Mother

• Article - Sorting the Stuff: A Step-by-Step Guide to Organizing Your Parent's Move (Without Getting Disowned)

  Read these six easy steps to learn how to help your parent take stock of a lifetime's worth of belongings before moving to a new home.

• Checklist - 9 Things to Automate When a Forgetful Parent Wants to Continue Living at Home

  Tasks and chores you can take off your parent's hands so that they can stay independent longer.

• Article - How Much Care Will Your Parent Need After a Stroke?

  How to assess how much care and help your parent will need after a stroke.

• Article - Getting a Second Opinion When Your Parent Is Diagnosed With Cancer

  Guidance from Caring.com on when, why, and how to get a second opinion on your parent's cancer diagnosis.

• Article - How to Make Sure You Understand Your Parent's Cancer Prognosis

  This article helps you understand the implications of your parent's cancer prognosis.

• Article - How to Tell if Your Parent Is Having a Heart Attack

  Five heart attack symptoms to watch for and how to respond if you see symptoms of a heart attack.

• Article - ECHO (elder cottage housing opportunity): A Backyard Solution for Senior Housing

  What is an ECHO? An elder cottage housing opportunity (ECHO) is a small, temporary senior housing unit that can be installed in a backyard.

• 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 - Exercise Classes That Improve Your Aging Parents' Strength and Balance -- and Prevent Falls

  Find an exercise class that improves a parent's strength and balance, reducing the risk of falling and preventing hip fractures and other injuries.

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

  Caring for a parent with urinary incontinence is a difficult issue. Here are some basics to help.

• Article - Managing Congestive Heart Failure

  A parent with congestive heart failure can lead an active life, especially if he knows how to manage the early-stage symptoms. Here's how to help.

• Article - Physical Therapy to Help Your Parent With Incontinence

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

• 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.

• Checklist - 10 Questions to Ask Your Parent About a Fall

  Don't be surprised if your parent is reluctant to talk...

• Article - Cancer and Mouth Sores

  Mouth sores are one of the most common side effects of cancer and chemotherapy. Learn how to prevent, treat and reduce the pain of chemo mouth sores.

• Article - Defining Your Role as a Cancer Caregiver

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

• Article - Medigap: A Beginner's Guide

  Medigap: A Beginner's Guide. What is medigap? What are the medigap insurance plans and what do they cover? Are my parents eligible for medigap?

• Article - Warning Signs That Your Parents' Finances Are Off Track

  Eight warning signs that your parents may need help with bill paying, financial planning, and daily money management.

• Article - Demystifying Your Aging Parents' New Stage of Life

  Demystifying Your Aging Parents' New Stage of Life. Understand your elderly parents to improve communication and avoid power struggles.

• Article - How to Know When Your Parent Should Stop Driving

  How to Know When Your Parent Should Stop Driving. Risk factors and warning signs that tell you it's time for a parent to stop driving.

• Article - Medicare: A Beginner's Guide

  Medicare: A Beginner's Guide. What is Medicare? Who's eligible for Medicare? What's covered by Medicare? How much does Medicare cost?

• Article - Bathing Your Mom: A Beginner's Guide

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

• Checklist - 6 Ways to Make Bathing Your Parent More Comfortable

  There's no getting around the inherent awkwardness...

• Checklist - 10 Things You Need to Know When Your Parent Is Diagnosed With Cancer

• Article - How to Find Out Exactly What Kind of Cancer Your Parent Has

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

• Checklist - 10 Ways You Can Help Your Parents Prevent a Stroke

  Stroke prevention: 10 ways you can help prevent a stroke. These stroke prevention strategies will help your parents reduce their risk of a stroke.

• Article - Documents to Bring to the Oncologist's Office

  Be prepared: The ten crucial pieces of Information you need to have when you visit your parent's cancer doctor.

• Article - Questions to Ask Your Parent's Oncologist About the Diagnosis

  The 20 essential questions to ask the oncologist when your parent is diagnosed with cancer.

• Article - What to Do When Your Parent Experiences Depression After a Heart Attack

  Understanding the emotional aftermath of your parent's heart attack, including the warning signs of depression and what you can do to help.

• Article - How to Tell if Your Parent Is Having a Stroke

  How to Tell if Your Parent Is Having a Stroke. 5 stroke symptoms to watch for and what to do if your parent shows symptoms of a stroke.

