Caregiving Blog: Caring for Aging Parents
Welcome to the Caregiving Blog: Caring for Aging Parents. Here you will find helpful caregiving blog articles as well as podcasts and transcripts from The Caring Generation® radio program for caregivers and aging adults. Use the social media buttons at the left to share on Facebook, Twitter, or Linked In, to email a copy to family or friends or to print a copy. All posts are written by caregiving expert, Pamela D. Wilson.
How to Avoid Caregiver and Patient Regrets About Medical Decisions
The Caring Generation®—Episode 190, April 10, 2024. Patients and their caregivers are often faced with making life-or-death decisions. What are the differences between individuals who make good decisions and others who experience decision regret? How to Make Care and...
Habits of People Who Age Well
The Caring Generation®—Episode 189, March 27, 2024. Do you know the habits of people who age well? Learn tips to live a better life as you grow older. Whether you are a caregiver or a person with health concerns, it is never too late to embrace positive habits and...
Working With Medical Providers: Tips to Receive Good Care
The Caring Generation® - Episode 188, March 13, 2024. What caregivers should know about working with medical providers extends beyond the basic knowledge of the person who needs care. Gaining insights into the healthcare system can help caregivers know how to better...
Dealing With Grief and Loss
The Caring Generation® - Episode 187, February 28, 2024. Dealing with grief and loss is a lifelong experience that may not be recognized until the loss of an aging parent or family member. Learn how to deal with feelings of grief that result from loss and the...
How to Find the Discipline to Move Ahead
The Caring Generation® - Episode 186, February 14, 2024. Finding the discipline to move ahead from drama and trauma can be challenging in any stage of caregiving—beginning to end. Caregivers who feel stuck often lack a plan and the motivation to change. Find tips here...
Why Sibling Agreements Are Beneficial for the Care of Elderly Parents
The Caring Generation® - Episode 185, January 31, 2024. Sibling agreements can be critical for the care of elderly parents. Learn how to prevent and manage disagreements when siblings have different personalities and behavioral styles. Caregiver Help: Why Sibling...
Why Managing Fears is Essential When Caring for Aging Parents
The Caring Generation® - Episode 184, January 17, 2024. Learn why managing fears is essential when caring for aging parents who experience ongoing health challenges. Caregiving expert, Pamela D Wilson shares seven tips to help caregivers remain practical and positive....
Why Self-Care Is Important Regardless of Age
The Caring Generation® - Episode 183, December 27, 2023. Health impacts many aspects of life. Learn the importance of self-care to support physical and mental resilience regardless of age. Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares how self-care can improve quality of...
Caregiving in Times of Crises
The Caring Generation® - Episode 182, December 13, 2022. Are you caregiving in times of crises? Have you become the emergency responder for a loved one in your family? Constantly responding to care needs can place caregivers in an ongoing state of crises management...
Balance Increasing Family Care Responsibilities and Career
The Caring Generation® - Episode 181, November 29, 2023. It's no secret that caregiving is work. Learn practical skills and ten tips to balance increasing family care responsibilities and career from caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson. This week's episode of The Caring...
Caregiver Tips to Manage What Life Throws at You
The Caring Generation® - Episode 180, November 15, 2023. Caregivers multi-task and have to-do lists that are never done. Pamela D Wilson, caregiving expert, shares how to manage what life throws at you by managing your emotions and where you commit your attention....
Caregivers: How to Stop Avoiding and Start Living
The Caring Generation® – Episode 179, November 1, 2023 Caregivers often find themselves in a wait-and-see pattern that can last for years. Learn how to stop avoiding and start living life. Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares how your environment shapes thoughts about who you are and what you can accomplish if you have goals and dreams.
Why Elder Care and Medicare Is More Expensive Than You Think
The Caring Generation® Episode 178, October 18, 2023. If you are over age 65 or a caregiver, you may learn that your Medicare Plan choices can be more expensive than you think because of the long-term impact on your life after retirement. The coverage and benefits...
Will State Efforts to Support Older Adults and Caregivers Succeed
Will state efforts to support older adults and their caregivers succeed? Understanding the complexity of healthcare systems and that navigating care is difficult for the average person may not be easy to understand if you are not in this situation. Will State Efforts...
Caregivers: If You Don’t Have a Caregiving Plan You Won’t Have a Life
The Caring Generation® - Episode 177, October 4, 2023. You may not have a life if you are a caregiver and don't have a caregiving plan. Learn the risks caregivers face when priorities shift to caring for aging parents to the exclusion of everything else. Gain insights...
Caregiving: How to Know When You Can’t Do It Anymore
The Caring Generation® - Episode 176, September 20, 2023. Knowing when you can't do it anymore is a crossroads moment in caregiving. When you do more of what you don't want, envy happy people, feel unappreciated, and forget you have choices, it might be time for a...
