Carol Bradley Bursack, CDSGF
Author, speaker, columnist and eldercare consultant
Over the span of two decades, author, columnist, consultant and speaker Carol Bradley Bursack cared for a neighbor and six elderly family members. Her experiences inspired her to pen "Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories," a portable support group book for caregivers.
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Answers Article
Deciding whether to tell someone who is cognitively impaired that their spouse has died is a serious and often recurring struggle. Dementia and death are sad and challenging enough on their own, but when they coincide, the result can be truly heartbreaking.
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Age-related changes in the body, chronic health conditions, prescription medications and other factors can magnify the effects of alcohol consumption and jeopardize a senior’s health.
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What's a caregiver to do if they aren't happy with the care their elderly seniors are receiving at an assisted living facility, nursing home or other senior care facility?
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When it comes to caring for the elderly, hygiene issues are surprisingly common. Determining why their personal hygiene habits have changed is the best way to devise a successful strategy for getting a senior to bathe and wear clean clothes.
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Placing a senior in a nursing home can feel like a monumental failure, but this isn’t the case. Adjusting your attitude can help you realize that you are actually fulfilling the underlying commitment you made to your loved one.
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The task of getting an elderly relative out of a cluttered, filthy, unsafe home is never easy. Here are some tips for caregivers and family to make the process more successful.
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It is frightening to watch an aging loved one lose their ability to talk, respond or communicate in any manner, but the powers of touch and hearing can help family caregivers continue to connect with seniors who have aphasia.
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Skilled nursing facilities have historically cared for only the oldest seniors, but long-term care demographics are shifting. As the age range of residents broadens, nursing homes are adjusting to meet the needs and interests of many generations.
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When siblings can’t agree on an elderly parent’s care needs, it might be time to bring in an objective third party to help resolve differences.
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Are you caring for a senior who tries to control everything and everyone around them? Use these tips to cope with their overbearing behavior while maintaining your own physical and mental health.
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While MIA siblings are the overwhelming norm, some families have very different experiences. This article offers a glimpse into another perspective on caregiving: that oft maligned long-distance siblings may actually be excluded by primary caregivers.
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Families hire home care services to provide respite and quality care for seniors. But what is a family caregiver to do when their loved one refuses to cooperate with their new in-home care aide?
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When an aging loved one is making excessive and unnecessary purchases—especially ones they cannot afford—it’s time for a family caregiver to step in.
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Most people try not to think or talk about death, but avoiding end-of-life discussions and failing to help aging loved ones prepare for this inevitability can make things far more difficult for the whole family. Use these tips to start the conversation.
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Moving an aging parent into assisted living or a nursing home is a physically and emotionally challenging transition for the whole family. Use compassion and self-awareness to keep your feelings in check and support your loved one throughout this process.
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Many of us feel alone when we are trying to care for our aging parents. When we have one parent who has dementia, it is hard. When both are diagnosed, it is often nearly unbearable.
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For the sandwich generation, the holiday season can be more stressful than joyful, especially when everyone is looking to you for goodies, gifts, entertainment and care. Use these pointers to balance caregiving, family and holiday traditions.
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Caregivers struggle to maintain their own physical and mental health while providing care for loved ones who mistreat them. Learning to detach, set boundaries, seek respite care and respect your limits can help you cope with an elder’s abusive behavior.
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Much has been debated regarding seniors and anesthesia. Here is how you can decide if your elderly parent should risk taking anesthesia for surgery.
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Dementia caregivers face many obstacles to ensuring their loved ones receive proper eye, hearing and dental care. In the later stages of dementia, it may not be sensible to subject seniors to these routine check-ups unless there is an urgent medical need.