• Article - Giving Your Parent a Bed Bath: A Step-by-Step Guide

  Giving Your Parent a Bed Bath: A Step-by-Step Guide. When getting to the shower or tub is impossible, a bed bath is the only option.

• Article - Is a Home Share Right for Your Parents?

  How to help your parents determine whether sharing their home with a tenant who can help with the housework (and the cash flow) is the right housing alternative for them.

• Checklist - 10 Gadgets That Could Help Keep Your Parents Living at Home

  10 innovative gadgets that can make it easier for your aging parents to remain independent in their home.

• Checklist - 10 Things You Should Know About Your Parents' Finances

  Know the answers to these 10 elderly parent finance questions. Where do they keep their financial records? Do they have a durable power of attorney?

• Interview - Talking with David Rieff

  The author of Swimming in a Sea of Death reflects on his inner struggle over how to help his mother, Susan Sontag, face death.

Blog Posts

• Blog Post - Help! My mom's in hospice and my sister and I are arguing about her funeral.

  Our mom has said she wants to be cremated "so you don...

• Blog Post - How can I deal with my mom's anger at me for urging her to move my dad to an Alzheimer's residence, where he fell in love with another woman?

  My mother, who took care of my father through the early...

• Blog Post - My parents are begging me for an occasional drink or cigarette -- even though it's against their doctors' orders.

  Advice on whether it's okay for elderly parents, one of whom uses portable oxygen, to occasionally smoke or drink.

• Blog Post - Alcohol Abuse Among Seniors -- the Last Taboo Subject

  Alcohol abuse among seniors still tends to be secret, but new data show it's more common than most people suspect. A guide to how to talk about it.

• Blog Post - Sandwich Generation "Massively Stressed"

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

• Blog Post - Are You a "Designated Daughter"?

  A new book coins a new term for grown daughters who look after their parents: designated daughter.

• Blog Post - Insurance Coverage: Denied!

  What do you do when your parent's insurance company denies coverage for the care that his doctor has ordered?

• 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 - The Link Between Diabetes and Alzheimer's

  What to watch for and what you can do.

• Blog Post - Five Tips for Keeping the Sandwich Together

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

• Blog Post - After a Stroke: When Words Fail Us

  Creative ways to communicate with someone who has trouble speaking or understanding language.

• Blog Post - I'm not close to my dad's new wife, and that's keeping me from caring for him as much as I'd like to (he has Alzheimer's). How can I step in and help him more?

  What to do when your elderly father's new wife comes between you and him.

• Blog Post - How Retirement Is Changing

  A rundown of emotional and financial issues facing current and future retirees.

• Blog Post - My mother's growing needs are putting a strain on my marriage, and I find myself wondering which will fall apart first -- her, my marriage, or me. What can I do?

  Since my dad died five years ago, my mother has had...

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

  Great Mother's Day gift ideas for someone with dementia

• Blog Post - The Mother's Day Gift That Keeps on Giving

  Spending time with your mother on Mother's Day is the best gift of all.

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

  Reflections on a first motherless Mother's Day.

• Blog Post - Mom Far Away? Cool Gift Ideas, and Yes, There's Still Time!

  Mother's Day ideas for a mom who lives far away.

• Blog Post - A Drug for the Bones Causes Risk to the Heart

  New research shows that the osteoporosis drug Fosamax nearly doubles the risk of atrial fibrillation.

• Blog Post - Robots and Other High-Tech Solutions Help Seniors Stay at Home

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

• Blog Post - My mother is gambling away every last penny -- and her financial independence. What should I do?

  Since my father's death two years ago, my 75-year-old...

• Blog Post - Cell Phones That Won't Scare Mom

  Check out Jitterbug: a simplified cell phone with features designed just for seniors.

• Blog Post - A Healthy Gift for National Women's Health Week

  National Women's Health from May 11 to 17 is full of useful health prevention activities on-line and off.

• Blog Post - Macular Degeneration: All Eyes Are on Hormone Therapy

  New research shows that taking hormones cuts a woman's risk of macular degeneration in half. But hormone therapy raises the risk for other health conditions.

• 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 - My mother's caregiver is too controlling and won't take direction from us.

  My mother has Alzheimer's and has had a live-in caregiver...

