CAREGIVING

Who is caring for the estimated 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease? Over 11.2 million family and friends are providing over 15.3 billion hours of unpaid care to their loved ones with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. While no caregiver’s experience is the same as any one else’s, one thing is certain: there is an emotional, physical, and financial cost to everyone involved.

Here we offer helpful strategies and resources, and share inspiring stories by and about caregivers.

A Q&A With Author Patti Davis

A Q&A With Author Patti Davis

Patti Davis, daughter of President Ronald Reagan, spoke to WAM about her new book, Floating in the Deep End: How Caregivers Can See Beyond Alzheimer's. Davis explains the love, loss and lessons she learned while seeing her father battle Alzheimer's disease.  Read the...

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A Q&A With Kate Washington, Author of ‘Already Toast’

A Q&A With Kate Washington, Author of ‘Already Toast’

Kate Washington, author of Already Toast, gives us a look into what it's like to be a caregiver in this Ask the Expert. Her new book explains the trials and learning moments that come when you take on this role. Read her answers below.    WAM: You were only 42...

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Tara Hicks, A Daughter Of Alzheimer’s

Tara Hicks’ world was turned upside down in 2014 when her mother, Tanya, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 54. Suddenly Tara found herself among the estimated 11.2 million Americans caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or other dementias, a job...

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Caregiving and Self-Care During the Pandemic

Caregiving and Self-Care During the Pandemic

In the WAM Weekly, we asked superstar Gerontologist and Chief of Geriatric Medicine at UC Irvine, Lisa Gibbs, MD, how the pandemic has impacted the millions of Americans caring for someone with Alzheimer's or dementia. WAM: Caregiving is stressful under the best of...

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Voices Impacted By Alzheimer’s

For Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month and Family Caregivers Month, we asked some of our favorite WAM friends to tell us why they are engaged in the fight against Alzheimer's. Listen to their powerful and personal stories below that will capture your hearts and share...

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Securing Care for Loved Ones During the Pandemic

Securing Care for Loved Ones During the Pandemic

Lily Sarafan is the CEO of Home Care Assistance (HCA). In an interview she did with the WAM Weekly, Sarafan explains what HCA had done to keep their employees and clients safe during the pandemic and gives advice on what family members can do during this difficult...

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Caring for Caregivers with The Dementia Nurse

Caring for Caregivers with The Dementia Nurse

Gail Weatherill, RN has specialized in the care of people living with dementia and their families for the past twenty years. She is a Board-certified Alzheimer’s Educator, runs the “Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregivers Support Group” on Facebook with over 50,000...

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What Retiring Boomers Want

What Retiring Boomers Want

by Ken Dychtwald In What Retirees Want, we cover the wide range of location and housing options available to today’s retirees. One of their challenges is setting up living arrangements that provide for their assistance as needed. Many retirees live alone, but an...

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Dr. Peter Rabins Answers Common Questions From Caregivers

Dr. Peter Rabins Answers Common Questions From Caregivers

The following is an excerpt from "Is It Alzheimer's?: 101 Answers to Your Most Pressing Questions about Memory Loss and Dementia" by Dr. Peter V. Rabins Q62. My husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease about a year ago, but he continues to deny that he has...

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“Braver Than You Think”: Abalene

“Braver Than You Think”: Abalene

By Maggie Downs In this excerpt from Braver Than You Think, Maggie is in the small village of Nqileni, South Africa, where she finds a sense of home — and reminders of her mom — on the other side of the world. THERE ARE MANY ACTIVITIES TO DO IN THE VILLAGE, AND I...

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When a Disease is Calling the Shots

When a Disease is Calling the Shots

by Patti Davis Of all the wise and reliable things that Dr. Anthony Fauci has said, I was particularly struck when he said, “You don’t make the timeline, the virus makes the timeline.” Anyone who has dealt with an incurable disease has, at some point, had to accept...

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COVID-19 Pandemic Inspires Poem From WAM Community Member

COVID-19 Pandemic Inspires Poem From WAM Community Member

By Tara Middleton Ever since I could write, poetry has been a cathartic channel for healing, raw self-expression and true connection. Along my own mental health journey, the art has allowed me to heal through a creative and vulnerable lens. This poem was inspired by...

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Living & Loving with Alzheimer’s: Minnie & Roselia

Living & Loving with Alzheimer’s: Minnie & Roselia

In celebration of Valentine's Day, we wanted to recognize real love in all of it's forms. Minnie Fields, whose beloved mother, Roselia, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at the age of 77. Though Minnie has become her mother's full-time caregiver, she has not forgotten...

