Articles
Exceptional care giving requires more than good intentions. It requires expertise, coordination, and thoughtful leadership.
Published by: The Center for Universal Design, NC State University, College of Design. Intended to assist architects, builders, remodelers, installers, and carpenters better understand the critical design and construction issues involved in installing curbless or “roll-in” showers.
Newsletter Archive

Checklists, Reminders
A downloadable PDF to help you make an informed decision when selection a caregiver.
Organizations
Aging with Dignity is a non-profit organization that defends the rights of all people as they approach the end of life. Their Five Wishes program is America’s most popular resource for advanced care planning.
The AKC Canine Good Citizen® (CGC) program is an expert-made training program with a 10-skill test that teaches good manners to dogs. Bentley graduated with flying colors!
A program sponsored by the University of Tennessee School of Veterinary Medicine connecting volunteer pet owners to community members. Bentley is an enthusiastic participant!
Publications
Making it easy for older adults, caregivers, and families to find trusted services, helpful information, and community support all in one place.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers this survivors and burial benefits kit as a source of pre-need planning information and record storage for Veterans and their families. This kit is intended to be used as a supplement to the Summary of VA Dependents’ and Survivors’ Benefits pamphlet.
Videos
Katrina introduces FCMS as a nurse-led care management and healthcare advocacy service for families facing complex health challenges. FCMS serves as a professional healthcare guide by providing comprehensive assessments, coordinating multiple physicians, managing complicated medication regimens, and advocating during hospital and rehabilitation stays. The central message is that families do not have to manage difficult healthcare situations alone; professional care management can provide organization, clarity, advocacy, and greater peace of mind.
Katrina demonstrates an inexpensive accessibility modification for people using wheelchairs or walkers. Standard door hinges can cause the open door to block part of the doorway, reducing usable width. Swing-away hinges allow the door to move completely out of the opening and can add roughly two inches of clearance—potentially turning a 30-inch opening into a 32-inch passage. The hinges are inexpensive, available at hardware stores, work with right- or left-swinging doors, and can often be installed without costly doorway reconstruction.
Teepa Snow explains dementia as an umbrella term for many conditions involving progressive brain failure—not simply memory loss or Alzheimer’s disease. She stresses the importance of thorough evaluation because different dementias affect people differently and require different caregiving approaches. Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and other forms have distinct patterns and symptoms. Snow also distinguishes dementia from potentially reversible conditions such as delirium and depression. Understanding the specific type of dementia helps families respond more appropriately to behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and functional changes.
Five Wishes is an advance-care-planning document that helps individuals communicate medical, personal, emotional, and spiritual preferences. Its five sections address choosing a healthcare agent, specifying desired medical treatment, describing comfort preferences, explaining how one wants to be treated, and communicating important messages to loved ones. The video walks viewers through completing, witnessing, sharing, and storing the document. Its broader message is that advance planning reduces uncertainty for families, supports patient dignity, and helps healthcare professionals and loved ones honor a person’s wishes when that person can no longer speak for themselves.
