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

9 Government Benefits You Might Be Missing Out On — Nov 26, 2014
Is there anything more on our minds these days than stretching our dollars? And no question, nothing sabotages your budget like an illness or other health problem, especial...
The Cost of Cowardice: The Danger of Avoiding Difficult Conversations — Nov 18, 2014
As our parents age, a tough transition begins. The people who were once our authority figures, the ones who fed us, took care of us, and taught us right from wrong, become ...
10 Signs It Might Be Time for Memory Care — Sep 26, 2014
Unlike many health conditions, which tend to develop or at least come to light all at once, dementia comes on gradually, and the signs can be confusing and easy to miss -- ...
Dementia Care: 5 Things to Look for in a Good Memory Care Community — Sep 15, 2014
Imagine your loved one with Alzheimer's disease or dementia going about her daily existence -- shopping, cooking, visiting with friends, and enjoying full and active days -...
Caring for Parents Who Weren't Good Parents — Apr 08, 2014
"I love my mother -- but sometimes I hate her, too." Saying those words out loud -- or even to yourself in your head -- can be a painful acknowledgment that even late in li...
How to Pay for In-Home Care — Jan 29, 2014
It's no fun to lie awake worrying. But if you have elderly parents or other family members living alone, that's often what you do, especially as time goes on and you know t...
How to Find the Right Senior Independent Living Community — Jan 29, 2014
How to choose the right senior independent living community can seem enormously stressful -- how can you tell in advance which community is right for you? After all, what s...
Demystifying the Costs of Senior Independent Living — Jan 29, 2014
You're in good company if the thought of moving into an independent senior living community tempts you from time to time, but you dismiss it with the thought that it's out ...
Firing an In-Home Caregiver — Dec 06, 2013
When you hire a caregiver, either for yourself or to help with a loved one, the relationship quickly becomes very personal. After all, a caregiver comes into your home and ...
Risks of Hiring Caregivers Under the Table — Dec 04, 2013
There's no question that when you peruse the ads for an in-home caregiver on Craigslist or other online sites, or you discuss the costs of hiring an aide with a geriatric c...