1. Health
2. Alzheimer's & Dementia

Dementia

• Interview - Talking With Julie Winokur

  Julie Winokur, whose film series The Sandwich Generation documents her family's care-giving experience, reflects on caring for parents at home.

• Interview - Talking With Tamara Jenkins

  The Savages director reflects on her real-life experience as a caregiver to her estranged father -- and why she wrote it differently for film.

• Buying Guide - A Buyer's Guide to Personal Emergency Response Systems

  Guide to personal emergency response systems, or PERS. Home devices that connect your parent to a 24-hour call center with the push of a button.

• Article - How to Communicate Better When Your Parent Has Early-Stage Alzheimer's or Dementia

  How to better communicate when your parent has early stage Alzheimer's or dementia. Keep these simple Alzheimer's communication techniques in mind.

• Checklist - 8 People You Need on Your Alzheimer's Care Team

  Which professionals handle dementia? Learning that...

• Article - The Path to an Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis

  Six steps to take if your parent is showing signs of Alzheimer's disease, from documenting the symptoms to finding the right doctor -- and what to do after you get a diagnosis.

• Article - What to Do When Your Parent Shows Signs of Sundown Syndrome at Home

  Sundown Syndrome affects people with dementia and strikes around sunset. Learn how to minimize sun down syndrome agitation for your loved ones.

• Checklist - 8 Signs to Watch for if You Suspect Alzheimer's

  Alzheimer's Symptoms. How to recognize Alzheimer symptoms. The 8 symptoms to watch for if you suspect your parent has Alzheimer's disease.

• Article - Parkinson's Disease: A Beginner's Guide

  This beginner's guide to Parkinson's disease helps you understand your parent's diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment options.

• Article - How to Care for a Parent With Fecal Incontinence

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

• Article - How to Approach Your Parents With Concerns About Their Driving Ability

  Giving up a driver's license is likely to be difficult for elderly parents. Learn how to approach and talk to elderly parents about driving safety.

• Interview - Talking With Lillian Rubin

  Lillian Rubin, psychotherapist and the author of 60 on Up, talks about caregiver guilt, dealing with dementia, and the problem with living too long.

Blog Posts

• Blog Post - Dementia Caregivers Deserve Summer Vacation, Too

  For caregivers of people with dementia, here's a list of vacation ideas.

• Blog Post - Why People With Dementia Need Daily Exercise

  Older people with dementia who exercise daily showed improvements in mental function. Simple exercises for those with dementia to get started.

• Blog Post - Brain-Training 101: Does It Really Help Those With Dementia?

  Brain-fitness games are a huge growth industry, but can they help prevent or reverse dementia?

• Blog Post - The Link Between Diabetes and Alzheimer's

  What to watch for and what you can do.

• Blog Post - Alzheimer's Meds: Time for a Reality Check?

  The absence of good news about Alzheimer's medications reminds caregivers that learning behavioral therapy is paramount.

• Blog Post - My mother has asked not to be resuscitated if she has a medical crisis, but my siblings disagree on what constitutes a medical crisis.

  Before she showed signs of dementia, my mother decided...

• Blog Post - Fat Belly Now Doubles Risk of Dementia Later

  A new study links belly fat in midlife with an increased risk of developing dementia later in life. It's the first-ever study to link excess weight to Alzheimer's-type dementias.

• Blog Post - With Alzheimer's, Wandering Is a Merry Name for a Scary Problem

  Innovations in dealing with wandering, which affects 6 in 10 people with Alzheimer's.

• Blog Post - Silent Stroke: Another Reason to Get Serious About Heart Health

  A new study showed nearly 11 percent of middle-aged participants had silent strokes. Addressing cardiovascular risk factors can decrease stroke risk.

• Blog Post - What Alzheimer's Caregivers Need Even More Than a Cure

  Alzheimer's caregivers need care resources as urgently as a cure

• Blog Post - Vascular Dementia Resources for Caregivers

  Vascular dementia is the second leading cause of dementia in the US. Here's a list of blogs and resources for vascular dementia caregivers.

