Based on my years treating patients who have dealt with the loss of a loved one and my personal experience with my husband's death, I know there are many complicated emotions that one can experience when dealing with late-stage illness and death.

Jane started out as a publicist representing authors. Now, 13 very humorous romance books later, she is an acclaimed writer herself. After reading her guide, I am amazed at how she has kept her sense of humor while being her husband's caregiver for many years.

A week after returning from a snowboarding trip, Emmy-award-winning talk show host Montel William recalls how, 15 years ago, a doctor not only diagnosed Williams with multiple sclerosis (MS) but also advised Williams that he would be confined to a wheelchair within four years.

Remember that as close as you may be to your spouse (or parent), his or her death sentence is not your death sentence. Protect yourself from undue stress by staying strong and remembering that you have a choice in how you choose to react to your loved one's illness.

At first, denial can be a healthy defense against admitting that your loved one has dementia. Denial helps you block the more painful aspects of reality. However, if denial continues too long, then it can be life-threatening to you and your loved one.

How do you take care of someone you may love but who you just don't like? It's nonsense for anyone to tell you to just block out the past and make today a fresh start. So let's take a look at several steps.

If you find yourself faced with these 10 signs of dementia, please get help for your loved one. And seek help for yourself too, so that you can deal with your loved one's illness effectively.

To a doctor, the death (and even impending death) of a patient represents the ultimate professional failure. The problem is that by trying so hard to extend life, doctors can miss the opportunity to be present, compassionately, as their patients make the last, final transition.

Providing therapy in the home can be a rewarding and valuable experience, building wonderful relationships between families and therapists that can last for years. Just remember to establish rules from the start and get everyone involved.

Physical therapist Joe Gallagher's patient, a former New York Giants football player now in his 80s, was lying on the floor, stretching to regain flexibility after two total knee replacements. Progress was slow and painful, so Joe went to a reliable resource in his PT toolbox: humor.

One particular aspect that is often affected, but seldom openly discussed, is how memory impairment affects the sexual expression of a person with Alzheimer's disease or related form of memory loss.

When you can't find the perfect care situation that enables you to take long stretches of quality time to yourself, we recommend you do the next best thing -- commit to just five minutes a day to do something for yourself.