Posts Categorized: Caregiving

When should you make an advance directive?

This document names a person to make decisions for you in case you are not able to do so yourself. It also gives instructions for care preferences at the end of life. That’s not morbid. It’s simply good medical communication. Recall the heartbreaking cases of young people in tragic accidents who lacked advance directives (Karen…

After cancer treatment

Even if the doctor says your loved one has no more cancer, the joy of such news may be tempered by worries about the cancer coming back. Although the potential for a return of cancer is real, you can draw on skills learned during the diagnosis phase. When living with uncertainty, stay focused on what…

Addressing loneliness

Loneliness is more than an unpleasant emotion. Older adults who are lonely are also more likely to be depressed and more likely to die at a younger age than their peers. They are also more likely to need help sooner with walking, dressing, and bathing. Loneliness comes about when there is a mismatch between the…