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After Grandpa’s neuropsychological evaluation, we had to start looking realistically at his finances. Not emotionally. Not hopefully. Realistically. There were bills that no longer made sense, expenses that had to be reduced, and responsibilities he could no longer manage the way he once had. One of the first things we looked at was his car. He could no longer drive, but he was still paying for the vehicle and the insurance. Letting go of those expenses could save a couple hu

One thing I wish families knew earlier is that a neuropsychological evaluation is much more than a quick memory test. It is a detailed evaluation of how a person’s brain is functioning in areas such as memory, attention, language, problem-solving, judgment, processing speed, and sometimes mood and behavior. It can help explain why someone may remember certain things very clearly but struggle with others, and it can help the family understand where support is needed—and where

Coming home from skilled nursing felt like progress. Grandpa was stronger. He was medically more stable. He was back in familiar surroundings. But getting home did not mean caregiving became easier. It meant the next phase had begun. Home health care came in to continue the therapies he had started in skilled nursing. They reviewed his medications again, helped simplify the medication process, and reinforced the things we had already been learning about routine, safety, hydra

When denial gives way to reality—and reality requires a plan. Sometimes a hospital stay does more than treat an illness. Sometimes it forces a family to see what they may not have been ready to see. That was true for us with Grandpa. It started with a trip to the hospital. He was extremely lethargic and confused. He was seeing and hearing things that weren't there. He was argumentative and, at times, combative. This was not the gentle giant we knew. Our minds immediately went

My grandfather was my first real experience with caregiving. And goodness, did I get a lot of things wrong. That may sound strange coming from someone who had already spent years working as an LCSW, care manager, and therapist. I understood care plans. I knew how to navigate systems. I knew the questions professionals were supposed to ask and the resources families were supposed to explore. What nobody had prepared me for was the other side of that professional world. The fam

The morning started with chaos. Not the kind caused by Mom and Dad—although, considering the last few hard days, anybody standing outside listening would have thought, Somebody better get in there QUICK. My brother pulled up and could hear the commotion before he even reached the door. Mom was yelling. Dad was yelling back. The vacuum was roaring. Furniture was scraping across the floor. The TV was blaring. And apparently the entire living room was being dismantled. His stoma