Dear Allegra: I am currently in the process of earning a degree in nursing. My goal after graduation is to work in the home health field or potentially in hospice. I love the idea of helping older adults and people with disabilities in their own home. As part of my clinical training, I’ve been observing […]
Dear Allegra: As a fairly new professional caregiver, I am finding my new career to be more rewarding than I ever imagined. Most of my clients are older adults living with a variety of chronic health conditions. Many of them have recently been discharged from a local hospital and are transitioning back home. I am […]
Dear Allegra: My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease 7 years ago, and I gradually became her full-time caregiver. It was a demanding role, but it brought me so much joy. After my mother’s passing last year, I went back to my old job. While I’m grateful for the chance to reconnect with my friends […]
Dear Allegra, My almost 91-year-old Mom is bedridden and watches a lot of television. She is constantly buying things from home shopping channels. She can’t use any of the items ordered and I am constantly sending them back. It’s making helping her with money management very difficult. She can’t afford to do this, but I […]
Dear Allegra: As a hospital social worker, I assist many older adults each day. Much of my time is spent helping seniors who end up in our emergency room. In fact, I would say emergency help for the elderly consumes more than half of my time. Many of my patients live alone. Their families are […]
Dear Allegra: My 84-year-old father recently had some blood work done as part of his annual physical. I was shocked when the results came back! He is suffering from a number of vitamin deficiencies, along with high cholesterol and anemia. I need to help him get his health back on track, but I don’t even […]
Dear Allegra: I have been caring for my great aunt for over 7 years now. Her health has been gradually declining. After her recent physical, the doctor suggested I should begin to consider palliative care or hospice for her. It is all feeling a little overwhelming. Do you have any advice on making end-of-life choices […]
Dear Allegra, I am a nurse practitioner for a large primary care physician practice. An increasing number of our patients have Alzheimer’s disease or a similar form of dementia. Their families often struggle to find ways to keep them safe at home. We receive a few phone calls every week from adult children asking us […]
Dear Allegra: My aunt recently lost her husband of over 50 years. She is someone I have always been close to and enjoyed spending time with. I am considering inviting her to move in with me. I am a retiree living alone, and my house has more than enough space. I think my aunt would […]
Dear Allegra: I am a new caregiver having recently finished my training. While the responsibilities of a caregiver are very clear to me, I am struggling a little bit with how to convey the roles and responsibilities of caregiving with some of my clients and their families. Most often it is because clients ask me […]