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Q: For the past several years, I was the primary caregiver for my elderly parents before they died. Now my husband has become wholly reliant on me for his care. I am exhausted and getting deeply discouraged. I keep hearing the same thing from people, that I’ve got to take better care of myself. But…

Q: I have a casual acquaintance I’ll call Sarah. Together, we go out to dinner or attend social events. When we pick Sarah up, I am never invited into her home. A mutual friend described the apartment as extremely cluttered, with piles of newspapers, magazines, and clothes covering almost every surface. My friend is convinced…

Q: We recently lost our wonderful dachshund, Gretchen, who died at the age of 12. Our children have moved away, and some of our friends just don’t understand the scope of our loss and the role this small dog played in our lives. Do you have any suggestions about how to cope? A: I didn’t have…

This weekend, communities around the country will recognize and celebrate Juneteenth, an important annual holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. Many of us were taught in school that slavery ended with the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. Unfortunately, in many parts of our country, the practice continued. On June…

Q: I live in an apartment in a small housing authority development. After paying my essential monthly expenses, I rarely have any money left. My neighbors are in the same situation. We especially worry about the cost of groceries. Do you have any ideas that could help us? A: An NBC news report earlier this year…

Q: My daughter and son-in-law both lost their jobs this past year due to the pandemic. They still haven’t found secure employment and decided it was best for their two children to move in with me. They needed an internet connection, which I had installed. However, the cost has become a hardship for me, and I’m…

Q: I have spent the last 15 months leaving home only for the most essential reasons. I occasionally saw close neighbors but always wore a face covering and kept a safe distance. Since I live by myself, this was a very lonely time. I felt fortunate to get the vaccine once it became available to people…

Q: Recently, I have begun experiencing pain in my knees, making it difficult for me to get up from a chair. A friend suggested I could have arthritis. I don’t know a lot about the disease beyond seeing it mentioned in ads for pain relievers on television. What should I do? A: Your question about arthritis is…

Q: Years ago, my parents met with an attorney to put their home and financial assets in a trust. I was named my mother’s health care power of attorney if my father became incapable of acting on her behalf. I didn’t give this much thought until my father died. Now, my mother is 95 years old,…