• 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 - I constantly feel guilty because no matter how much I do for my parents, I know it's never enough.

  My mom has advanced Alzheimer's and my dad is 92 and...

• Blog Post - "Leisureville" Paints Retirement Community Seniors as 24-Hour Party People

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

• Blog Post - Cancer Research Breakthroughs Offer New Cancer Drug Options

  New cancer drugs offer hope for those with breast cancer, lung cancer, brain tumors, and pancreatic cancer.

• Blog Post - My mother, who suffers from dementia and alcoholism, wants my sister and me to be her caregivers, so she keeps sending away the one we've hired.

  My sister and I hired a caregiver to come into our...

• 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 - Heartburn or Heart Attack? Women May Miss the Signs

  Women often attribute heart attack symptoms to indigestion, stress, and fatigue. Here's a list of the less typical signs of heart attack.

• Blog Post - My mother gave power of attorney to her new husband, who is putting her life in danger. How can we get it away from him?

  My mother's new husband has power of attorney for her, but I feel he puts her life in danger. How can we get her to reappoint power of attorney?

• Blog Post - Tired No More: New Drug Can Treat Cancer Fatigue

  New research shows that the narcolepsy drug Provigil can treat cancer fatigue.

• Blog Post - Elder Suicide: Know the Warning Signs

  Seniors have the highest rates of suicide of any age group. Know the suicide warning signs if someone you love is depressed or at risk.

• Blog Post - My mother says she's lonely, and it's heartbreaking for me to hear her crying at night. What can I do to help her?

  My father died seven years ago, and for quite some...

• Blog Post - Catch Ovarian Cancer Early With a Simple Symptom Screening Test

  Catching ovarian cancer early: A new screening tool for three key symptoms can help identify 80 to 95 percent of ovarian cancer cases.

• 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 - Does Older = Wiser?

  Help for caregivers who are having conflicts with elderly parents and other relatives.

Questions & Answers

• Question - How do I get my parent's doctor to give us complete and honest information?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What's the emergency procedure for obtaining durable power of attorney for finance or health care?

  What's the emergency procedure for obtaining durable power of attorney for finance or health care? Get answers on obtaining durable power of attorney.

• 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 - What's the best way to ask for a second opinion on my mother's breast cancer?

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

• Question - Since her cancer diagnosis, my mother has seemed very depressed. Does she need professional help?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - My mother has been depressed since her cancer diagnosis; how can I persuade her to see a therapist?

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

• Question - Will Medicaid or Medicare help pay for my mother's long-term care?

  Will Medicaid or Medicare help pay for my mother's long term care? Medicare will cover 100 days in a nursing home if certain qualifications are met.

• Question - What's the best gift I can give my dying mother?

  When someone is terminally ill, you may not know what gift to give for a birthday or other event. Material goods may not be what a dying person needs.

• Question - How can I convince my dying mother to write a "goodbye" letter to her grandchildren?

  How can I convince my dying mother to write a goodbye letter to her grandchildren? A goodbye letter would create sustaining memories for the children.

• 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 - Why is my mother so angry and abusive after her stroke?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I encourage my mother to be more independent after her stroke?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Why does my mother talk about health issues -- in excruciating detail?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What are the risks with reverse mortgages?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What do I need to know before I sign a nursing home contract?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I get my mother, who has breast cancer, to be more active so she won't lose muscle strength?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - My mother, who has breast cancer, asks me to visit her every time she thinks there's a crisis. What should I do?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I persuade my mother, who has stomach cancer, to quit smoking?

  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 - Is my mother's "racing heart" normal after a bypass?

  After a bypass, is a racing heart normal? A racing heart after a bypass or heart surgery--possibly atrial fibrillation--requires medical attention.

• 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 - How can I help my 82-year-old mother overcome her fear of falling?

  If a parent has a fear of falling, it can actually make things more dangerous. Here's expert advice on how to help a parent overcome fear of falling.

• Question - How can I help my mom, who has chronic pulmonary disease, from across the country?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I make sure my mother's personal information travels with her?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can we persuade my mother, who's caring for my dying father, to bring in hospice help?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - My mother doesn't want to know how long she has to live, so how do I say the things I need to say before it's too late?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Why are my mother's hand and arm swollen after her stroke?