• Blog Post - Questions I Wish I'd Asked Mom

  Reflections on a first motherless Mother's Day.

• Blog Post - New Vocabulary Words for Caregivers

  Thoughts on the power of language to influence our perspective on care-giving for the better.

• Blog Post - A Famous Mom Dies of Alzheimer's

  The inspiration for "Mommy" in the cartoon "The Family Circus" dies of Alzheimer's at 82.

• Blog Post - Big Brother is Watching....Mom and Dad

  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.

• Blog Post - Dementia Caregivers: You Really Ought to Talk About It

  New study shows one on one therapy helps reduce the burden on caregivers and their depressive symptoms.

• Blog Post - It Takes a Neighborhood (Part II)

  Taking care of an elderly neighbor can enrich the lives of everyone involved.

• Blog Post - Would You Rather Your Parent Had Dementia or Alzheimer's or Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration?

  Is "dementia" an outdated word, like "mongoloid" or "cripple"?

• Blog Post - Alzheimer's Caregivers' #1 Challenge

  A new survey of Alzheimer's caregivers reveals that daily care isn't the worst of it. Grief is.

• Blog Post - What Do You Give an Old Dad for Father's Day?

  What aging dads really need for Father's Day can't be wrapped.

• Blog Post - Memory Loss Is on Everybody's, Um, Mind

  Many caregivers wonder about their own memory loss; these amusing readings offer a cheering perspective.

• Blog Post - Mindbenders: Memory-Boosting Brain Games

  These brain-building games promise to boost mental skills.

• Blog Post - Dementia Caregiver? 4+ Ways You Can Take a Break

  Ideas for how dementia caregivers can use the arts for stress relief.

• Blog Post - Day Services Really Help People With Dementia -- and Their Caregivers

  New research shows using day services for people with Alzheimer's or dementia helps both them and their caregivers.

• Blog Post - Alzheimer's Memories: Are You Recording Them?

  Chronicling your Alzheimer's caregiving experience: the joys and benefits.

• Blog Post - My father's racist and inappropriate remarks have gotten so bad, I don't want to take him out in public.

  How to understand and deal with an elderly parent's racist or offensive remarks.

• Blog Post - Memory Trouble? Don't Assume It's Alzheimer's

  Memory loss isn't always Alzheimer's: a review of types of memory loss

• Blog Post - Unforgettable Mother's Day Gifts for a Mom Who Forgets

  Great Mother's Day gift ideas for someone with dementia

• Blog Post - A "Sandwiched" Daughter Says Enough is Enough

  A "sandwich generation" caregiver describes how asking for help saved her sanity — and her family.

• Blog Post - Is It Time For Your Parents To Give Up The Car Keys?

  Tips for how to know when it's time for your elderly parent to stop driving -- and what to do about it.

• Blog Post - Too Skinny? Too Fat? Both Raise Your Risk of Dementia

  Being too fat OR too thin puts you at risk for dementia, according to a review of past studies.

• Blog Post - 5 Surprising Ways to Use Memories to Help People With Memory Loss

  Reminiscence therapy improves mood and communication in people with Alzheimer's and dementia by prodding deeply-held memories.

• Blog Post - It Takes a Neighborhood (Pt. 1)

  Neighbors pitch in to help an isolated elderly neighbor so he can stay in his own home.

• Blog Post - Do Parents With Dementia Need a "Sexual Power of Attorney"?

  New questions about the sexual rights of elders with dementia.

• Blog Post - Dementia Caregivers: Ready to Make Your Brain a Promise?

  Scary new statistics about Alzheimer's disease and dementia are a wake-up call to caregivers to take better care of themselves.

Questions & Answers

• Question - How can I help my parents with dementia accept the care they need?

