The Holidays: Magic and Mayhem

Last updated: 20-Nov-2008

The holidays have a way of bringing family and friends together. But they also have their challenges -- from choosing the right gifts for seniors  to dealing with bossy siblings or finding comfortable ways to spend time with someone with Alzheimer's.

Holiday Gifts for Seniors

With the holidays around the corner, here are some gifts that are ideal for a senior you're caring for.
read more

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

15322
Every year, nursing home and assisted living administrators share the same story: Around the holidays, admissions spike. The reason? Adult children who may not have seen their aging-in-place relatives since the last holiday season come home for a visit and are shocked by what they see: a once well...
read more

My know-it-all sister will be here for ten days at Christmas, and I can already feel my stress level rising.

My mom lives with my family and me. She's 82 years old and uses a walker. She also has lung problems and needs breathing treatments. My sister only visits twice a year, but you'd think she deserved a Congressional Medal for it! She waltzes in with her husband and their little dog (without even asking...
read more

Special Occasions and Challenges When Caring for Someone With Alzheimer's

An important part of caring for a person with Alzheimer's disease is to help her to continue to engage in activities that have special personal or family meaning (this is not a big problem in the early stages.) With suitable support, she will be able to enjoy taking trips, participating in events that...
read more

Oral Histories: Preserving Your Family's Stories

15336
I wish I'd interviewed my grandparents, and recorded some of their stories, before they died. One grandfather worked in the Roosevelt administration and entered Germany with the first Allied troops right after World War II ended. My grandmother graduated from college at a time when few women received more than a high school education...
read more

How do I get my siblings to realize that it is important to be with our parents during the holidays?

How do I get my siblings to realize that it is important to visit my parents during the holidays? They never come on holidays and it makes me so sad for my parents.
1 Expert Answer