Dr. Zoe Shaw

‘Alexis’ Asked: How do you love your foster child’s parents well even when you feel like they aren’t trying? Dr. Zoe Answered: When I am struggling with my feelings about someone’s behavior, I often remind myself that all behavior makes sense in its context. Just because I don’t understand why someone is behaving a certain way doesn’t mean that there isn’t a reason. The very reason that your foster child is in your care is that her parents don’t have it all together and weren’t able to take care of her or protect her. These kinds of issues don’t change overnight. Women who lack the mama bear instinct to care for their kids above all other things often come from very difficult […]

‘Caregiver’ Asked: I have an older relative who is becoming more and more forgetful. She’ll misplace items, forget what she was doing, forget conversations. Added to this there may be a hearing decline because the TV is getting louder and “What?” is a common question. How should I handle the situation as far as suggesting a hearing check or medical checkup? Dr. Zoe Answered: Pointing out that something may be wrong with someone can be a sticky proposition. The reality is that if you live long enough, you will eventually develop some form of senility, which is just the normal process of aging. But dementia and Alzheimer’s are very different things. You didn’t mention if your older relative is in her seventies,