Senior Sidekicks

11/01/2025

Happy Halloween From Senior Sidekicks!

10/31/2025

A few ideas to make Halloween fun and safe for your older family members.

Make Halloween safe & fun for seniors with 8 senior-friendly tips that promote inclusion, comfort & joy during this spooky season.

10/30/2025

Even though we "gain an extra hour" by turning the clocks back, it is wise to get some extra rest. The time change will impact your sleep, and it usually takes about a week to fully adjust. So, be safe and give yourself some time to adjust.

Fall is in full swing, and that means daylight saving time will soon draw to a close. Read on for more about the annual clock change.

10/29/2025

The impact of the time change is greater for seniors, and even for their caregivers.

It's time for most of America to move clocks back on Sunday. Daylight saving time ends in the U.S. at 2 a.m. local time, which means setting your clock back an hour.

10/29/2025

At some point, you will need a caregiving plan.

Talking about aging and illness can be difficult, but experts have tips for getting started.

10/26/2025

Re-imagining the term "midlife crisis" is wise. Pretty much gone is the ability to impulsively try to recapture one's youth. Now the reality is caring for aging parents, or relatives, and possibly having adult children back living with you.

What was once imagined as a time of exploration and reinvention has become marked by financial and emotional strain.

10/24/2025

The article makes a good point, caregiving is not an exact science.

Learn how to strike a balance between being responsible vs. demanding

10/22/2025

If you decide to step up and handle the care of a parent you know to be difficult - the first thing to remember is they are unlikely to change. And whatever health issues that have led to them needing care will exacerbate the situation.

Self-care, healthy boundaries, and a clear mission will help you care for a difficult parent.

10/19/2025

It is reaching the point that our crisis of having an aging population is making the national news. A good overview of many of the challenges, and how unprepared individuals and the nation is for dealing with it.

The U.S. population of people over 65 is expected to surge by 40% over the next 25 years, but many aren't prepared for longevity, a new study says.

10/19/2025

This is a beautiful idea.

Some hospitals and hospices in the UK and Australia have introduced “Cuddle Beds”, that is special wider beds that let families lie beside their loved ones who are terminally ill. These beds bring comfort, warmth, and emotional closeness during the most difficult final moments of life.

Hospices like St Wilfrid’s and North Devon Hospice in the UK, and hospitals in Queensland and Western Australia, have already started using cuddle beds.

They allow partners, children, or even grandchildren to cuddle their loved ones safely while still giving nurses room to provide care. Many of these beds are donated through community support and charity foundations, showing how compassion and innovation can go hand in hand.

Families say these beds make a heartbreaking time a little more peaceful . helping patients feel loved and held until the very end. It’s a touching reminder that sometimes, love and presence are the best medicine of all.

10/17/2025

In some cases, there reaches a point where the care receiver's and the caregiver's safety is at risk.

Karen Wilson writes about the heartache of seeing her mom lose independence in the face of aggressive Alzheimer’s.

10/15/2025

Excellent points regarding being proactive to help head off some of the potential emergencies. For better or worse, it really all comes down to doing some planning as a caregiver to try to make caregiving more manageable.

To reclaim some normalcy, this reader needs to anticipate chaos