Nell Bernstein

Caring.com senior editor

About

Nell Bernstein's writings have appeared on Salon.com and in Glamour , Health , Legal Affairs , Marie Claire , Mother Jones , Newsday , O: The Oprah Magazine , Self , Redbook , and the Washington Post . Nell often writes on family issues and the legal system. Her award-winning book All Alone in the World: Children of the Incarcerated was selected as a Pick of the Week by Newsweek , a Best Book of the Year by the San Francisco Chronicle, and a top-ten Book of the Year by the Online Review of Books. Nell graduated magna cum laude with a degree in comparative literature from Yale University and began her career in journalism by helping her freelancer mom edit stories at the kitchen table.

Nell now lives in Albany, California, with her husband, artist Timothy B. Buckwalter, and their young twins. The twins enjoy playing poker for M & M's with their grandfather, and they plan to let him win a hand on his upcoming 88th birthday.

Recently Published on Caring.com

  1. Monday November 09, 2009

    1. Choosing the Right Assisted Living Facility

      Article - Learn the most important criteria for assessing whether an assisted living facility is right for an aging loved one. 1 Comment

  2. Friday November 06, 2009

    1. Assisted Living Care Communities: How to Choose the Right One

      Article - Assisted Living: How to choose the right assisted living community for the person in your care 1 Comment

  3. Tuesday October 06, 2009

    1. How to Downsize

      Article - 8 steps for easing a parent's move into a retirement community or assisted living facility.

  4. Friday October 02, 2009

    1. 7 Questions to Ask an Estate Liquidator

      Article - Despite the fancy title, estate liquidators can do a lot more than auction off expensive heirlooms. Whether your parents are moving to a retirement community or just downsizing to make independent living more manageable, a good estate liquidator can help them find a new home for all kinds of excess belongings...

  5. Wednesday August 19, 2009

    1. Choosing a Nursing Home

      Article - Learn how to select the right nursing home -- and what factors are most important in weighing the decision.

  6. Friday August 14, 2009

    1. What to Do if Things Go Wrong in a Continuing-Care Retirement Community

      Article - Common problems that may arise when an aging friend or relative moves to a continuing-care retirement community, and tips for helping to address them.

    2. Understanding Senior Housing Options

      Article - Senior housing includes aging in place, continuing-care and independent-living communities, and assisted living -- whatever housing an older adult seeks.

  7. Thursday August 13, 2009

    1. Why Senior Housing Is Such an Emotional Issue

      Article - Whether to age in place or move to a nursing home is an emotionally charged issue. Help make an older adult's housing decision easier. 1 Comment

    2. Independent Living Communities: Who They're For

      Article - Usually apartment or condominium complexes, these communities generally offer on-site amenities such as beauty salons, banks, fitness programs, and communal meals. They may even have a doctor who makes regular rounds. 1 Comment

    3. Who Should Move to a Continuing-care Community?

      Article - A continuing-care retirement community is a good option for people who value security. Knowing that no matter how their health changes down the line, their needs will be met and they won't have to move can bring great peace of mind. If the older adults in your care are becoming socially isolated as they...

    4. Continuing-Care Community Contracts and Fees

      Article - What it costs. Continuing care is an expensive option. Payment systems vary quite a bit from one continuing-care community to another, and these systems can be complex. In most cases, older adults will pay a hefty entrance fee -- or, in some communities, they'll have to purchase the unit they move in to -- and then pay a monthly fee after that...

    5. How to Choose the Right Continuing-Care Retirement Community

      Article - When choosing a continuing-care retirement community or helping the person you're caring for find one:

  8. Tuesday August 11, 2009

    1. What to Do if Things Go Wrong in an Assisted-Living Community

      Article - Common problems that may arise when an older adult moves to an assisted-living community, and tips for helping to address them.

    2. How to Help an Older Adult Age in Place

      Article - Help older adults remain in their own homes by planning now for their transportation, household safety and maintenance, and financial and healthcare needs.

  9. Friday August 07, 2009

    1. How to Find Daily Calling and Visiting Services for Seniors

      Article - Daily calling services and visiting programs let caregivers, family, and friends check up on the safety of older adults who live alone. 1 Comment

    2. What to Do if Things Go Wrong in a Nursing Home

      Article - Common problems that may arise when an aging relative moves to nursing home, and tips for helping to address them.