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Living & Loving With Alzheimer’s

Living & Loving With Alzheimer’s

In celebration of Valentine's Day, we wanted to recognize real love in all of it's forms. First, we'll meet Tracy Reading and his wife, Pauli. Pauli was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's at the age of 54, but Tracy's unwavering love for her has never dimmed. When...

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Why Connection is So Important During the Holidays

Why Connection is So Important During the Holidays

The holiday season often connotes a time of joy and happiness, but for those who live far from loved ones, the holidays can be extra stressful. Fortunately, there are things you can do to create a sense of community, according to Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a psychology...

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Mim’s Purple Secret

Mim’s Purple Secret

Mary Anne Pastino (Mim) was a noted watercolorist for over 20 years, with a primary focus on flowers. Her work has been shown at a number of public and private galleries. In 2011, Mim was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s but managed to continue to paint through 2016. Mim's...

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The Surprising Benefits of Being a Caregiver

The Surprising Benefits of Being a Caregiver

By Dave Singleton If you could use some reminders about the positive sides of this often-challenging role, consider these 10 rewarding (and sometimes surprising) aspects of caregiving. 1. Caregiving Gives You a Sense of Purpose When the veils are ripped back, we often...

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4 Sisters on a Mission to Raise Alzheimer’s Awareness

4 Sisters on a Mission to Raise Alzheimer’s Awareness

by Susan Pascal Veronica, Claudia, Noemy, and Michelle are four sisters on a mission to bring Alzheimer's awareness and resources to the Latino community. Their mother, Ermila, was diagnosed with the disease in 2018 at the age of 64. It was a heart-breaking...

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Where the Rubber Meets the Road: Personal Caregiving

Where the Rubber Meets the Road: Personal Caregiving

BY IRENE OLSON It cannot be said often enough how being a family caregiver is a learn-as-you-go endeavor. I spent years working in assisted living and memory care but still struggled greatly as my father’s caregiver. Dad died on October 13, 2007, after a relatively...

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Looking Forward to a World Without Alzheimer’s

Looking Forward to a World Without Alzheimer’s

Is there hope?” they ask me. For themselves. For their moms, dads, husbands, and wives.My answer: absolutely yes.And I don’t mean that in the you-should-never-give-up-hope sense. I’m saying that there’s now legitimate reason to be optimistic. Not about...

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Caring for Your Mother When You’re Trying to Become One

Caring for Your Mother When You’re Trying to Become One

By Ann Campanella When I was 33, I learned that life can change direction when you least expect it. My husband Joel and I had moved from Houston to North Carolina to be closer to my parents, who were in their 70s and lived on the coast. We were excited about starting...

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‘Somebody I Used to Know’: Outwitting Alzheimer’s

‘Somebody I Used to Know’: Outwitting Alzheimer’s

Excerpted with permission from the new book Somebody I Used to Know by Wendy Mitchell. Published by Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.Copyright © 2018 by Wendy Mitchell. All rights reserved. BY WENDY...

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10 Simple Ideas Working Dementia Caregivers Wish They Embraced Sooner

10 Simple Ideas Working Dementia Caregivers Wish They Embraced Sooner

Caregivers on double-duty are perpetually exhausted and frequently report feeling like they are not doing anything quite “right.” Managing both career and the needs of someone with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia can feel impossible, especially on days when there’s an unexpected late meeting at work or dad has eloped from his assisted living community.

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Forgiveness: A Relationship Transformed

Forgiveness: A Relationship Transformed

BY ANNE VON OEHSEN/SUZY LAFORGE “Please let me do it, so I can call it my own,” my mother spoke emphatically after I made the mistake of taking hold of her paintbrush. Sitting at my kitchen table, she was putting the finishing touches on a painting of a cerulean blue...

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Art and Alzheimer’s: Making Memories Matter

Art and Alzheimer’s: Making Memories Matter

By Nicole Columbo Art was the tool that created lasting memories of spending time with my Grandma Audrey, who had Alzheimer's disease. I treasure those memories and shared experiences today. I have been involved with promoting Alzheimer's awareness for a few years and...

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Connecting Creatively with Alzheimer’s

Connecting Creatively with Alzheimer’s

By Erica Hornthal, LCPC, BC-DMT Connection can be challenging when Alzheimer’s is in the picture. Traditional methods of communication are affected and it is often on the care partner, family, or healthcare staff to adapt and create meaningful moments of engagement....