  My mom had a mild stroke. She's been complaining of pain and I noticed that her hand and forearm are swollen. Are swollen hands and arms normal?

• Question - How soon after my parent's death do I need to begin administering her will, and what's involved?

  How soon after my parent's death do I need to administer their estate and other financial affairs? What other legal matters should I be aware of?

• Question - How can we prevent bruising due to low platelets?

  Bruising from low platelets is a common side effect in chemotherapy patients. Find out what you can do to reduce low platelet bruising.

• Question - Is there any way to help my mother, who's losing her hair, decrease the itching on her scalp?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What can I do to help my mother stop crying all the time?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I prevent frequent nosebleeds caused by low platelets?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I help my mother handle low blood sugar incidents?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can my mother help pay for her grandchildren's education and still qualify for Medicaid?

  Will a parent risk Medicaid benefits by helping with grandchildren's education? It's essential to consider whether Medicaid will be lost this way.

• Question - How should my mother decide when to file for Social Security?

  Is it best to file for Social Security benefits early, at age 62, if a parent needs money or wait until 65 or 67 to file for Social Security benefits?

• Question - Should I interfere in my mother's social life if she has Alzheimer's?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Do I tell my mother her memory trouble is Alzheimer's?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can exercise raise my mother-in-law's ejection fraction?

  Can exercise raise my mother-in-law's ejection fraction? Her ejection fraction (EF) is now 10 percent, what it was before bypass surgery.

• Question - What can be done to help my mother's fatigue, caused by her heart failure meds?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Why doesn't my mother's doctor want to perform a red blood cell transfusion, just because she's never had one before?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Where do I get financial help for my 88 year old mother?

  A senior with low income and assets can qualify for SSI benefits of $600 to $800 per month, Medicaid and a very low-cost prescription drug plan.

• Question - How can I persuade my mother to sign a living will?

  Many people fear that signing an advance healthcare directive means giving up on living. It may take an objective source to convince them of the truth.

• Question - How do we preserve my deceased father's estate when my mother remarries?

  To find out whether you are slated to get family property when your mother remarries, you have to look at the underlying estate plan.

• Question - Can I take classes and become certified for home care for my mother?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How do I handle my elderly mother who doesn't want me to travel at all?

  An elderly parent may worry or get upset when you travel; she may even claim she'll die while you're away. Should you give up travel to ease her mind?

• Question - How can we find out if my mother-in-law had a will?

  If a search in the obvious places doesn't turn up a will, try a few less obvious ones.

• Question - How can I get my mother to talk to me about moving?

  When an ailing parent won't talk about moving, you may have to push the issue. Here's expert advice on how to get your parent to talk about moving.

• Question - How do I get my dad to share the responsibility of making decisions about my mother's healthcare with me?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• 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 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 can I help my mother if she refuses my help?

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

• Question - Who is responsible for paying for my mother's care?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - My mother was recently involved in an internet dating scam...

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Why has my mother-in-law become so irresponsible with her money since her stroke?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Does power of attorney make me responsible for medical bills?

  accepting authority under a power of attorney for health care does not make someone financially responsible for medical or long-term care bills.

• Question - How can I persuade my mother to attend a support group for chronically ill people?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - My mother is 86 years old, and in very poor health. She has...

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Financial help when a parent leaves a nursing home to live with family?

  A low-income elder who leaves a nursing home to live with family may get help from Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid.

• Question - How do I help my mother, who is being physically threatened by my father and refuses help?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can I protect my incontinent mother's skin?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I help my mother cope with my father's death?

  The best way to help your mother grieve your father's death may be by helping her recall the good memories.

• Question - What is the best way for my 87 year old mother to invest her money?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I get my brother to help out more in caring for our mother?

  Ideas for how to handle sibling rivalries and misunderstandings between sibling caregivers.

• Question - What can I do about my emotionally dependent mother?

  My mother is dependant and miserable -- and making me miserable, too.

• Question - What Questions Should I ask my Mother's Doctor if she Wants to Stop Chemo?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I get a break from caring for my mother 24/7?

  My mother, who lives with me, is blind and needs constant care. How can I get some time for myself?

• Question - Should we see an ear, nose and throat specialist for my mother's issues with taste?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What are the first steps in getting my mother's home deeded to my siblings and me?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I resolve a family conflict so I can visit my mother?

