As a clinical health psychologist specializing in chronic pain and illness, I have spent the past 12 years working with people who have chronic pain, and during that time I have learned a lot about the experience of pain and all of the many ways that it can impact one’s quality of life.  One of […]

The stories of deaf older adults and their families need to be shared and heard. For the past couple of years, I have been following and sharing the story of MJ Grant and her experience with caring for her mom, Carmen, who is deaf and living with dementia. A couple of months ago, MJ made […]

The stories of deaf older adults and their families need to be shared and heard. For the past couple of years, I have been following and sharing the story of MJ Grant and her experience with caring for her mom, Carmen, who is deaf and living with dementia. A couple of months ago, MJ made […]

According to a study by the CDC, chronic pain impacts over 16,386,000 older adults age 65-84 and an additional 2,596,000 MORE adults over the age of 85 (Dahlhamer et al, 2018).  If you read my post about chronic pain in older adults, you also know that chronic pain can have a negative impact on older […]

  How common is pain among people 65 and older? For better or for worse, most of us associate chronic pain with getting older. We assume that as we age, our bodies will naturally break down and that pain is “just part of getting older”.  According to a report put out by the CDC in […]

By 2034, there will be more adults 65 and older than children under the age of 18. Approximately 1 in 4 of older adults experiences a mental health condition, including depression, anxiety, dementia, substance use and more, yet the vast majority of these older adults struggle to get adequate mental health care, resulting in worse […]

By 2034, there will be more adults 65 and older than children under the age of 18. Approximately 1 in 4 of older adults experiences a mental health condition, including depression, anxiety, dementia, substance use and more, yet the vast majority of these older adults struggle to get adequate mental health care, resulting in worse […]

Have you been struggling to engage your sibling in your aging parent’s care? Perhaps you reach out and they don’t respond. Perhaps they refuse to help. In this article I answer a question from a caregiver on the issue of siblings refusing to help with aging parent’s care. You’ll learn The importance of family relationships […]

As helpers and caregivers it can be difficult to take a break and give ourselves grace to engage in our own self-care practice. Research shows that caregivers have higher rates of stress and depression than non-caregivers. The sooner you get into the practice of caring for yourself in your caregiving journey, the easier it will […]

Over 75% of adults with developmental disabilities live at home with family. There is a growing population of aging caregivers of adults with developmental disabilities, in part due to increased lifespan and extensive waiting lists for residential services (The Arc Autism Now). In honor of World Autism Day, we’re providing tips to aging caregivers who […]

Over 75% of adults with developmental disabilities live at home with family. There is a growing population of aging caregivers of adults with developmental disabilities, in part due to increased lifespan and extensive waiting lists for residential services (The Arc Autism Now). In honor of World Autism Day, we’re providing tips to aging caregivers who […]

If you have an aging parent who is a primary caregiver it can be hard to know what to say and do. Caregivers, especially spouses, may be hesitant to ask for help or a break. They may think that this is part of the vow that they made, thru sickness and health. These 5 tips […]

Understanding the role transitions along the caregiver’s journey will help you to gain clarity with the common struggles and what you can do about them. Knowing that you’re not alone and having tools to manage challenges that may arise helps will help you along the caregiver’s journey and reduce stress and feelings of guilt and […]

Helping aging parents move into a senior living or assisted living environment can be overwhelming, and emotions can easily escalate. Here are 12 tips for managing those emotions during difficult conversations with elderly parents. 1. Expect that this will be emotional. Expect that this is going to be emotional. Know that it is reasonable that […]

Helping aging parents move into a senior living or assisted living environment can be overwhelming, and emotions can easily escalate. Here are 12 tips for managing those emotions during difficult conversations with elderly parents. 1. Expect that this will be emotional. Expect that this is going to be emotional. Know that it is reasonable that […]

Dear Dr. Koepp, My 85 year old dad is calling me multiple times a day. It’s interrupting my time at work. Sometimes he needs something. Sometimes, he just wants to check in. He has someone assisting him, but he’s always calling me. Can you address how to handle an elderly parent who is calling me […]