Stress

• Interview - Talking With Hector Elizondo: When It Comes to Alzheimer's, Information Is Everything

  Alzheimer's activist and actor Hector Elizondo talks about caregiver burnout and how to prevent it.

• Checklist - 8 Red Flags That an Alzheimer's Caregiver Needs a Break

  Alzheimer's caregivers often suffer from stress and burnout. Here are warning signs that mean you (or another caregiver) need relief.

• Article - Caring for Your Difficult Parent

  If you have a troubled relationship with your parent, try these strategies to help you function effectively – and remain sane -- as her caregiver

• Article - Alzheimer's Disease Support Groups: A Beginner's Guide

  Here's what you can expect from an Alzheimer's support groups, from who attends to what happens at meetings.

• Interview - Talking With Julie Winokur

  Julie Winokur, whose film series The Sandwich Generation documents her family's care-giving experience, reflects on caring for parents at home.

• Article - How to Create a Strong Cancer Support Team

  A set of guidelines for assembling a cancer support team -- from professional caregivers to family helpers.

• Interview - Talking With Barbara McVicker: Caregiving in a Dysfunctional Family

  Stuck in the Middle: Shared Stories and Tips for Caregiving Your Elderly Parents coauthor Barbara McVicker on caregiving in a dysfunctional family.

• Article - Defining Your Role as a Cancer Caregiver

  Before you take on the role of caring for a parent with cancer, read this comprehensive look at what the job entails -- how to best care for your parent and how you can avoid burnout.

• Article - How to Get the Help You'll Need to Care for Your Parent With Cancer

  Comprehensive information on getting help when caring for a parent with cancer. Related information is available in the cancer section of Caring.com.

• Article - What You Need if You Care for a Parent With Alzheimer's

  Stress-busters and tips to help you stay balanced and prepared while caring for a parent with Alzheimer's.

• Checklist - 8 Life Issues You're Bound to Face When Caring for an Aging Parent

  You'll deal with a range of challenges when caring for your elderly parents. The way you approach these tough issues is as important as what you say.

Blog Posts

• Blog Post - Sandwich Generation: Dispatches Part 2

  Sandwich issues take a toll on the families and colleagues of caregivers.

• Blog Post - Decoding the Secret Language of Alzheimer's

  What people with Alzheimer's are really saying.

• Blog Post - How much say do I have in determining who is guardian over me and my affairs?

  Do I have any rights in determining my care and who...

• Blog Post - Dementia Caregivers Deserve Summer Vacation, Too

  For caregivers of people with dementia, here's a list of vacation ideas.

• Blog Post - Surprising News About Who's Happiest

  The oldest people are the happiest, surprising new research reveals.

• Blog Post - My mother has asked not to be resuscitated if she has a medical crisis, but my siblings disagree on what constitutes a medical crisis.

  Before she showed signs of dementia, my mother decided...

• Blog Post - Memory Trouble? Don't Assume It's Alzheimer's

  Memory loss isn't always Alzheimer's: a review of types of memory loss

• Blog Post - A "Sandwiched" Daughter Says Enough is Enough

  A "sandwich generation" caregiver describes how asking for help saved her sanity — and her family.

• Blog Post - Sandwich Generation "Massively Stressed"

  A new study of sandwich generation women, caring for children and aging parents, finds them ill-prepared for the massive stresses of care giving.

• Blog Post - National Grandparents Day September 7: A Day to Reach Out to All Elderly

  National Grandparents Day on September 7 was conceived as a day to remember lonely nursing home residents, but now honors all the elderly.

• Blog Post - Help! My mom's in hospice and my sister and I are arguing about her funeral.

  Our mom has said she wants to be cremated "so you don...

• Blog Post - Dementia Caregiver? 4+ Ways You Can Take a Break

  Ideas for how dementia caregivers can use the arts for stress relief.

• Blog Post - My mother gave power of attorney to her new husband, who is putting her life in danger. How can we get it away from him?

  My mother's new husband has power of attorney for her, but I feel he puts her life in danger. How can we get her to reappoint power of attorney?

• Blog Post - Reverse Mortgages: Looking for Trouble?

  Reverse mortgages--a loan for people ages 62 and older...

• Blog Post - Dementia Caregivers: Ready to Make Your Brain a Promise?

  Scary new statistics about Alzheimer's disease and dementia are a wake-up call to caregivers to take better care of themselves.

• Blog Post - Tune in to PBS for Help and Hope on Caregiving

  A new PBS documentary, "Caring for Your Parents," is Reality TV of the purest form -- recognizing that family members now provide 80% of the eldercare in the United States.

• Blog Post - Embarrassment Assistance! The Gift of Plain Wrapping

  Buying adult incontinence products online can save your parents from stressful embarrassment.

• Blog Post - My father seems interested in moving in with me -- and I don't want him to.

  At 81, my dad has Parkinson's, three heart stents,...

• Blog Post - Caregiving: Does it Have to Be This Hard?

  A summary of caregiving in the U.S. in 2008: some statistics and how it got this way

Questions & Answers

• Question - Does stress affect my parent's blood sugar levels?

  My mom is diabetic and has a tendency to get upset and anxious. Does stress have an impact on her blood sugar level, and if so, what can I do to help?

• Question - How can I help my demanding father -- without neglecting the rest of my life?

