MINDING OUR ELDERS
Minding Our Elders: Ask staff for advice when visiting elders in nursing homes 
DEAR CAROL: My husband and I are traveling this Christmas and want to take a side trip to visit my aging aunt who is in a nursing home. My aunt has Alzheimer’s disease, which we don’t have experience with. Besides that, we are both uncomfortable in a hospital setting and haven’t had experience with nursing homes. What should we consider? – Jen
By Carol Bradley Bursack , December 22, 2012
Minding Our Elders: Mom moving in gives daughter second thoughts
Dear Carol: My mother has been declining over the last two years so I’ve decided to bring her home to live with me.
By Carol Bradley Bursack , November 12, 2011
Bursack: Stephen Ministers can help with grief
Dear Carol: My mom has multiple sclerosis and Dad took care of her for years. Eventually, she had to go into a nursing home, but it was near their apartment, and Dad remained a dedicated caregiver.
By Carol Bradley Bursack , October 15, 2011
Bursack: Check all options for Rx
Dear Carol: How do I determine whether or not my parents are receiving the best prescription benefits?
By Carol Bradley Bursack , October 08, 2011
Bursack: Caregivers often get caught up in guilt trap
Dear Carol: My mother has Alzheimer’s and is in an excellent assisted living facility memory unit.
By Carol Bradley Bursack , October 02, 2011
Bursack: Open enrollment for Medicare earlier this year
Dear Readers: Around Sept. 30, those of you on Medicare will receive information about a change in the Medicare annual open enrollment dates.
By Carol Bradley Bursack , September 25, 2011
Bursack: New woes compound Alzheimer’s problems
Dear Carol: My mom was recently diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). She also has mid-to late-stage Alzheimer’s disease.
By Carol Bradley Bursack , September 11, 2011
Bursack: Readers curious on column’s process
Dear Readers: Since many of you ask about my selection process with readers questions, I thought I’d write about how my column works.
By Carol Bradley Bursack , September 04, 2011
Bursack: Family could forgive past
Dear Carol: Many years ago, my grandmother, because of uncontrolled diabetes, had mental issues and tried to commit suicide. Two of her children thought she just wanted attention.
By Carol Bradley Bursack , August 21, 2011
Bursack: Questions come up after loss of loved one
Dear Carol: My mother died at age 95 after years of declining health and moderate dementia. I have mixed feelings about the final decisions I made.
By Carol Bradley Bursack , August 07, 2011
Bursack: Shingles can have devastating effects
Dear Readers: According to the Mayo Clinic website, 20 to 30 percent of people over 60 get shingles, which can be serious and have long-lasting effects. However, I received a small avalanche of mail from across the country and even the UK after my July 10 column about how many younger people get shingles, some having lasting, disabling effects.
By Carol Bradley Bursack , July 31, 2011
Bursack: Alzheimer’s can make kind people violent
Dear Carol: My husband has mid-stage Alzheimer’s. He’s always been a wonderful man, but the disease has changed him, and he’s become violent.
By Carol Bradley Bursack , July 24, 2011
Bursack: Readers support caregiver’s decision
Dear Carol: How do I live with the guilt of putting my mother in a nursing home? How do I stop crying?
By Carol Bradley Bursack , July 17, 2011
Bursack: Shingles vaccine should be available
Dear Carol: Why is there so little information, and emphasis, on the shingles vaccine? When I asked my doctor about it, she said that it’s expensive, most insurance companies don’t pay for it and Medicare doesn’t cover it.
By Carol Bradley Bursack , July 10, 2011
Bursack: Website a good Medicare source
Dear Readers: At one time I carried Medicare cards for four elders, and every time there was a question about their coverage, I had to make a time-consuming phone call.
By Carol Bradley Bursack , July 03, 2011
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