Caregiving

It’s never easy watching our parents age. We begin our lives believing they can do anything, then, slowly, things change and we realize they’re frail humans just like everyone else. As they grow older, their limitation become greater and greater until they can no longer live entirely on their own. Five Signs Your Parents Need […]

The holidays can be a stressful time for many people. Between gift shopping, decorating, holiday parties, and family commitments, sometimes it feels like there’s almost no time left to actually enjoy the season. But when you add in the stress of caring for an elderly family member, the holidays can quickly turn into an exhausting […]

The holiday season is now in full swing, and that means food, and a lot of it. Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of the most widely celebrated holidays in the United States. But all that celebration comes with big challenges for the diabetic population as they choose what foods to eat and how large their […]

The stereotypical knock on men is that they’re less empathetic, less emotional, and are thereby inferior caregivers to women. And in the context of adult caregiving — where a male spouse cares for his ill female partner — research has confirmed this stereotype. But a new study published in the Journals of Gerontology found that men […]

It’s a common story. An older relative visits the doctor and suddenly they’re in the midst of a serious health crisis they can’t handle themselves. You do the right thing, of course, and offer to help. Now you’ve joined the ranks of the family caregivers across the country who are responsible for the well-being of […]

Every day in America, family caregivers provide an extraordinary amount of support to adults with chronic or disabling health conditions. The average American caretaker is currently a 49-year old woman caring for a 69-year old woman. But a new AARP report shows that may soon be changing, because an increasing number of millennials are taking […]

A recent survey by Securian Financial found that most unpaid family caregivers struggle to maintain their financial and emotional wellbeing. The survey covered 800 people who are providing or have provided unpaid care to a parent, in-law, or spouse who is aging, or has a disability, or chronic disease. It found: “[T]he majority of caregivers […]

Update: President Trump signed the RAISE Family Caregivers Act into law last week.  Earlier this month we told you about a promising new bill making its way through the US Government that aims to provide much-needed help to family caregivers. Called the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act, the new legislation directs […]

We frequently discuss the emotional costs associated with family caregiving, but the devastating financial costs often go unnoticed. When people cut back on their hours to take care of family members, or are forced to quit their jobs altogether, the costs add up fast. According to a study conducted by the AARP, the “total estimated economic […]