  My sister lives with my mother, and is making it hard to visit Mom and make sure she is okay.

• 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 can I help my mother with the stress of caring for my grandmother?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I help my mother get over or cope with her fear of falling?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What can I expect when my mother being receiving chemotherapy?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - My mother needs assisted living but my sister wants her to continue to live with her so my mother can pay her mortgage. How can I deal with this?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Can I get paid to provide care for my mother in FL?

  An adult child who is certified as a home care aide might get some pay from Medicaid, or from long-term care insurance, for caring for a parent.

• Question - How do we handle paying taxes on my deceased mother's estate?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - My mother is dying and has stopped eating. How long can the body sustain itself without food?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can I direct my mother's medical care if others are named in her power of attorney?

  If people named to act in a power of attorney are not doing their job well, there may be steps you can take to right the wrongs.

• Question - Is it OK for my mother to keep her recent diagnosis of Parkinson's disease a secret from friends and colleagues?

  Is it okay to conceal a Parkinson's disease diagnosis from friends and colleagues? Expert commentary on the consequences of concealing Parkinson's.

• Question - Can my half-brother keep me from seeing my mother, who is in a nursing home?

  Make sure you've tried to get to the bottom of a family member's attempts to block you from seeing your ailing mother. Then, you may need to take matters in your own hands.

• Question - My parents are 81 & 82, my father was in a bad car accident...

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - What do I need to apply for Medicaid for my mother, for whom I'm guardian?

  To apply for Medicaid, you need records of income and assets. If it's for nursing home care, you need financial transactions from the past 5 years.

• Question - Does my mother have to sign a home lien for short-term nursing home care?

  Medicare or Medicaid can cover all or most of short-term nursing home costs, but a nursing home might want a home lien from a private-paying patient.

• Question - How can I convince my mother and sister to step back without hurting their feelings?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can we protect our elderly mother from being taken advantage of?

  If you're sure that it's money and not love that is prompting an alleged suitor to call on your mother, act quickly to avoid financial scamming.

• Question - Will chemo take away quality of life for my mother, who has Alzheimer's?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Can I safeguard my mother even if I'm not designated her guardian?

  The first step is to see what actual legal authority your brother has to act. The second is to take action to do or undo the situation.

• Question - How can I help convince my mother that it's time to move into a retirement community?

  My father is ready to move into a retirement community, but my mother refuses. What can I do?

• Question - I love my mother, but I don't like her. Is there anything I can do to improve our relationship?

  My mother is rude and unkind to me. I want to make her last years pleasant, but she is miserable to be around.

• Question - How do I help my mother cope with the side effects from being administered Adriamycin, more than five years ago?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - If I have durable power of attorney for my mother, how do I get access to her medical records?

  If you have been legally appointed an agent in your mother's durable power of attorney for health care, securing her medical records should be an unquestioned cinch.

• Question - How can I get guardianship over my mother in order to add her to my health insurance?

  An adult guardianship may be a way to get health insurance coverage for a parent.

• Question - Can my sister put my mother away in a nursing home without asking the rest of the children?

  One sibling may have the right to help arrange nursing home care for a parent, but it feels wrong not to consult other family members about the decision.

• Question - How can I help my mother, who becomes agitated every evening before dinner?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What do I do when my mother, who has ovarian cancer, expresses resentment about my siblings not coming to visit her enough?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I set up a conservatorship for my mother?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I get the doctor to be more responsive when my mother has side effects from chemotherapy?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Is a Medicaid annuity a scam?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I get my mother to acknowledge that she has Alzheimer's?

  Should I tell my parent she has Alzheimer's? Expert advice on how to talk about Alzheimer's when your parent is starting to experience dementia.

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

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I be sure that my mother's headaches aren't really ministrokes, or TIAs?

  If a parent often has a headache after a stroke, what does it mean? Is it a TIA (transient ischemic attack), or are headaches after a stroke common?

• Question - Could herbal supplements affect my mother's ability to drive?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What's the best way to catch my 91-year-old mother when she falls?

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

• Question - What does "end stage" congestive heart failure mean for my mother?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can I tell if my mother's having an angina episode or a heart attack?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What do I do when my mother seems to have lost the will to live?

  Redirectlng your mother's time and attention to other people and activities may help give her a new zest for life.

