Senior Advocate

Q:  My wife has dementia, and people keep telling me I should lie to her. That doesn't feel right. We've always been honest with each other, and I don't want to betray that now. Is it ever okay to tell a "little lie" to someone with dementia? A:  Many dementia care experts recommend using [...]

Q:  What is the Older Americans Act? A:  The Older Americans Act (OAA) is celebrating its 61st anniversary this month. It was signed into law in July of 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, thus becoming the first system in the United States to provide home and community-based services to older adults. Here in [...]

Q: I recently heard about Spoon Theory. How does it apply to older adults and family caregivers? A: Spoon theory was developed by a woman named Christine Miserandino as a way to explain to her friend what it was like for her to have Lupus. I only recently learned this analogy myself, and I [...]

Q: I hired a caregiver to help with my husband who has dementia, but all they do is sit and watch TV with him. How can I get them to do more? A: When hiring in-home care, it is helpful to clearly communicate your expectations and provide a list of responsibilities you would like [...]

I was recently attending a community event when I struck up a conversation with an older woman. We talked about the beautiful weather and all the wonderful things we were experiencing at the event. As our conversation came to an end, she said, “Thank you for this. I don’t think I realized how lonely [...]

Q: My husband just transferred from the hospital to a rehab facility following a fall. What do I need to know about how to manage his care while in the facility? A: When your loved one is in a skilled nursing facility for rehabilitation, it is important to be a strong advocate and use [...]

Q: Can I use Paid Family Leave to take care of my mother? A: In California, Paid Family Leave (PFL) can be used to care for a seriously ill family member, including your mother, if you qualify. PFL provides short-term wage replacement benefits to eligible California workers for up to eight weeks of family [...]

A poem was recently shared with me called “If I Get Dementia.” It was written by Rachael Wonderlin. The poem is a collection of requests for loved ones to remember if the writer were ever to develop dementia. Through simple but deeply meaningful statements, it offers guidance on how a person living with dementia [...]

I recently learned that my mother was still paying the monthly bill for my father’s cell phone, two years after he passed away. For someone who is careful about money, this was very surprising. It was not about the money or the hassle of canceling the plan, it was really about the emotions behind [...]

Q:  I am having trouble affording the rising cost of food these days. What resources are there to help? A:  You are definitely not alone in this. Food costs have been rising, as have many of our other expenses. Thankfully, there are several resources available that may be able to help. One of the [...]