  10. Wednesday July 22, 2009

    1. Aging in Place Communities Offer Independence and Support

      Article - Creative programs offer older adults new ways to get the services of a retirement community while remaining at home. Here are three popular models. 1 Comment

    2. What to Do to Determine if Elderly Family Members Can Live Independently

      To Do List - Can elderly family members still live alone? Know what questions to ask and what signs to watch for to see if your loved ones can remain independent.

  11. Monday May 18, 2009

    1. High-Tech Solutions to Aging-in-Place Dilemmas

      Checklist - 10 useful gadgets for elderly parents to remain independent in their home. These innovative gadgets for elderly parents are invaluable. 10 Comments

  12. Thursday May 07, 2009

    1. Continuing Care Guide: What Are CCRCs?

      Article - How to decide if a continuing-care community is right for your family

  13. Wednesday May 06, 2009

    1. How to Know If It's Time to Move an Older Relative Out of the Family Home

      Article - Here's how to decide whether it's time for an older family member to move and, if so, what options are best. 1 Comment

    2. A Guide to Eldercare Options in Living Arrangements

      Article - A breakdown of available eldercare options and guidance to help you decide what kind of eldercare is right for your family member.

    3. How to Sidestep Moving-Day Minefields

      Article - Guidelines to help you navigate the emotional and practical minefield of moving an older adult out of her home. 1 Comment

    4. 8 Steps to Make Independent Living Work

      Article - Independent Living: Eight steps to help someone make independent living a reality. 1 Comment

  14. Friday May 01, 2009

    1. What Are Nursing Homes?

      Article - Nursing Homes: A free informative guide to help you decide what nursing home is best for the person in your care.

  15. Thursday April 30, 2009

    1. Talking With Michael Kirk

      Interview - Premiering April 2 on selected PBS stations across the country is Caring for Your Parents, a deftly crafted documentary portrait of five families that have taken on the role of caregiver to aging parents. On the eve of the premiere, Caring spoke with Michael Kirk, who wrote, produced, and directed the...

    2. Talking With David Solie: Caregiving Mistakes and Lessons Learned

      Interview - Caring.com advisory board member David Solie has made a career of helping seniors navigate their final years -- as a geriatric psychologist, CEO and medical director of a life insurance brokerage corporation, and author. His book How to Say It to Seniors: Closing the Communication Gap With Our Elders...

    3. What I Wish I'd Known About Caregiving Priorities: Caring.com Expert/Geriatric Psychologist David Solie

      Reflection - With all his expertise in helping seniors navigate their final years, you might think David Solie would have sailed through his years of care giving for his mother without any regrets. In fact, Solie -- a geriatric psychologist, the author of How to Say It to Seniors: Closing the Communication Gap With Our Elders, and a member of Caring...

  16. Monday April 13, 2009

    1. Planning a Move to Assisted Living or a Nursing Home

      Article - How to help someone make the move to assisted living or a nursing home. Avoid pitfalls and find the right situation.

  17. Tuesday December 23, 2008

    1. Last-minute Gifts to Keep Elders Safe at Home

      Blog Post - These last-minute gift ideas can help those aging in place hold on to their independence by keeping them safe. 1 Comment

  18. Tuesday December 16, 2008

    1. Federal Initiative Brings Nursing Home Patients Home

      Blog Post - Researchers report elders fear nursing homes more than death, which makes a federal initiative to fund less-expensive home care look promising. 1 Comment

  19. Tuesday December 09, 2008

    1. Sex Behind the Nursing Home Curtain

      Blog Post - A new study find that nursing home staff lack sensitivity towards the sexual needs of residents. Meanwhile, elders are having sex. Are "sexual powers of attorney" the answer? 4 Comments

  20. Tuesday December 02, 2008

    1. Financially Stretched Seniors Look to Mexico for Assisted Living

      Blog Post - As seniors struggle with the rising cost of retirement care, some are moving to Mexico, where assisted living communities offer care at about one third the cost.

  21. Tuesday November 25, 2008

    1. When Help and Control Go Head to Head

      Blog Post - Seniors sometimes reject help they may need out of a desire to maintain a sense of control. How you extend a helping hand can make all the difference. 1 Comment

  22. Tuesday November 18, 2008

    1. Looking in on Aging Relatives: A Home-for-the-Holidays Checklist

      Blog Post - Nursing home admissions go up around the holidays as visitors find aging relatives in poor condition. This holiday checklist will help you assess your elderly relatives' well-being.

