say 'everything is going to be all right.' Learn about the 6 things not to say to someone with cancer.

87. How to Deliver a Eulogy

    Article - Find helpful information on creating a funeral eulogy, including how to write a eulogy and how to deliver a eulogy at Caring.com.

88. Adult Daycare for Someone With Alzheimer's

    Article - A guide to adult daycare for someone with Alzheimer's. Is adult daycare different from a senior center? Are they tailored to people with Alzheimer's?

89. A Step-by-Step Guide to Adult Daycare for Someone With Alzheimer's

    Article - 7 steps for deciding whether adult daycare would benefit someone with Alzheimer's, finding a daycare center, and evaluating it.

90. Helping an Older Adult Stay on the Road -- and Preparing for the Day He Can't Drive

    Article - How to help an older adult stay safe when he's behind the wheel -- and prepare for the day when he can no longer drive.

91. How to Prepare for a Trip to the Emergency Room With Someone Who Has Alzheimer's

    Article - How to prepare in case a patient with Alzheimer's needs to go to the emergency room, and what you can do to help him navigate the ER.

92. Brain-Stretching Activities for Someone With Alzheimer's

    Article - Practical ways to keep someone afflicted with Alzheimer's mentally engaged -- for the sake of her cognitive and emotional health.

93. Planning Ahead for Final Arrangements

    Article - How you and the person you're caring for can plan ahead to ensure the kind of funeral or memorial he wants -- and keep his family from paying exorbitant costs.

94. Chronic Diabetes Complications

    Article - How helping an older adult keep her diabetes under control can avoid 10 serious -- even life-threatening -- complications.

95. Medicare Part C

    Article - Read our Medicare Part C plans article and find helpful Medicare Part C information at Caring.com.

96. Medicare Part D

    Article - Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug Plans): Who's eligible for Medicare Part D coverage and how much Part D drug plans cost

97. Medicare Home Care

    Article - Learn about Medicare coverage for care, including home care and skilled nursing care, and how Medicare coverage can help your elderly loved ones at Caring.com.

98. Stroke Caregiver Support

    Article - 5 ways to get practical and emotional support after someone has a stroke -- and help the patient get extra support, too.

99. 7 Tips for Improving Mealtimes After a Stroke

    Article - 7 practical tips to make eating safer and less stressful after a stroke -- and help a stroke survivor get the nutrition he needs.

100. Understanding Low Platelets

     Article - Why chemotherapy, radiation, and some cancers lower platelet counts, and how a low platelet count might affect treatment.