Melanie Haiken, Health Journalist


Melanie Haiken discovered how important it is to provide accurate, targeted, usable health information to people facing difficult decisions when she was health editor of Parenting magazine. She has written about health and family-related issues for magazines such as Health, Real Simple, Woman's Day, Yoga Journal, and websites such as BabyCenter.com, WebMD, and the Blue Cross/Blue Shield websites (aHealthyMe.com, aHealthyAdvantage.com) managed by Consumer Health Interactive. She has held positions as Executive Editor at the Industry Standard and BabyCenter.com, and Managing Editor at San Francisco magazine. She has also worked for San Francisco's renowned Center for Investigative Reporting. She has a master's degree in Journalism and a B.A. in English, both from the University of California at Berkeley.

Melanie cared for her father while he battled esophageal cancer, which ended his life much too soon. She currently cares for her mother, who has multiple health problems including low vision. Melanie is a single mother of two daughters, so she understands the complicated pressures on the so-called "sandwich generation."


Recently Published on Caring.com

The Emotional Costs of Caregiving — Sep 28, 2015
For the more than 40 million Americans now caring for elderly family members, the word “stress” takes on a whole new meaning. While for most of us stress comes in the form ...
7 Benefits of Touring Senior Living Communities — May 09, 2015
It's not an easy process, being responsible for helping find a safe and pleasant living situation for an aging parent, spouse, or other loved one. Most people begin the pro...
Paying for Senior Living, and Fast! — May 09, 2015
When the need for full-time care for your older parent suddenly goes from "someday" to "now," it can come as a shock, even if you knew the time would come. Your first thoug...
Managing Mom's Budget? An 8-Step Plan to Cover Your Bases — Apr 20, 2015
Managing your own money isn't easy under the best of circumstances, so it's not surprising that most people feel overwhelmed when it's time to step in and take over the man...
Living Trusts, and the Risks You May Face Without One — Apr 20, 2015
We've all watched that scene in a movie in which the family gathers around to hear the reading of a loved one's last will and testament. The document is intoned, everyone l...
What To Do If Your Elderly Parent Refuses Assisted Living — Mar 24, 2015
You know it's time. You're haunted by worry, knowing that your parent or other loved one is no longer safe living in her home. And as a caregiver, you're overwhelmed -- her...
Senior Living Budget: 10 Pointers to Make Funds for Senior Living Last — Mar 24, 2015
Paying for long-term senior care is a challenge for all families, no matter what your circumstances. There are, after all, so many unknowns. Of course you can't know how ma...
Paying for Senior Living Using Family Funds: 5 Steps — Feb 17, 2015
Unless you're an only child, it's unlikely you'll be going it alone to find -- and pay for -- care for an aging parent. And as with so many things involving siblings, that ...
How to Pay for Assisted Living — Nov 27, 2014
As you're weighing senior care options for your loved one, cost is likely a top factor. The good news? Depending on what care your loved one needs, assisted living can be m...
Deciding on Assisted Living: Pros, Cons, and Costs — Nov 27, 2014
When your aging parent begins to seem frail, muddled, lonely, or less able to take care of herself, one of the main decisions you're going to face is whether to help her "a...