  Refusing help is common in parents with dementia. Get advice on dealing with parents with dementia who refuse help from assisted living staff.

• Question - Enter your question here…Is there some reason your site...

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What is the difference between Alzheimer's and dementia?

  This question has been answered by three Community Members

• Question - Can we travel with parents with dementia?

  This question has been answered by two Community Members

• Question - My dad was just diagnosed with mild dementia. Should he still be on the road?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - I don't think my 78-year-old mother has dementia, so why does she get sundown syndrome?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - My mother thinks that there are people hiding in her cabinets.

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - Could my mother have Alzheimer's, rather than dementia?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can I get my mother, who has dementia, to calm down in her nursing home?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Where can I find a support group for caregivers of people with non-Alzheimer's dementia?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What causes a person with dementia to talk endlessly for hours?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I keep my father, who has dementia, from losing things?

  Does your parent with dementia keep losing things? If your parent loses things often, a few simple tricks will help keep track of his items.

• Question - Two months after my father-in-law's passing, my mother-in-law with dementia no longer recognizes my wife. What could have triggered this?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How do we help my father, with Lewy Body Dementia, find the bathroom at night?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer's?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can I make a hospital stay easier for my mother with dementia?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can sundown syndrome and dementia make my mother-in-law see people?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Does my angry father have Alzheimer's or dementia

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - How do we handle a parent who has dementia and refuses to go to a doctor?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - With how emotional my mom can get and how quickly she also...

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I convince my grandmother, who seems to have dementia, to see a doctor?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - My mother, who has dementia, refuses to go to assisted living. How do we get her involved?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Are hallucinations common in people with Alzheimer's?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can a TIA have residual effects?

  An expert's perspective on the damage that can follow a transient ischemic attack.

• Question - How can I get my incontinent father to wear diapers?

  My father, who has dementia, also has urinary incontinence and refuses to wear adult diapers. Any suggestions to help me convince him to wear diapers?

• Question - Why would my mother be prescribed Arresta if her doc says she does not have dementia or Alzheimer's?

  We suspect my Mom may have either dementia or alzhiemers...

• Question - How do I help my mother stay less stressed while caring for my father?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Should I take cigarettes away from my mother, who has Alzheimer's, for fear she'll start a fire?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Is it common for Alzheimer's patients to have good and bad days with their memory?

  If a parent with early Alzheimer's or dementia has both good and bad days, it can mean that some situations are more confusing or stressful.

• Question - My father has dementia and he walks around the house a lot...

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - What's the best way to handle criticism about the Alzheimer's care I'm giving my mom?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - How can I take over care-making decisions when my brother has power of attorney?

  Try getting to the root of your family member's unwillingness to carry out the duties required in a power of attorney; then, consider other action.

• Question - What is the difference between Alzheimer's and dementia.?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Which medicines cause memory loss?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How do I get my dementia patient to eat?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Does dementia change a person's personality? There are many...

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - What are some symptoms of dementia?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Who is responsible for my brother, who has severe dementia, if the nursing home asks him to leave?

  A court-appointed guardian or conservator may be the best option when there is no one else willing and able to take on caretaking duties.

• Question - How can I encourage my listless mom to bathe?

  Elderly people sometimes refuse to bathe out of modesty or fear of falling. What can you do to help when when a parent refuses to bathe or shower?

• Question - What is sundown dementia?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can I comfort my dying mother who is still holding on for dear life?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Why don't you write about spouses taking care of spouses?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - How do I tell strangers about my parent's Alzheimer's disease?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - My father has dementia and I'm wondering, when is the best time to discuss enforcement of power of attorney?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - What could be wrong with my mother-in-law who makes irrational decisions and wets herself, yet the hospital says she's competent?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - My 88 year old father is uncharacteristically making accussions of my mother. What could be wrong?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - My mom has type 2 diabetes. Could she also have dementia?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - How many stages of dementia are there?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Our 81 year old mother was recently diagnosed with dementia. How should she be convinced that she should not be administering her own medication?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Can Alzheimer's affect how someone feels about the outdoors?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Answer to getting my able-bodied mom to bathe?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Is alzheimers and dementia basically the same thing?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What if my dad's doctor doesn't think it's Alzheimer's?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - My dad eats lots of sweets and doesn't like to drink water--could he have diabetes?

