All articles tagged with #caregiving
Karen Sandone puts their Bucks County dream home on the market after her husband Anthony, diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's at 55, can no longer be left alone. She plans to downsize to a maintenance-free 55-plus community in 2026 to ease finances and caregiving duties while preserving their life and memories together.
The article explains that agitation is a common, brain-based symptom of Alzheimer's caused by brain changes that disrupt emotion regulation and by imbalances in neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. It notes caregivers often blame themselves, but agitation increases with disease progression (about 56% in early stages to 68% in moderate-to-severe stages). Environmental stressors, like large gatherings or disrupted routines, can worsen it. The piece offers practical management tips—maintaining daily routines, avoiding arguments, using calming approaches, and consulting healthcare providers about treatments—while emphasizing caregiver support and self-care.
Fitbit co-founders James Park and Eric Friedman unveiled Luffu, an AI-powered “intelligent family care system” that ties together health data from apps, portals and devices, learns routines, and flags meaningful changes across family members (and pets). Users can log information via voice, text or photos and ask plain-language questions, with privacy controls and configurable Guardian access to share data. The private-testing startup, about 40 employees, aims to ease the caregiving burden for roughly 63 million U.S. adults and plans to expand into hardware later.
NYT profile of Brian Cahill, a 58-year-old with metastatic prostate cancer who reorganizes his life around care, planning, and relationships. He builds a supportive circle for medical decisions, relocates from NYC to Cincinnati for affordable hospice care, and even considers a temporary drug holiday to regain energy and autonomy. The piece frames a “good death” as one shaped by preparation, connection, and living fully within limited time, using his experiences as a blueprint for dying with dignity.
Jo Glanville reflects on caring for her parents with dementia and describes how reading aloud to them kept them mentally engaged and connected to the world, challenging the idea that late-stage dementia means a complete loss of understanding. She cites evidence from The Reader’s reading groups and argues against assisted dying, calling for ongoing advocacy and care for people with dementia.
Using data from 2,887 older adults (mean age 67) in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, researchers report that grandparents who provided grandchild care scored higher on memory and verbal fluency and showed less cognitive decline over 2016–2022, regardless of care frequency or type. The findings suggest caregiving may benefit grandparents’ brain health, though effects may depend on a voluntary, supportive family context and require replication.
Jay Leno discusses being the primary caregiver for his wife Mavis after she was diagnosed with dementia, recounting a Hollywood friend’s remark about him “getting a girlfriend.” He emphasizes that they’ve stayed true to their marriage vows and that caring for Mavis has been meaningful, as he strives to keep her mood up and remains by her side.
Jay Leno opens up about his wife Mavis’s dementia diagnosis and his life as her primary caregiver, sharing how he balances daily care with keeping her spirits up, the conservatorship over their finances, and a surprising moment when a friend asked if he planned to get a girlfriend—emphasizing his commitment to their long marriage.
Jay Leno says he isn’t getting a girlfriend—he’s been married to Mavis Leno for 45 years and is her caregiver amid her dementia, having obtained conservatorship for her in 2024. He jokes about telling her he’ll be back with his ‘girlfriend,’ but emphasizes that commitment and staying together is the norm, even as it’s less common today.
Jay Leno was surprised when a fan asked if he’d get a girlfriend while caring for his wife Mavis, who has advanced dementia. He stressed that he’s married and not interested in seeing others, saying they’re “in this together” and he aims to keep Mavis happy. He notes this has been the toughest test of his life, and he has conservatorship over her assets since 2024, but remains grateful for moments of laughter they share.
A woman reflects on her mother's move into a retirement community amid her own grief and the realization of her mother's declining mental health, highlighting the complex emotions and changing dynamics in aging and caregiving.
The article highlights Ila Basu's 30-year dedication to caring for her brother Tarun Das, who has schizophrenia, emphasizing the importance of family support, understanding, and proper care in managing mental illness, and inspiring a film about their journey.
A La Plata County couple, Al and Meme Jason, navigate life after Al's Alzheimer's diagnosis, focusing on maintaining quality of life through music, journaling, and community support, while adjusting to the challenges of the disease.
Emma Heming Willis reflects on how the holiday season has changed for her and her family due to Bruce Willis's diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia, emphasizing that joy and grief can coexist and offering hope and reminders for others in similar situations.
The article discusses early signs of Alzheimer's and dementia observed by caregivers and family members, such as memory loss, confusion, behavioral changes, and social withdrawal, highlighting the importance of early detection and understanding the progression of these conditions.