  23. Tuesday November 11, 2008

    1. College-Linked Retirement Communities Connect Generations

      Blog Post - College-affiliated retirement communities are a rapidly-growing new retirement housing option, offering intellectual stimulation and an intergenerational community.

  24. Tuesday November 04, 2008

    1. Gay and Lesbian Seniors Find Housing Niche

      Blog Post - Gay and lesbian seniors often report discrimination in retirement communities. Gay and lesbian-targeted retirement communities are a popular new alternative. 1 Comment

  25. Tuesday October 28, 2008

    1. "Boomerang Seniors" -- More Aging Parents Are Moving in With Their Kids

      Blog Post - The economic crisis and falling home values are contributing to an increase in aging parents and seniors moving in with their adult children. Here's how caregivers can cope. 5 Comments

  26. Tuesday October 21, 2008

    1. Elder Villages Offer Independence Plus Community

      Blog Post - Elder villages offer seniors a way to age in place with support and a sense of community. An idea whose time has come, now they're spreading from urban to rural areas.

  27. Tuesday October 14, 2008

    1. New Nursing Homes Put the Emphasis on "Home"

      Blog Post - A new movement to make nursing homes more homelike is catching on across the country. 2 Comments

  28. Tuesday October 07, 2008

    1. Fire Safety Tips for Protecting Elders

      Blog Post - October is Fire Safety Month. These tips can help caregivers protect aging-in-place seniors from home fires. 1 Comment

  29. Tuesday September 30, 2008

    1. Home Monitors Watch Over Seniors Aging in Place

      Blog Post - Home electronic monitors, which attach to the walls in seniors' homes and trigger a call for help, are an important option for aging-in-place safety. 2 Comments

  30. Tuesday September 23, 2008

    1. Technological Advances Keep Seniors Safe on the Road

      Blog Post - New technologies in the works will help keep seniors safe on the road -- and help them live independently in their own homes longer.

  31. Tuesday September 16, 2008

    1. New Gadgets to Help the Old

      Blog Post - New innovations help address the challenges of aging. Here's an update on the latest breakthroughs, like the iShoe for fall prevention and video phones in nursing homes. 1 Comment

  32. Tuesday September 02, 2008

    1. Nursing Home Evictions Underscore Need to Plan Ahead

      Blog Post - Nursing homes are evicting growing numbers of elderly residents. Here's how to protect seniors from nursing home evictions by establishing an eldercare plan.

  33. Tuesday August 26, 2008

    1. Assisted Living in Challenging Times -- Planning Is the Key

      Blog Post - Assisted living faces rising costs and other pressures, which makes planning for assisted living both challenging and necessary. 1 Comment

  34. Tuesday August 19, 2008

    1. Making Homes Safer for Seniors: Talking Points

      Blog Post - Universal design principles can help seniors age in place safely. Here's how to communicate with elders about making home modifications based on universal design.

  35. Tuesday August 12, 2008

    1. Universal Design Part 2 -- Breaking the Ice

      Blog Post - Universal design can make seniors' homes safer, but many older people resist changes. Advice for getting seniors to agree to home renovations. 2 Comments

  36. Tuesday August 05, 2008

    1. "Universal Design" Helps Seniors Age In Place With Grace

      Blog Post - Universal design principals are making the home accessible to everyone, regardless of age or ability -- are a useful option for seniors aging in place.

  37. Tuesday July 29, 2008

    1. Virtual Tour Helps Make Seniors' Homes Safer

      Blog Post - A new virtual tour from the Home Safety Council, at mysafehome.org, offers caregivers advice on making the home safer for seniors and aging-in-place parents.

  38. Tuesday July 22, 2008

    1. For Those Who Want to Age In Place, Lots of New Choices

      Blog Post - The majority of seniors want to grow old in their own homes and neighborhoods. Now, more and more communities are coming up with innovative solutions for aging in place. 1 Comment

  39. Tuesday July 15, 2008

    1. Online Access for the Elderly? You Bet!

      Blog Post - The elderly are going online at the same rate as younger people.Here's a look at new technologies that can stave off social isolation for aging-in-place elders.

