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When families are first faced with the reality of a loved one with dementia, they embark on a long, stressful journey they've never taken before.

It can be very overwhelming. But you are not alone. In our new collection, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Navigating Eldercare & Dementia, our story writers offer great advice, emotional support, and practical tips to help you feel less alone and more empowered to take on the role of caregiver.

Here are previews of two of my favorite stories from the book with tips from people who have already cared for loved ones with dementia and the other issues of aging :


Accept your loved one’s new reality.
In Brenda Leppington’s story, More than Just a Blanket, Brenda's mother first exhibited memory problems in her early eighties. As her mobility worsened too, the family decided to move her into a nursing home where she would receive the care she needed. Their mom missed her old cat, Chico, so they got her one of those realistic battery-operated cats. In the beginning, she knew it wasn’t real, but over time she forgot and she asked Brenda to bring food for the cat.

That’s when Brenda realized there was no value in correcting her mother. If her mother wanted to believe she had a real cat, and that her elderly siblings were still alive, and that she needed to cook for her husband who’d been dead for years, why not? In a moment of lucidity, her mom even said, “If I think hard enough about it, I know that they are all gone. That is why I like to pretend that my life is the same. I loved my life, and I just want to relive a life where I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Who am I hurting?�

Brenda says, “That conversation changed everything. My visits took on a different tone. I would tickle the chin of her toy cat and ask her what Chico had been up to. I would take old photo albums, and we would look at each page and reminisce. I found that her memory was extremely good as long as we moved back in time about twenty years. She recognised everyone in the photos and always had a story to tell. I found a stack of old letters from her brothers that she had saved and took them to her one by one. She would read the letters as though they had just arrived in the mail and be excited to share the news with me. I no longer reminded her of who was dead or alive. What did it matter?�

Keep talking, because your loved one is still in there.
In her story, Miracles Happen, Crystal Hodge visited her dad daily in the memory care unit where he lived near her home. They would walk the hallways and he would try to “fix� the locked exit door. One night, as she sat with him at dinner, trying not to cry as he pushed his food around on his plate, he surprised her. He looked right at her and said, “Well, hi, Crys. I didn’t know you were here. How are you?�

Crystal rushed to call her sisters and her daughters, explaining that Dad was very lucid and she didn’t know how long it would last. Her daughters rushed over and he greeted them enthusiastically, asking for updates on their lives. They sat around sharing family stories that evening, and he was a full participant in the conversation.

As they left, he called out, “It was good seeing you! Thanks for coming!� Then he added, “Don’t forget I love you.� Crystal was grateful for this gift of lucidity, a ray of sunshine in the middle of her father’s gloomy Alzheimer’s.


Amy Newmark

I love the quote by Elyse Santilli, "No one is you, and that is your superpower." I love it so much we chose it as the quote to open up the Introduction of our new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Be You.

This books takes you on a journey � whether you're 18 or 80, you'll find your superpower in these stories! In fact, that's why Chicken Soup for the Soul: Be You was created, to be a source of affirmation, determination, and empowerment for women of all ages as they figure out how to be the best versions of themselves.

Here are previews of two of my favorite stories from women who are ready to flex their superpower:

#Hashtag who you want to be.
In her story, Put a Hashtag on Me, Carol Andrews left her career as a television news personality in 2002, she had to figure out who she wanted to be next. She says she set out to rebrand herself, a process that took years. These days, what better way to do it than via hashtags. Carol says you should list who you are now, and also who you want to be. In her case, she lists #Author #Speaker #TVpersonality and #ExecutiveCoach. Then you should hashtag your values and your traits, including those traits that you’re still working on. For her that means focusing on #kindnesscounts #fearless #transparency and #voicetobeheard, among other things. And finally, you should look at what has shaped you and brought you to the place where you are now. Carol lists #lossofparents #amazingson and #victoryoverdivorce among her defining experiences. Carol says, “These exercises in digging deep mean I can say with no hesitation: ‘I sow seeds so greatness in others can bloom.’�

