Julie’s Blog

I was recently asked by a family member to take their mother to the bank and have her write a check for cash to withdraw a little spending money. The client has dementia and was so confused, I had to explain every step to this person so she could make this simple...

The great and not so great things about working with older adults I am often asked how I can work with older adults. People think older adults are boring, a burden and even smelly. I do not, and neither do the other Extra Daughters and Sons. We think that older adults...

Many people accumulate things and many more things as the years go by. They save items from relatives who are deceased out of nostalgia (not need) or just don't know what to do with their possessions and they don't part with them. Regardless of the reason people have...

How can you get past grief during the holidays? As we age, we naturally lose more people who are close to us. If that loss was recent and/or is still raw, it can make the holidays especially painful. Watching others enjoy the holiday when you have a tremendous hole in...

What holiday gift can you get for someone with dementia and their caregiver? There are many things you can get for someone with dementia and their caregiver for the holidays. You need to consider whether the person has mild, moderate or severe dementia, but there are...

Spending holidays with those with dementia can be joyous as long as you minimize anxiety and keep them busy Holidays come with their own joys and challenges for all of us. For people with dementia, the challenges can be great but there are ways to minimize the anxiety...