Category Archives: Housing & Care

My Mother Lives in the Backyard: The Granny Pod Evolution

Updated December 2025 If that’s your answer to queries about where your elderly mother lives, you and your mom are part of one solution for the looming problem of how to care for America’s rapidly aging population, which is growing at the rate of some 4 million seniors each year. Maybe your mother lives in […]

The Cost of Independent Living Communities

Like any other housing, the cost of residing in an independent living community varies. Just as a luxury home in Beverly Hills is more expensive than a ranch house in Topeka, the units in some retirement communities cost more than those in other communities. And just as the rent charged for a single bedroom apartment […]

The Cost of Alzheimer’s, Dementia and Memory Care

Seniors who suffer from Alzheimer’s and other medical conditions that attack the brain are a constant source of worry for their children and other concerned relatives. Dementia — the erosion of memory and of the ability to think and reason — compounds the difficulty associated with caring for an aging parent. Struggles to provide the […]

The Cost of Homemaker and Home Health Aide Services

Hiring a homemaker and home health aide service makes it possible for a senior to live in his or her own home or to stay with children without fearing that he or she has become a burden. It is usually a less expensive alternative to residing in an assisted living facility. Homemaker and home health […]

Adult Day Programs & Adult Day Care

Adult day programs provide services and companionship for seniors who are not ready or able to join an assisted living community or to hire a home health aide. Adult Day Care Centers are ideal for sons and daughters who provide caregiving services to parents during the evening and weekends, but need someone to care for […]

How to Detect Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing homes may be the best option for elderly parents who have serious healthcare needs. Yet every child who has placed a parent in a nursing home worries about the possibility of abuse. News accounts of nursing home patients who suffer from neglect or abuse create anxiety about the safety and comfort of aging parents […]

Home Modifications for Accessibility

Updated October 2025 Declining physical and mental aptitudes are a natural consequence of aging. The abilities to see, walk, and remember are among those that are typically limited or lost. Those limitations often make it difficult for seniors to continue living in homes that are not designed to meet their needs. Research shows that most […]

How Much Does Nursing Home Care Cost?

Nursing home care is the most extensive care available outside of a hospital. A nursing home usually provides: 24-hour nursing and emergency care; Room and board; Personal care (i.e. bathing, dressing, bathroom help, etc.); Medical monitoring and assistance from a registered nurse; Physical and/or occupational therapy; and Social activities. Care at this level can be […]