Treading Dark Waters
— Ray Burow

We’re continually faced with news about COVID-19. It’s impossible to open a newspaper, read a magazine, or watch television without being bombarded with news and pertinent information about the virus and how it will affect the public. I apologize in advance for throwing more virus information at you, but a…

We in the Alzheimer’s community talk a lot about the disappointing and challenging aspects of the disease. One thing we particularly talk about is loss. A family’s shared loss is palpable. We live with it daily, between the here and now and what used to be. Caregivers reside in the…

I have a bone to pick with someone, though I am not certain with whom. We must do a better job at reaching the senior population with information that specifically concerns their demographic. The internet is a great tool, even essential, but approximately 27% of adults 65 and older say…

Sadly, approximately one in 10 senior adults experience elder abuse in the United States. Each year, according to the National Council on Aging, it is estimated that up to 5 million seniors are abused, but only one in 14 cases is reported, meaning the majority of perpetrators are never…

The first COVID-19 vaccine was kicked off in the U.S. in mid-December, following an arduous developmental journey. The Wall Street Journal referred to the first rollout of COVID-19 immunizations as “the most urgent mass immunization campaign” since polio. Astonishing feat The sheer strength of effort by medical science to…

Happy belated New Year! Can you remember a time when people looked forward so much to the start of a new year? The anticipation has been nearly palpable, as the entire world seems to have adopted the idea that “happiness is 2020 in the rearview mirror.” Here we are on…

“It’s that time of year / When the world falls in love / Every song you hear seems to say / Merry Christmas …” These words pulled from “The Christmas Waltz” are lovely, but for caregivers, Christmas is also the time of year when resources are less accessible, because…

‘Tis the season of giving, but finding an appropriate and enjoyable gift for the person in your life who has Alzheimer’s disease can leave you in a quandary. Gifting a caregiver isn’t quite as challenging, but it also takes some thought. Then again, that’s true regardless of life’s station —…

In each of us is an innate desire to survive, even to thrive. A healthy mind drives us through internal and external conquests. Driven by innateness, some humans feel called to accomplish impossible feats. Think of the everyday people who got up one morning and decided that one day, they’d…

As exampled by the Pilgrims and the Indigenous people who graced the first Thanksgiving table, families in the United States gather each year to give thanks. The gateway to Christmas and Hanukkah, Thanksgiving sets the season’s tone. How appropriate to begin with thankfulness before gifting one another with Hanukkah or…

In the early days of diagnosis and the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, a caregiver is capable of sufficiently providing for their loved one. The person within their care is often able to continue as they always have. They keep up with regular hygiene, can dispense their own medications, bathe…

The act of giving thanks is good for the soul. In fact, gratefulness has been linked to happiness, according to Harvard Health Publishing. “Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity and build strong relationships,” the article noted. If being…