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 […]

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 […]

Have you helped your loved one move to a senior living or assisted living community only to find that in the midst of experiencing relief that your loved one is being cared for and is safe, you also have intense feelings of guilt and shame? You’re not alone. Many caregivers struggle with guilt and shame […]

There may come a time when you’re faced with the conversation of talking with your aging parents about moving into a senior living or assisted living community. Many people dread this conversation. Even simply starting the conversation can bring up all sorts of worry and feelings of guilt and shame. To help, I’ve created 6 […]

When he was in his late 80s, William Cohn, Candy Cohn’s father, unintentionally stopped taking medication for a long-standing bipolar disorder and experienced a significant mental health crisis requiring hospitalization and intensive treatment. It was following this episode that Candy knew that she needed to help her older parents find a senior living community that […]

When we think of older adults during COVID, images of older adults living in long-term care communities sheltering in place with hands pressed against windows trying to connect with loved ones circle in our heads. 2020 was a year of incredible hardship and pain for many people and especially for many older adults and their […]

In honor of world AIDS day on 12/1, I am devoting today’s episode to HIV and Aging. And, yes. HIV is an important topic when it comes to aging. An estimated 1.2 million people in the United States had HIV at the end of 2018. More than half of the adults living in the US […]

Family caregivers during COVID are more stressed and overwhelmed than ever before and here are some reasons why: Approximately 61% of caregivers are employed while caregiving. Of these caregivers, 60% work 40 or more hours a week and another 15% work 30-39 hours per week. Caregiving resources during COVID have been limited. Many resources that […]

You may be surprised to hear that about half of today’s Veterans are 65 and older. If you’re caring for an aging Veteran, you may have many questions but not know where to start. Once you do get started, you might not know HOW TO ACTUALLY HAVE a conversation with your loved one about their […]

Exercise is essential for healthy aging. Having a consistent exercise routine helps to reduce risk of mental health conditions, improves cognitive function, and helps our bodies to function optimally. Quickly learn some of the benefits of strength-based training for older adults Benefits of Strength Training Fewer Falls Falls are one of the most common injuries […]