• 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 - How to resolve conflict over when to place mother in assistive-care?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What is the best way to gauge how much exercise is too much?...

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

• Question - What's the best way to dress my mother's bunions?

  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 - How do I handle my mother's erratic behavior in the hospital after her surgical procedure?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I comfort my mother when she feels distressed about losing her hair?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Why is my mother's ovarian cancer causing swelling in her legs and feet?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I help boost my mother's mood after her bypass surgery?

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• Question - Can Coenzyme Q10 raise my mother's ejection fraction?

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• Question - What's the best way to move my mom from her wheelchair into the car?

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• Question - How do we get my mother-in-law, who has Alzheimer's, to allow us to clean her house or bathe her?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

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• Question - What is my first step in administering my mother's will?

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• Question - Do CDs in trust count in determining Medicaid eligibility?

  Medicaid counts a CD in trust as an asset if revocable trust, and counts for nursing home coverage if put in irrevocable trust in past 3 or 5 years.

• Question - Can a widow's veterans pension be protected from nursing home costs?

  A veterans pension has no protection from nursing home costs. It's difficult to protect some funds by paying for services from an adult child.

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  How to approach feelings of guilt when caring for a parent with cancer.

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  If Medicaid pays one spouse's nursing home costs, the spouse who lives at home may keep some income and assets. The amounts vary state to state

• Question - Since her stroke, why has my mother been complaining of a metallic taste in her mouth?

  A metallic taste after a stroke can cut a patient's appetite. It's important to find out whether the metallic taste is from the stroke or medications.

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• Question - Will Medicare help pay for an assisted living facility?

  Medicare doesn't cover assisted living at all, but in some states Medicaid can pay the full cost of assisted living for an elder with little money.

• Question - My mom is 65 and did a reverse morgage. Are her kids responsible in any way?

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• Question - How can I convince my mother that she needs an assistant to run errands instead of expecting me to do it when I live two hours away?

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• Question - My ill mother refuses to live with us, what can be done?

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  Suggestions for getting your parent exercising.

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  Expert knowledge to help you understand the risks of general anesthesia after your parent has had a stroke.

• Question - How does a reverse mortgage affect the equity 5 to 10 years down the road?

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  I am 51 and co-own my mother's home. Can she take out a reverse mortgage?

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  I"m my mother's caregiver, and I feel guilty when I take time for myself.

• Question - How can I convince my mother's doctor to keep her out of a rehab facility?

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  Unanswered. Can you help?

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• Question - How can I get my mother to go for another Alzheimer's evaluation?

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• 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.

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  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - How can I persuade my siblings to visit my mother, who has Alzheimer's, more often?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

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  Unanswered. Can you help?

• 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?

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  Unanswered. Can you help?

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• Question - How should I tell my mom's friends that she has Alzheimer's?

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

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• Question - How do I help my elderly mother deal with the loss of her pets?

  When someone moves into assisted living, does he have to give up his pets? If so, what should you do with his pets once he moves into assisted living?

• Question - How do I gain access to my parent's health records without a durable power of attorney for health care?

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• Question - Can my parent give durable power of attorney for healthcare to one child, and durable power of attorney for finance to another?

  My brother thinks my parents should give durable power of attorney for healthcare to one sibling and durable power of attorney for finance to another.

• Question - Can a parent revise or revoke a durable power of attorney for healthcare or finances?

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• Question - Does guided imagery really control cancer-related pain?

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• Question - How can I help my parent control nausea while he's on chemotherapy?

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• Question - Can you offer any advice on bathing a modest parent?

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• Question - Can you offer any tips for bathing an overweight parent?

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

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

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

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

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

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• Question - How can I prescreen assisted-living facilities so I don't have to tour every one?

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

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

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• Question - What's the best way to control odor from urinary incontinence?

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• Question - What are my responsibilities if I hire a home health aide?

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• Question - What's the diplomatic way to handle wild accusations by a parent with Alzheimer's?

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• Question - How can I help my parent figure out when her blood sugar is too high?

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• Question - How long does insulin last once it's been opened?

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• Question - Does Alzheimer's disease cause my mother's rummaging behavior?

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• Question - How can I be sure my mother, who lives on the other side of the country, is driving safely?

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• Question - What is my mother's legal obligation to pay donation pledges she has given over the phone?

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• 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 - How can I help my parent continue to enjoy books after her vision loss?

