WVPB asked photojournalist and West Virginia native Roger May to go back home and take a hard look at how residents are still struggling to find normalcy nine months after flooding hit southern West Virginia. May specializes in turning his camera on the places that shaped him — revealing the humanity behind statistics. He worked primarily in Mingo, Logan, McDowell and Wyoming counties.
Many West Virginia adults find themselves in the difficult position of caring for their children and looking after their parents at the same time. Conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s are problems, but so are mobility and safety issues at home. It can be stress-inducing and makes many people wonder if there is any help available — and where to get it.
News Director Eric Douglas found himself in the same position and has wondered the same things. Through this ongoing, occasional interview series, we bring experts into the studio to talk about things people need to know as they get older, or when helping aging parents.
More than a quarter of adult West Virginians are serving as caregivers for a family member. That comes with stress, as well as emotional and physical tolls.
There are many discussions in the news right now about cognitive decline, dementia and Alzheimer’s because of the age of both U.S. presidential candidates. News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Teresa Morris, the program director for the West Virginia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, about what to look for in our own families.
The holidays can be a stressful time, but dementia can make that even more difficult. For his series, “Getting Into Their Reality: Caring For Aging Parents,” News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Teresa Morris, program director for the West Virginia chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, to get some ideas for families who are working to include someone with dementia into their celebrations.
Millions of families nationwide find themselves caring for loved ones in their own family. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito experienced those issues as she provided care for her own parents. She recently introduced legislation into the U.S. Senate to help alleviate burdens on caregivers.
A group at the Center for Gerontology at Virginia Tech is researching extended family members who become dementia caregivers throughout central Appalachia. They want to understand how these caregivers moved into that role.
A real problem facing many older adults is having enough money for their retirement. News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Josh Hodges, the chief customer officer for the National Council on Aging, to learn about the help that is available for retirees and caregivers.
For his series, “Getting Into Their Reality: Caring For Aging Parents,” News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Katherine Calloway, director of Clinical Development for HospiceCare of West Virginia, to find out more.
Many families face the question of what is the best place for an aging family member to get the best care in their later years? In-home care? Nursing home? And, how do you pay for it?
St. Albans is the first location in the state that has been recognized as being dementia friendly — which means many people in the town are trained in techniques to make people with dementia feel welcome.
Discussing funeral arrangements is never easy, but as News Director Eric Douglas found out through personal experience with his mom, it is much easier to do it in advance than it is after a loved one has passed away. As part of his series “Getting Into Their Reality: Caring For Aging Parents.” Douglas spoke with Tom Nichols, the owner of Bartlett Nichols Funeral Home in St. Albans, to understand the process.
There comes a time when everyone has to decide to give up driving. It’s not an easy decision for most people, and it is even harder when a child has to convince their parent it is time to hang up the keys.
This is the fourth story in News Director Eric Douglas’ series of interviews called “Getting Into Their Reality: Caring For Aging Parents.” Douglas spoke with Vicky Foster, the CEO of Kanawha Valley Senior Services.
For the second interview in our series “Getting Into Their Reality: Caring For Aging Parents,” News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Teresa Morris, the program director for the West Virginia chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. They discussed what Alzheimer’s disease is and what it means for the caregiver.
Many West Virginia adults find themselves in the difficult position of caring for their children and looking after their parents at the same time. Conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s are problems, but so are mobility and safety issues at home.