Caregiving: Why is Medicaid So Difficult to Understand?
The Caring Generation® - Episode 175, September 6, 2023, Why is Medicaid So Difficult to Understand? If you are in a caregiving relationship you may be struggling with the financial aspects of a spouse’s or elderly parent’s care. Pamela D. Wilson, caregiving expert,...
How Caregivers Lose Sight of What Is Important
The Caring Generation® – Episode 174 August 24, 2023. As a caregiver, it is important to not lose sight of what makes you happy. Caregiver self-sacrifice means less focus on relationships and more focus on tasks and busy work. Involvement with healthcare systems can also be stressful and frustrating. Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares tips about the importance of maintaining relationships and advocating for care needs.
Are Caregivers Brainwashed by Society, Culture, or Family
The Caring Generation® – Episode 173 August 9, 2023. Are caregivers brainwashed? Do caregivers focus on doing things for aging parents or spouses due to societal, cultural, family, or groupthink? In this episode, caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares insights into why caregivers feel powerless over situations that seem out of their control.
Doing the Best You Can To Care for Aging Parents
The Caring Generation® – Episode 172, July 26, 2023. Being a caregiver is hard. Doing the best you can with the resources and time you have to care for aging parents may feel like it’s never enough. Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares examples of caregiving challenges and offers a resource to help with care and decision-making.
10 Things That Don’t Make Sense to Caregivers
The Caring Generation® - Episode 177 July 12, 2023. Learn ten things that don't make sense to caregivers that may help you avoid unpredictable problems. Revisit things you may have heard but were not important at the time so that you can move ahead one day at a time...
Too Many Responsibilities: How Caregivers Can Create a New Identity
The Caring Generation® - Episode 170 June 28, 2023. Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson discusses caregivers who have too many responsibilities. Learn what to do when losing a sense of identity or feeling super-vigilant or hyper-responsible for the care of aging loved...
Why Do Simple Things Become Difficult For Persons With Dementia?
The Caring Generation® - Episode 169 June 14, 2023. Caregiving expert, Pamela D Wilson discusses why persons with dementia lose their ability to perform everyday tasks. Learn how to be a better caregiver by accepting dementia as a chronic disease that impacts the...
Caregiving: How to Hold Onto the Good Things
The Caring Generation® – Episode 168 May 31, 2023. The act of caregiving for loved ones can seem like a never-ending job. Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares thoughts about how family caregivers can hold onto the good things in life while creating more things to be happy about.
How Does Caregiving Affect Family Relationships?
The Caring Generation® – Episode 167 May 17, 2023. How does caregiving affect family relationships? Becoming a caregiver can upend life. Learn why setting expectations and having heart-to-heart conversations are essential from caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson.
Caregiver Tips for Barely Getting By
The Caring Generation® – Episode 166 May 3, 2023. Are you barely getting by? Find tips from caregiver expert Pamela D Wilson to keep going when you can’t see how to move forward through challenging caregiving relationships to to where you want your life to be.
Creating the Life You Want
The Caring Generation® - Episode 165 April 19, 2023. If you are a caregiver, creating the life you want can mean building inner strength. Become clear about what you want in life to disentangle yourself from energy-draining situations and the expectations others have...
How to Stop Being Influenced By Others
The Caring Generation® – Episode 164 April 5, 2023. Are family caregivers more easily influenced by others due to high-stress levels? If you are a caregiver, do you ever wonder how to stop being influenced so you can make your own decisions and live your life?
How to Stop Feeling Distracted and Overwhelmed
The Caring Generation® – Episode 163 March 22, 2023. How to stop feeling distracted and overwhelmed in everyday life or when unexpected events derail your day. Caregivers have an unending list of to-dos for other people, which often means their needs go unmet. Pamela D Wilson, caregiving expert, shares how to reset and regain focus to take back your day.
Caregiving: Why is Problem Solving So Hard?
The Caring Generation® – Episode 162 March 8, 2023 Caregivers ask why is problem-solving is hard? Problem-solving can be complicated by emotions, exhaustion, health care issues, and more when caring for aging parents. Learn how to identify signs that can lead to problems and what you can do.
One Crises Away From Getting Help
The Caring Generation® – Episode 161 February 22, 2023. How to know if you are a caregiver who is one crises away from getting help? Learn tips to manage day-to-day caregiving tasks and minimize unexpected situations when caring for aging parents, spouses, and loved ones.
The Relationship Between Pain and Caregiver Stress
The Caring Generation® – Episode 160 February 8, 2023. Chronic pain can result in angry outbursts and disruptive behaviors. Learn about the relationship between pain and caregiver stress so that you can confront angry behaviors that damage relationships.