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• Question - How do I get my sedentary mom, who spends all her time sitting or laying down, to be more active?

  Guidance on encouraging a sedentary mom to be more active.

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

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Can I get paid to be my mom's caregiver?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can I help my mother-in-law with Alzheimer's to stop refusing to take her medicine?

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• Question - How does retiree health benefits work when you move out-of-state?

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• Question - How do I help my parent with cancer stay positive and look on the bright side?

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• Question - How can I get my anxiety under control while caring for my mother with lung cancer?

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• Question - If I claim my mother in my taxes, do I have to claim her income?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - How can I help my mom, who seems really down about her diabetes diagnosis?

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• Question - How do I encourage my mother, who has limited mobility, to exercise?

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• Question - I take care of my mother 16 hours a day and she lives in...

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• Question - Why does my mother need treatment planning for radiation therapy for lung cancer?

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• Question - How can I help my parent accept her eye disease?

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• Question - What can I do to get my mom to take her diabetes pills, which she doesn't think are keeping her blood sugar in check?

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• Question - What could be the cause of my mother's weight loss?

  Weight loss and coronary artery disease

• Question - Why does my mother-in-law make us feel guilty when leaving? She lives with us and is ok to leave alone.

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Does a note on a house affect a trust?

  Putting a house in a living trust has little affect on a mortgage still owed on it.

• Question - How do I get my mother to update her trust and power of attorney?

  To help overcome your mom's resistance about updating her estate planning documents, you may need to heed why she feels a roadblock.

• Question - How do we deal with my mother, who requires oxygen 24/7, while enduring air travel?

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• Question - Elderly mother living alone, has numerous medical problems...

  Unanswered. Can you help?

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

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• Question - My elderly mother has anxiety disorder and is fine when feeling well but uncontrollable when ill. Is it time for assisted living?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - How do I convince my mother to move to be closer even though she's overwhelmed with the thought of moving all of her stuff?

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• Question - Does more frequent and longer lasting jaw pain mean a blockage is worsening?

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• Question - Is it OK if my mom with type 2 diabetes drinks alcohol?

  Know the guidelines, dangers, and precautionary measures involved in mixing alcohol with type 2 diabetes and hypoglycemia.

• Question - How can I help my mom deal with high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol?

  Along with high blood sugar, someone with diabetes might also have high blood pressure and cholesterol. But she can reduce all three the same way.

• Question - My mom asked to be moved to assisted living, and now she is miserable. What can I do?

  I'm worried because my mother is miserable in her assisted living facility -- and she seems to be rapidly going down hill.

• 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 - How do I balance my time with the time I need to give to caring for my mother with Alzheimer's?

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• Question - How do find time for your own privacy when living with the...

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• Question - My mother needs help but is unwilling to accept it. What should I do?

  How can I help my mother when she fights me on everything?

• Question - Elderly mother living alone, has numerous medical problems...

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Is there help for someone under age 65, who has serious illness and little money?

  For someone under 65 and disabled, government programs can help: Medicaid, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

• Question - Can a TIA have residual effects?

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• Question - Is it normal to be burned severely during chemo and radiation?

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• Question - Does any government program pay for assisted living?

  In a few states, Medicaid can pay for assisted living in an approved facility.

• Question - How can we keep from selling my mother's home to pay for her final expenses?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Does a living trust protect money from Medicaid consideration?

  A living trust does not "protect" assets from consideration by Medicaid when deciding someone's eligibility for coverage of nursing home care.

• Question - How do I reflect my mother's Medicaid coverage and nuring home costs on her tax form and is she eligible for the rebate?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can a new diabetes drug also help my mother lose weight?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Should I put my mom in a nursing home as her care has gotten too much for me?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I can my mother to talk about end of life planning?

  There are ways to help ease the way to discussions about estate planning and end of life issues with parents. But it's also wise to recognize that they may listen to other voices more readily.

• Question - How do I get Mom to see a doctor when she's in denial that she might have symptoms of Parkinson's disease?

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• Question - What happens to an elderly person's credit card at death?

  First, get the facts to back up suspicions that an elderly person is being financially abused. If it's true, act quickly to stop it.

• 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 - If I move my mother in with me will it affect her Medicare/Medicaid status?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

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

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - What is the best way for my five brothers