Ask yourself the question, "Why is money important to me?"

'Never say never'. Circumstances change; saying 'never' denies that obvious fact. All too often having said 'never' becomes an obstacle in decisions regarding long term care - assisted care, personal care, memory care or a skilled nursing facility. The choice between keeping a loved one in the home and placing them in a long term care facility is never easy. The decision usually comes after much soul searching and many heart to heart conversations - with yourself, your loved one and your family.

What type of person often sacrifices his/her most productive hours, and even years to care for a loved one who cannot care for their own needs? Just one type of person: a caregiver!

Sometimes you just need a break from the day in/day out routines of caregiving. Remember the Bill Murray movie "Groundhog Day"? Bill plays a weatherman who finds himself living the same day over and over again. Caregiving for an older loved one can be very much like that. It can be a life of routine; of sameness and monotony.

The holidays are over. For many of us this was a chance to interact with our older loved ones in a different way. We were in "holiday mode" not "caregiver mode." It was a chance to spend quality time with our loved ones - in their home.