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College Students Launch Effort to Ease Caregiver Burden

College Students Launch Effort to Ease Caregiver Burden

BY LINDSAY WILKES-EDRINGTON In a nation in need of more caregivers, what could be possible if we got more college students involved? That’s the question Nihal Satyadev, the CEO and Co-Founder of the Youth Movement Against Alzheimer’s, asks himself every day. It’s also...

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5 Reasons You Don’t Want To Be A Hero In Dementia Caregiving

5 Reasons You Don’t Want To Be A Hero In Dementia Caregiving

BY JENNIFER L. FITZPATRICK, MSW, LCSW-C, CSP “She heroically cared for her mother who had Alzheimer’s disease.” “He’s a real hero in the way he’s caring for his wife who was diagnosed with Lewy Body dementia.” I’ve heard many versions of this sentiment referencing...

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A Caregiver’s Guide to Socializing with Your Loved One

A Caregiver’s Guide to Socializing with Your Loved One

BY JENNIFER L. FITZPATRICK, MSW, LCSW-C, CSP “How was your day, Mom?” When a loved one with a dementia diagnosis resides in a nursing home or an assisted living community, caregivers often struggle during their visits. Well-meaning caregivers typically attempt to have...

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Documentary to Showcase the Power of Music to Mend Minds

Documentary to Showcase the Power of Music to Mend Minds

BY LINDSAY WILKES-EDRINGTON Music has been proven to have a powerful effect on those with Alzheimer’s and dementia, helping boost brain activity and bring back old memories. Now, a new documentary is set to profile one group of individuals who have joined a band to...

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The Best Steps to Take When Mom Doesn’t Remember

The Best Steps to Take When Mom Doesn’t Remember

BY TRACY LAYDEN Seeing mom struggle with Alzheimer’s and memory loss is not an easy thing. Being a caregiver requires an incredible amount of patience and strength, but there are things you can do to make it a little easier. Practice Responding in Helpful Ways You may...

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How Loss Strengthened My Faith in Love

How Loss Strengthened My Faith in Love

BY SALLY QUINN Architect of Change Sally Quinn is a veteran Washington Post reporter and the wife of the late Ben Bradlee, the paper’s legendary former executive editor. In her new book Finding Magic, Sally bravely opens her heart and shares what it was like to...

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How Music Can Boost Your Loved One’s Brain Activity

How Music Can Boost Your Loved One’s Brain Activity

BY TRACY LAYDEN  Music is fun to listen to – and our brains love it. For your loved one, music can be key to unlocking hard-to-reach parts of their brain to reveal hidden memories and emotional connections. Bring back old memories with familiar music. Our brains...

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Four Ways to Celebrate Father’s Day When Dad Has Dementia

Four Ways to Celebrate Father’s Day When Dad Has Dementia

BY DEBORAH SHOUSE When my father-in-law Frank was living with dementia, my husband Ron and I often struggled with how to approach Father’s Day. Even though Frank didn’t know what day it was, it was important to us to celebrate and honor Frank as a father. Here are...

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How Tech Could Transform Memory Loss Care for Seniors

How Tech Could Transform Memory Loss Care for Seniors

BY TRACY LAYDEN  Between misplacing keys and forgetting names, we’ve all had our share of memory loss. But when Mom starts experiencing the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s, the usual memory techniques may no longer be enough. There is no magical cure-all for memory...

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Building a Network When You Feel Lost in the Woods

Building a Network When You Feel Lost in the Woods

When you’re lost in the woods, the best thing to find is a friend who knows where the path is, knows where the clearings are, knows how to build a fire to keep you warm, how to forage for food, can take your hand and say, “Let me show you the way.”

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What Caregivers Really Want Their Friends to Know

What Caregivers Really Want Their Friends to Know

The truth is, caring for aging parents is an experience that’s hard to relate to unless you’re going through it. None of us can easily imagine just what life is like with a parent who needs help doing the simplest things like eating, getting in and out of bed or god forbid, going to the bathroom.

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16 Essential Websites for Every Caregiver

16 Essential Websites for Every Caregiver

There are so many websites with advice and information for caregivers that it can be hard sometimes to find what you need or to even know where to start. Here are some great sites, organized by topic.

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Taking Care of the Caretaker

Taking Care of the Caretaker

“I think it’s time to realize that there are problems for which there are no good solutions. I want to honor the caretakers who give it all they’ve got and decide they have to take action to save themselves, even if it disappoints them in their own eyes.”

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Help for Caregivers at the End of Their Rope

Help for Caregivers at the End of Their Rope

“I think it’s time to realize that there are problems for which there are no good solutions. I want to honor the caretakers who give it all they’ve got and decide they have to take action to save themselves, even if it disappoints them in their own eyes.”

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