  Find out if a sweet tooth or a lack of thirst are symptoms for type 2 diabetes.

• Question - How do I handle finances when I share POA with my sister and both parents have dementia?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Could this 'trouble" be related to his vision or could dementia be setting in?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Is it normal for my grandfather, who has Alzheimer's and dementia, to be acting inappropriately towards other people?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Is it safe to leave a parent with Alzheimer's home alone?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - If visiting with and talking to extended family members unsettles my father, who has Alzheimer's, should we continue while still remembers them or stop?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Will a gait belt help my elderly mother walk?

  Will a gait belt help my elderly parent walk and move better? Get expert advice on using a gait belt to assist elderly parents to balance and walk.

• Question - How can I convince my father to go to an Alzheimer's adult day care?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Do we tell my grandmother, who is suffering from Alzheimers, about a death in the family?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I deal with my mom, who has Alzheimer's, refusing care and assistance?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - Now that my mom is in a nursing home, how can I make the most of my one-hour visits with her?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Any suggestions for talking to my father, who has Alzheimer's, about his finances?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I find financial aid to care for my mother in her home?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can I deal with changing eating habits?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Should I get a personal emergency response system (PERS) for my mom, who has early-stage Alzheimer's?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - Could my mother's sleeping pills be causing her sundown syndrome?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What is the difference between assisted living and nursing home?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - When a person with Alzheimer's repeatedly makes mistakes, is it OK to correct her?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Will Medicare help him pay my salary and secondary insurance help pay for my client's care?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Does the VA/State have the right to take over my parent's assets?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What is the best way to remove a dog from a parent with Alzheimer's?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What is the difference between power of attorney and a conservatorship?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Does stress affect Alzheimer's?

  Does stress cause Alzheimer's symptoms or make them worse? Here's expert advice on dealing with Alzheimer's and dementia behaviors affected by stress.

• Question - How do I know if my mom has Alzheimer's?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What should I do if my parent resists bathing?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I make sure my father with Alzheimer's remembers to take his medicines?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - How do I cope with an aging parent living in my home?

  Since my mother came to live with me, our relationship has gone down hill and my home feels like a prison.

• Question - How do I get my father to bath when he refuses to do anything but just wash off?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How do I get my husband to cope with his father's Alzheimer's diagnosis?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What rights do I have as a healthcare agent?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can my father's house be taken to pay for long term care?

  A house transferred out of an elder's name can't be taken by Medicaid but might disqualify the elder from Medicaid nursing home coverage.

• Question - Should I continue to encourage my mom to be social, even as her Alzheimer's worsens?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can Alzheimer's lead to dehydration?

  Dehydration can be a dangerous side effect of Alzheimer's. Many with Alzheimer's forget to drink. In addition, some medications are dehydrating.

• Question - Is there a way to get power of attorney back after it has been revoked?

  If possible, get to the bottom of why your mother's power of attorney was revoked. You may need to fight this legal action with legal action of your own.

• Question - Why won't my parents and their friends use the word Alzheimer's?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What legal recourse do I have with my drug abuser/alcoholic brother who has POA for our mother before he manages to go through my mothers money?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Should my mom's house remain unchanged even though she has memory problems?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I get my father to stop yelling at me?

  My father is miserable, and taking it out on me.

• Question - What's the difference between a guardianship and a conservatorship?

  What's the difference between a guardianship and a conservatorship? I want to know because my elderly parent refuses to sign a power of attorney.

