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Paula Spencer Scott, Senior Health Writer

Paula Spencer Scott is the author of Surviving Alzheimer's: Practical Tips and Soul-Saving Wisdom for Caregivers and much of the Alzheimer's and caregiving content on Caring.com.

Scott has specialized in women's life-stage concerns (baby care, family care, self-care, elder care) from her first job as an editor at 50 Plus Magazine through stints as a Woman's Day columnist and coauthor of health books with doctors at Harvard, UCLA, Duke, and Arizona State. She's a 2011 Met Life Foundation Journalists in Aging fellow, awarded by the Gerontological Society of America and New American Media, and completed a National Press Foundation's Alzheimer's Disease 2012 fellowship.

In the late 2000s, she lost both her parents, in their 80s, to cancer; her father also had dementia and stroke. "In short order during that phase," she says, "I experienced just about everything that's on this site, from dealing with their illnesses to selling the family home and moving Dad, plus advance directives, end-of-life planning, hospice, death -- and stress."

Follow her on Twitter @PSpencerScott.

Recently Published on Caring.com

Tip: How to Have That Cane Handy When It's Needed — Mar 02, 2011
Canes can be a steadying aid around the house for your loved one -- until he or she sits and the cane falls out of reach. A simple solution: good ol' Velcro. Attach a V...
Tip: Do the Worst First — Mar 02, 2011
When you feel pulled in a thousand directions, a to-do list can help organize the chaos. But which items should you tackle first? Not the easy ones, say efficiency experts....
Tip: Where There's a Will . . . Say, Where's That Will? — Mar 02, 2011
A safe-deposit box at a bank might be the best place to store your loved one's deeds, passport, stock and bond certificates, marriage certificates, and insurance policies -...
Tip: Set Up a Forum for Family Disagreements — Mar 02, 2011
When generations mix, there's bound to be friction. One idea to hold it to a minimum: While things are calm, establish a way you'll all talk about problems when they come u...
Tip: Carry an Eldercare Notebook at All Times — Mar 02, 2011
Once you're responsible for your loved one, you have twice as much data to keep track of as you did before. The surefire way to remember it all: Stash a small notebook in y...
Tip: Never Say Never — Mar 02, 2011
Too often caregivers find themselves trapped in an untenable situation because they neglected to erase a key word from their caregiving lexicon: never. Never say never,...
Tip: How to Register a Complaint About a Home Health Aide — Mar 02, 2011
Complaining about a home-care aide to a friend is a way to vent frustration, but it doesn't change the situation. If you're not happy with the services you're receiving, fo...
Tip: How to Get Your Parent to Give You Privacy at Night — Mar 02, 2011
If your live-in parent thinks nothing of butting into your bedroom at all hours of the day and night, no matter how much you've asked for privacy, take two types of action:...
Tip: How to Get Paid to Be a Family Caregiver — Jan 31, 2011
Can you get paid for caregiving? Some states offer what's called Cash and Counseling program (the name varies by state) to those who qualify for in-home care under Medicaid...
Tip: How to Avoid Two Common Burn Hazards — Jan 31, 2011
Your loved one has spent a lifetime around sink and stove -- who knew they were prime accident makers? Here are two things to check around the house that you might not have...