Care for a Sick Family Member
The Caring Generation® - Episode 159 January 25, 2023. Caring for a sick family member can be challenging for caregivers trying to balance life. Seeking support for health and social needs can offer a variety of programs to make caregiving more manageable. How to...
What’s Wrong With Aging Parents? Tips to Manage Health & Medical Care
The Caring Generation® – Episode 158 January 11, 2023. Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares tips for family caregivers trying to figure out what’s wrong with aging parents who may be unsure how to help themselves. Learn how to identify health concerns and manage medical care.
Caregiving and the Power of Words
The Caring Generation® – Episode 157 December 28, 2022. Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares insights into the effect of words and thoughts on caregiver health and well-being. Creating intentional pauses while interacting with others can be a path to creating more positive relationships.
Why You Feel Emotionally Drained
The Caring Generation® – Episode 156 December 14, 2022. Ever wonder why you feel emotionally drained at the end of the day? Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares tips for understanding emotional exhaustion, managing burnout and having essential family caregiver conversations.
How to Avoid Putting Your Needs Second
The Caring Generation® – Episode 155 November 30, 2022. Learn how to avoid putting your needs second in caregiving relationships without feeling guilty. Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares tips about how to stop overgiving and take care of yourself while caring for someone else.
What to Do When Elderly Parents Fire Caregivers
The Caring Generation® – Episode 154 November 16, 2022. What to do when elderly parents fire caregivers. Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares tips for adult children frustrated with parents who need help but refuse assistance from anyone other than a family member.
What if a Parent Can’t Pay for Nursing Home Care?
The Caring Generation® – Episode 153 November 2, 2022. What if a parent can’t pay for nursing home care but can’t live alone? Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares tips for family caregivers when Medicare no longer pays for nursing home care.
Why Caregiving is Harmful to Your Well-Being
The Caring Generation® – Episode 152 October 19, 2022. Learn why caregiving is harmful to your well-being when trying to balance life, work, family, and health. Caregiving Pamela D Wilson shares reasons caregivers feel conflicted between obligations to loved ones and managing the complexities of daily life.
How to Deal With Dementia
The Caring Generation® – Episode 151 October 5, 2022. Learn how to deal with dementia whether you are the person diagnosed or a family caregiver for a spouse or elderly parent with dementia. On this episode, caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares ten proactive steps for managing a memory loss diagnosis.
Caregiver Regrets: No Life, No Job, No Friends
The Caring Generation® – Episode 150 September 21, 2022. Caregiver regrets include no life, no job, and no friends. Learn how to examine choices and make changes to persist in creating your goals and accomplishing your dreams.
Should Caregivers Use Online Health Care?
The Caring Generation® – Episode 149 September 7, 2022. Should caregivers use online health care? Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares how patient portals can save time and simplify medical care for elderly parents and their caregivers.
Are Hip Fractures for Elderly Parents Serious?
The Caring Generation® – Episode 148 August 24, 2022. Are hip fractures for elderly parents serious? Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson discusses the physical and mental aspects of recovering from a hip fracture or serious illness to regain independence for elderly parents and adults of all ages.
Creating an Emergency Medical Plan for Elderly Parents
The Caring Generation® – Episode 147 August 10, 2022. Learn why creating an emergency plan for elderly parents is important to respond to sudden changes in health and hospitalizations. Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares practical tips about navigating the healthcare system for aging adults and their caregivers.
Making Sure Elderly Parents Are Healthy
The Caring Generation® – Episode 146 July 27, 2022. Making sure elderly parents stay healthy can feel overwhelming when you’re not sure what is important. Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson offers tips to support good health throughout life to help you and your loved ones stay healthy and live independently.
How to Deal With Dementia in a Parent
The Caring Generation® – Episode 145 July 20, 2022. Learning how to deal with dementia in a parent can be an ongoing challenge for family caregivers. Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares tips to help family caregivers prepare for this unpredictable journey.
Getting The Most Out of Life in Your 60s
The Caring Generation® – Episode 144 June 29, 2022. Caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares tips for getting the most out of life in your 60s to help you create fulfillment, happiness, and good health habits whether you are caring for loved ones or yourself.
How Caregivers Can Respond to Negative Life Events
The Caring Generation® – Episode 143 June 22, 2022. How Caregivers Respond to Negative Life Events. Pamela D Wilson, Caregiving Expert offers tips for responding to unexpected or ongoing experiences that can be mentally and physically draining.
Why Do Old People Not Go to the Doctor?
The Caring Generation® – Episode 142 June 16, 2022. Why Do Old People Not Go to The Doctor? Pamela D Wilson, Caregiving Expert shares thoughts about why elderly parents and loved ones avoid or delay seeking medical care. If you are a family caregiver, learn how you can help aging parents, spouses, and others get the care they need.
Listen to Podcasts of The Caring Generation Radio Program
