Senior Birthday Party Ideas to Make the Day Special!

 February 19, 2024 by Dean Bellefeuille

A family celebrates their older loved one after receiving good senior birthday party ideas.

It’s that time of year again—time to celebrate an older loved one’s birthday! Have you thought about ways to make it extra special? The key to planning a successful event is to implement senior birthday party ideas that are unique to the individual. Start by thinking through: (more…)


When it is It Time to Consider 24-Hour Dementia Care?

 February 13, 2024 by Dean Bellefeuille

A mother and daughter contemplate getting 24-hour dementia care.

If you’re caring for a loved one with dementia, you know firsthand how challenging the ever-changing progression of care needs can be. As the condition advances, there comes a point when 24-hour dementia care becomes not only beneficial but essential for ensuring the safety, well-being, and quality of life for the individual. (more…)


Helping Build Healthy Sleeping Habits in Seniors

 January 23, 2024 by Dean Bellefeuille

An older man lies in bed after learning healthy sleeping habits in seniors.

Everyone understands the feeling of trying every trick in the book to get to sleep after a long day. As we age, it can be even more difficult to get enough sleep. Older adults may experience changes in their sleep architecture, including lighter sleep, more frequent awakenings, and a shift towards earlier bedtimes. Yet maintaining healthy sleep patterns is vitally important for cognitive function, emotional health, and physical vitality. (more…)


Dementia Care Cooking Tips for Seniors

 January 9, 2024 by Dean Bellefeuille

The adult child of a senior practices dementia care cooking tips for seniors.

The kitchen is a special place in the home. It’s where kids first go when they get home from school, looking for a snack and the chance to share about their day. It’s the place family members gather to prepare holiday meals together. It’s also a place to warm up a cup of milk and find some quiet, reflective solace when sleep is elusive. (more…)


When Caregiving Ends: Steps to Take to Rediscover Your Identity

 December 18, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille

lady-looking-in-mirror

Caring for a loved one is often an all-consuming role. It requires so much of your time, focus, and energy that when caregiving ends, for any reason, it can leave you feeling lost. Other common feelings to expect when you are no longer serving as caregiver for a loved one include: (more…)


How Much and What Types of Exercise Help Older Adults Improve Health?

 December 13, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille

senior-man-exercising-in-pool

The countdown is on to the new year, which means only one thing: deciding on a resolution that you’ll actually be motivated to keep. How about setting a goal that will help older adults improve health and happiness while simultaneously improving your own?

A regular exercise routine is crucial for all of us, but not always easy to start or maintain. One great way to stay motivated is to find an accountability partner and encourage each other. If you’re providing care for an older family member, you have the perfect opportunity to help each other become more physically fit! But it’s important to first know how much and what types of exercise are best for seniors. (more…)


Which Dementia Care Approach Is Best: Alternate Reality or Reality Orientation?

 December 6, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille

dementia-lady-with-caregiver-pointing-to-calendar

Did you ever wake up in the middle of a dream and wonder, for just a moment, if what you were dreaming about was real? It can feel so disorienting until you open your eyes and take in your familiar surroundings. Such an experience can give you just a brief glimpse into the ongoing disorientation for someone with dementia. When confusion about time, place, and even identity settle in for someone you love, you have two choices in determining which dementia care approach is best: either stepping into their reality with them, or orienting them to yours. (more…)


Holiday Stress Relief for Caregivers: A Gift for the Whole Family

 November 21, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille

A woman and her elderly mother spend time together in the kitchen as a form of holiday stress relief for caregivers.

What’s at the top of your wish list this holiday season? An end to world hunger? A new home?  Good health for your loved ones? What if you could eliminate stress and simply take pleasure in the holiday season? What a gift that would be! (more…)