Baby Doll, as I call her, has reinforced something I already knew but had never put into words. The instinct to show affection is strong. We humans need love and kindness and we need to give it in return.

Dad turned 85 last March. I'd been trying to get back to Colorado to see him, but I didn't make the time until summer, after his heart had landed him briefly in the hospital. He'd gotten out okay, but my sister said he was 15 pounds underweight; she was worried about him.

SPECIAL FROM Next Avenue By Jane Gottlieb In the end, our concern for Dad's care was a higher priority than our worries about his money Two h...

As I see it, most of us are at best neglecting, and at worst hastening, our beloved mother's death by our own guilt-fueled paralysis.

Working on a book about aging has meant figuring out how to make this subject appealing... or at least not dismayingly off-putting. I mean, who wants to learn about tub transfer benches? Who cares about tile slip resistance? Did I really have to choose such an un-sexy topic for my first book?

I told her what a pleasure it has been to be her granddaughter, and that our relationship is not over, it's just on pause.

Imagine a GPS that guides you easily along a road for hundreds of miles, then suddenly the voice command blurts out, 'Turn left...No turn right! Make a U-turn. Stop! Go!' You'd feel pretty frazzled, right? Well, that's what caregiving is often like.

SPECIAL FROM Next Avenue By Jeff Brown Here’s how to make sure every family member accepts responsibility when it’s time to step up Jeff ...

Remember all those wistful articles by empty nesters on how to transition from chaos to the quiet resulting from children leaving home to establish pe...

Every year when the holidays roll around, it's inevitable that this question pops up: What gift should I get for the special people in my life? Whi...

For Tory Zellick, the holiday season used to mean a table full of savory turkey, ham and stuffing, and a delighted mother who gladly prepared each dis...

Helping your folks downsize and move as they get on in years can be a daunting task. The emotions of leaving a place that has been home for many years -- along with that elephant in the room, aging -- are heavy burdens.

Singer/songwriter Amy Grant, 52, is a six-time Grammy winner. She also one of 42 million Americans who act as caregivers for loved ones. On Friday, Gr...

Many Americans report being overwhelmed by the demands of caring for aging loved ones, and a new study suggests a key reason: They are expected to be ...

NEW YORK — Just after 10 p.m., when most people their age are going to sleep, a group of elderly folks suffering from dementia are just getting ...

I think when we watch our parents slide, it becomes important to realize it's no longer about us. Whatever our issues were in the past with our parents, it just doesn't matter anymore. You move into a different phase of the relationship.

Technology can't substitute for human interaction, and it never will. But it can ease the demands of caregiving in the early years, and buy everyone much needed time.