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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

How to Tell if Someone With Alzheimer's Needs Assisted Living — Jan 11, 2016
It can be hard to decide when someone with Alzheimer's disease should no longer live alone. With sufficient lifestyle supports and memory aids, some people with Alzheimer's...
Life Expectancy for Someone With Alzheimer's — Dec 29, 2014
Knowing the life expectancy of someone with Alzheimer's can help your family prepare for the gradually increasing amounts of care giving that eventually will be needed. Som...
Five 5-Minute Pick-Me-ups for Caregiver Stress — Nov 26, 2014
Need a pick-me-up but don't have time for leisurely stress-busters, like lunch with a friend or the proverbial hot bath? Don't get even more depressed. Treat yourself to a ...
11 Signs It Might Be Time for Assisted Living — Nov 26, 2014
The decision to help an aging adult move out of a current home is a complex one -- both emotionally and practically. Above all, you want the person to be safe and well. How...
More Than Pocket Change: Out-of-Pocket Caregiving Costs, 2014 Study — Nov 18, 2014
Who pays for eldercare? Not just the person receiving care and his or her insurance. Adult children, partners, and other family members open their wallets wide, according t...
Tip: Don't Automatically Blame a Physical Crisis for Depression Symptoms — Nov 17, 2014
Too often the symptoms of depression are written off as complications of the health disorder or crisis a loved one is experiencing: "Oh, it's just the stroke." Or, "Well, h...
Tip: For Better Health, Stop and Smell the Roses -- Literally — Nov 17, 2014
Let's face it, caregiving can be claustrophobic. All the more reason to inject a little nature into every day. A growing body of research says that seeing plants and being ...
Top 5 Mistakes Families Make About Dementia and Driving — Nov 03, 2014
Trust your instincts when it comes to worrying about someone with memory impairment who's still driving, even at this relatively early stage of the disease process. Researc...
Paying for Memory Care: 7 Things to Know — Sep 20, 2014
A relatively new alternative to at-home care for someone with dementia is a residential community that specializes in dementia care. Known as "memory care" or "Alzheimer's ...
7 Ways to Find a Great Job After Caregiving — Jul 14, 2014
If you're a former caregiver who's looking for meaningful work, or a current caregiver wondering what's next, you may be asking: How can I craft a post-caregiving life that...