  My father is in a comfortable living situation, yet still seems to need constant attention

• Question - How do I cope with an aging parent living in my home?

  Since my mother came to live with me, our relationship has gone down hill and my home feels like a prison.

• Question - Does stress affect Alzheimer's?

  Does stress cause Alzheimer's symptoms or make them worse? Here's expert advice on dealing with Alzheimer's and dementia behaviors affected by stress.

• Question - How can I help my mother with the stress of caring for my grandmother?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Should I put my mom in a nursing home as her care has gotten too much for me?

  Should I put my mom in a nursing home? Putting your parent in a nursing home could be the best thing for her, physically and mentally.

• Question - What's the best way to handle criticism about the Alzheimer's care I'm giving my mom?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - How can I get help dealing with the stress of taking care of...

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - How can I get a break from caring for my mother 24/7?

  My mother, who lives with me, is blind and needs constant care. How can I get some time for myself?

• Question - How can I ease my father's discomfort when I have to help him with physically intimate tasks?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - My mom has type 2 diabetes. Could she also have dementia?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - My father has colon cancer. What's the best way to deal with his angry outbursts?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - My mother has been depressed since her cancer diagnosis; how can I persuade her to see a therapist?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - How do I manage living with a depressed and reclusive father?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - How should we deal with my dad's anxiety attacks after his stroke?

  If a parent feels anxiety after a stroke, is this normal? Or are panic attacks or anxiety after a stroke something that requires therapy or drugs?

• Question - Will cutting down on liquids help my father's incontinence?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Is it ok to smoke when you are going through chemo?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I help my mother, who becomes agitated every evening before dinner?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What's the diplomatic way to handle wild accusations by a parent with Alzheimer's?

  Coping with accusations by an Alzheimer's patient diplomatically is tough. Here's how to respond to accusations and keep friends from being alienated.

• Question - Since her cancer diagnosis, my mother has seemed very depressed. Does she need professional help?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Any suggestions for talking to my father, who has Alzheimer's, about his finances?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I convince my mother and sister to step back without hurting their feelings?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - My parents are 81 & 82, my father was in a bad car accident...

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - What are some tips for a long distance caregiver to a dad with pancreatic cancer?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Why are my father's heart palpitations getting more frequent?

  What causes frequent heart palpitations in the elderly? Frequent heart palpitations can have various causes, from anxiety to atrial fibrillation.

• Question - Should I continue to encourage my mom to be social, even as her Alzheimer's worsens?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can you offer any tips for bathing an overweight parent?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What can my grandfather do to help him relax about his cancer?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Do I tell my mother her memory trouble is Alzheimer's?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Where can I find a support group for caregivers of people with non-Alzheimer's dementia?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can I help my dad, who has Alzheimer's, communicate?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Does guided imagery really control cancer-related pain?

  Is guided meditation or guided imagery helpful in relieving pain from cancer or other diseases? Studies have shown that guided meditation can help.

• Question - How can I help my parent figure out when her blood sugar is too high?

  Blood sugar needs to be monitored often when someone has type 2 diabetes. How do you help a person with diabetes keep track of glucose levels?

• Question - Can we travel with parents with dementia?

  This question has been answered by two Community Members

• Question - Is it common for my father to walk around the house a lot?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Is it common for Alzheimer's patients to have good and bad days with their memory?

  If a parent with early Alzheimer's or dementia has both good and bad days, it can mean that some situations are more confusing or stressful.

• Question - How can I be sure my mother, who lives on the other side of the country, is driving safely?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I tell if my mother's having an angina episode or a heart attack?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can I get my 85 year old father to stop yelling at my mother?

  My father is constantly yelling at my mother, and the problem seems to be getting worse.

Tips & Reflections

• Reflection - What I Wish I'd Known About Caregiver Burnout, From Author Barbara McVicker

  Barbara McVicker, coauthor of Stuck in the Middle: Shared Stories and Tips for Caregiving Your Elderly Parents, on the need to find time for yourself.

• Reflection - What I Wish I'd Known About the Toll Caregiving Takes: Actor Hector Elizondo

  Monk star Hector Elizondo talks about the psychological costs of Alzheimer's to caregivers, and the importance of getting resources and support.

News

• News - Vulnerability to Stress Linked to Brain Molecule

  THURSDAY, Oct. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have...

• News - Value of Most Post-Traumatic Stress Treatments 'Uncertain'

  THURSDAY, Oct. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors have...

• News - Hysterectomy May Boost Incontinence Risk

  THURSDAY, Oct. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Women who undergo...

• News - Close to Barefoot Best for Arthritic Knees

  FRIDAY, Nov. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Sore, arthritic...

• News - Vietnam Vets Study Links Asthma and PTSD

  THURSDAY, Nov. 15 (HealthDay News) -- A study of male...

• News - Jobs Don't Stress Most Older Workers

  WEDNESDAY, Nov. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Older American...

• News - Back Pain Prevention Should Start With a Plan

  SATURDAY, Nov. 24 (HealthDay News) -- A 10-step plan...

• News - Blackberries, Broccoli Sprouts Battle Cancer

  THURSDAY, Dec. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Your local farmer...

• News - Maintaining Routine Can Chase Holiday Blues Away

  SATURDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- While the Christmas...

• News - Exercise Eases Some Menopause Symptoms

  THURSDAY, Jan. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Exercise is not...