• Question - How do I get my 90 yr old mother to go to a nursing home?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do we help my mom, who has moved into an assisted living facility, "say goodbye" to her old home?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Why do teens get especially upset about their grandparents' Alzheimer's disease?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - Does the Veterans Administration have any claim on my parent’s estate?

  Does the VA or our state have any claim on my parent’s estate?

• Question - Why do elderly women contract numerous urinary tract infections?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I keep my mother's hair clean when she resists shampooing?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I talk to my father about the mess he makes in the bathroom when he urinates?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Do you need a prescription for a walker?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Do we need a court order for the bank stating my mother is unable to handle her financial affairs any longer?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - How can I help my mother if she refuses my help?

  I want to help my mother, but she won't let me.

• Question - What or how do I get help, for a 76 yr old father drinking to the point of falling down?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Can Alzheimer's disease cause mild-mannered people to swear?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

Tips & Reflections

• Tip - Don't Be Afraid to "Be Nosy" About a Parent's Dementia

  Wondering if your parent really has Alzheimer's...

• Tip - Limit Clothing Choices for a Parent With Dementia

  Does your parent's Alzheimer's cause her to sometimes...

• Tip - parent with dementia

  After caring for two elderly parents for several...

• Tip - Make Floors Less Confusing to the Alzheimer's Brain

  Take a closer look at your parent's floors if she has...

• Reflection - What I Wish I'd Known: Julie Winokur

  Filmmaker Julie Winokur, who chronicled care giving for her father in The Sandwich Generation, talks about being a working mother and caregiver.

• Tip - A Dark Bath Mat Makes Tub Less Scary for Some Alzheimer's Patients

  Some people with Alzheimer's or dementia have trouble...

• Tip - The 7-Second Alzheimer's Hug

  As language skills start to fade in mid-Alzheimer's...

• Tip - Use a Written Record to Assess Your Parent's Dementia

  If you suspect your parent has Alzheimer's, start an...

• Tip - Help Your Parent Find the Bathroom

  If your parent with dementia can't remember where the...

• Reflection - What I Wish I'd Known: Tamara Jenkins

  The Academy Award-nominee on what she'd change about her father's death.

• Tip - Baby Soaps and No-Rinse Soaps Make Bathing Easier

  If your parent resists bathing, consider using baby...

• Reflection - What I Wish I'd Known: Eleanor Coppola

  Eleanor Coppola, author of Notes on a Life and wife of Francis Ford Coppola, on the importance of preserving memories of your parents now.

• Tip - Tip for Loved One To Remember Your Name

  Wear a name tag. Many of our elderly loved ones with...

News

• News - Removing Ovaries Before Menopause Leads to Memory, Movement Troubles

  WEDNESDAY, Aug. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Removing one...

• News - Smokers More Likely to Develop Dementia

  TUESDAY, Sept. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Current smokers...

• News - Antidepressant as Good as Antipsychotics for Dementia

  MONDAY, Sept. 10 (HealthDay News) -- The antidepressant...

• News - Falling Platelet Counts May Signal HIV-Linked Dementia

  THURSDAY, Sept. 13 (HealthDay News) -- HIV-infected...

• News - Conscientious People Less Prone to Alzheimer's

  MONDAY, Oct. 1 (HealthDay News) -- People who are conscientious...

• News - Parkinson's Linked to Risk of Alzheimer's

  MONDAY, Oct. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Relatives of people...

• News - Tooth Troubles Could Raise Dementia Risk

  THURSDAY, Oct. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Tooth loss and...

• News - Dementia in More Educated Hits Later But Harder

  TUESDAY, Oct. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Having a higher...

• News - Blood Pressure, Heartbeat Problems Aggravate Alzheimer's

  TUESDAY, Nov. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Alzheimer's disease...

• News - Fish, Fruits, Veggies May Cut Dementia Risk

  THURSDAY, Nov. 15 (HealthDay News) -- A diet that includes...