  40. Tuesday July 08, 2008

    1. A Toolkit for Starting Aging in Place Communities

      Blog Post - A new website, norcbluerpint.org, offers tools for seniors aging in place who are interested in starting NORCs (Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities). 3 Comments

  41. Tuesday July 01, 2008

    1. New Fall Prevention Tools Keep Seniors Steady

      Blog Post - Falls are a leading cause of injury and death among seniors. New fall prevention technology can help prevent falls among seniors.

  42. Tuesday June 24, 2008

    1. New Legislation (and You) Can Help Prevent Seniors From Falling

      Blog Post - The Safety of Seniors Act aims to help prevent falls among the elderly. Here are ways to help reduce the fall risk for your parents.

  43. Tuesday June 17, 2008

    1. Cash and Counseling Program Offers a Paycheck for Care Giving

      Blog Post - Medicaid's Cash and Counseling Program lets recipients spend home-care benefits as they see fit -- including paying family members to care for them.

  44. Tuesday June 10, 2008

    1. Aggression, Fighting Common Among Nursing Home Residents

      Blog Post - High levels of aggression and fighting are common among nursing home residents. Experts offer advice for helping aging parents manage aggression from fellow nursing home residents.

  45. Wednesday June 04, 2008

    1. "Leisureville" Paints Retirement Community Seniors as 24-Hour Party People

      Blog Post - Leisureville, a new book on a massive child-free retirement community, portrays seniors as 24-hour party people. 1 Comment

  46. Tuesday June 03, 2008

    1. A Stay-at-Home "Nursing Home"

      Blog Post - The I-House, a stay-at-home nursing home, is a "smart house" for seniors, the latest entry in a trend toward high-tech aging in place.

  47. Tuesday May 27, 2008

    1. Elder Co-Housing Offers the Best of Both Worlds

      Blog Post - Elder co-housing is an innovative retirement housing option for seniors who want both a sense of community and a feeling of control.

  48. Tuesday May 20, 2008

    1. Quick Quiz: Should Your Parents Stay at Home or Move?

      Blog Post - Quiz to help adult children figure out whether aging parents can stay at home or should move to retirement communities.

  49. Tuesday May 13, 2008

    1. The NEW Retirement Hot Spots

      Blog Post - Nextville by Barbara Corcoran offers a whirlwind tour of great retirement destinations around the globe.

  50. Tuesday May 06, 2008

    1. Robots and Other High-Tech Solutions Help Seniors Stay at Home

      Blog Post - New high-tech monitoring systems allow seniors to age in place with greater safety and freedom, but also raise privacy concerns.

  51. Tuesday April 29, 2008

    1. Big Brother is Watching....Mom and Dad

      Blog Post - A new breed of high-tech retirement community is using technology to monitor seniors with dementia and other conditions, offering new freedoms while raising privacy concerns.

  52. Tuesday April 22, 2008

    1. Five Tips for Keeping the Sandwich Together

      Blog Post - Five tips to help sandwich generation members ease the stress of caring for aging parents in their homes.

  53. Wednesday April 16, 2008

    1. A "Sandwiched" Daughter Says Enough is Enough

      Blog Post - A "sandwich generation" caregiver describes how asking for help saved her sanity — and her family. 4 Comments

  54. Monday April 07, 2008

    1. Sandwich Generation "Massively Stressed"

      Blog Post - A new study of sandwich generation women, caring for children and aging parents, finds them ill-prepared for the massive stresses of care giving. 2 Comments

  55. Tuesday April 01, 2008

    1. The Transformative Nature of Caregiving

      Blog Post - The producer of the PBS documentary Caring for Your Parents talks about the ways eldercare changes families

  56. Tuesday March 25, 2008

    1. Lifestyles of the Rich and Retired

      Blog Post - As retirement housing options expand, cruise ships have joined luxury hotel chains in offering high-end retirement destinations.

  57. Tuesday March 18, 2008

    1. A Brave New World for the Old

      Blog Post - Find out how new gadgets and technologies, like housecleaning robots and Personal Emergency Response Systems, can make living safer and more comfortable for seniors.

  58. Thursday February 21, 2008

    1. Caregivers discuss: how to plan ahead for things like moving your parents?

      Community Post - You've hit the nail on the head here--loss of control is such a central issue for our parents as they age, and it's so easy to slip into struggles over control with them, almost without knowing it. Some of the best advice I got on this front was from Donna Quinn Robbins of Ultimate Moves, a senior move...