Step outside your comfort zone to become more you.
In Rachel Dunstan Muller's story, Leaving Harbour, it wasn’t until her mother died of breast cancer at age 65 that Rachel decided to shake up her life. She says, “For most of my adult life, I’d chosen to stay safely anchored in a series of sheltered harbours, both literally and metaphorically.� It was time for Rachel to break out of that comfort zone where she always chose security over risk. She made a resolution to live by the word “fierce� for an entire year, and say yes to all the things that she would normally turn down. That meant taking a dance improv class, going caving, and in this story, going halibut fishing in open water. Rachel was terrified about the boat trip, but using her new open-minded perspective, she pushed aside her worries and focused on the sea, the sky, and the wind in her hair. She says, “I’ve come to believe that we’re not fully alive if we’re not at least a little frightened on a regular basis.�


Amy Newmark

Now that Spring has finally sprung it's time to get outside in nature, rediscover the benefits of outdoor exercise, disconnect from the world and enjoy some me time!

This reminds me of one of my favorite stories in our new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Making Me Time. In his story "No Service Means No Worries" Noam Paoletti talks about the time his dad took him camping and neglected to mention there would be no cell service where they were going. Noam would “be trapped� in the forest for four days without talking to his girlfriend, following his friends on social media, or being part of all the text conversations that teenagers feel are so important.

Of course, Noam discovered some advantages to his time in the wilderness. He started to notice the sights and sounds of nature, enjoying the peaceful world he and his dad were experiencing. He says, “Those four days passed in a flash. I hiked. I swam. I fished. I learned fishing is boring, even in my newly enlightened state. I spoke less than usual, and I listened more than I had before.� Fifteen years have passed since that trip and Noam says he carries that lesson to this day.


Amy Newmark

Everyone knows they are supposed to put aside some "me time" every week, or even every day if possible! But it's not as easy as it sounds... especially if you're caring for others. So what do you do?

Our new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Making Me Time, can help! This collection of 101 stories will help you put yourself at the top of your to-do list!

Below are previews of two of my favorite stories from the book that show quick easy ways you can make some "me time."

Make your own perfect vacation, even at home.
In Ann Oakland's story "Imaginary Holidays" she was working full time, attending college classes, and going through a divorce. Her co-workers often urged her to take a vacation, and their constant suggestions stressed her out even more. One Friday, a co-worker asked Ann what she was doing for the weekend, and Ann found herself responding with a fib: “Oh, I am taking a mini vacation, just a little weekend holiday.�

Now Ann needed a plan. On the way home from work, she stopped at a convenience store and bought lots of soda and snacks. And then she went on her own form of vacation, spending the whole weekend reading novels, drinking soda, and eating snacks.

When Ann went back to work on Monday after her imaginary vacation her co-workers said, “Wow, you must have had a great vacation. You look so rested.� And that’s when she realized she was, and she wasn’t stressed anymore either.

Get creative and you’ll find a way to incorporate self-care into your routine.
Sometimes we know what’s good for us but we can’t figure out how to squeeze it into our busy days. In her story "Counsel Walking" Sister Josephine Palmeri, a high school teacher, loved taking walks at the end of her seven-hour schooldays. But she also loved counseling the students who came to see her after school with their personal problems.

After missing her late-afternoon walk a couple of days in a row because of helping students, Sister Josephine realized she could do both. She could continue counseling her students by inviting them to join her on the walks.

She says it became a pattern, and she points out the benefit to the kids too, as they breathe deeper, move their bodies, and experience nature. She concludes her story by saying, “In the steady stride, inhale-and-exhale rhythm, with fresh oxygen flowing to the brain, these kids find relief from the pressures and frustrations they face. And I’ve lost ten pounds!�


Amy Newmark

I'm not sure who first said it but it's so true... every day holds the possibility of a miracle.

Miracles are all around us. You just have to find them. In our new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miracles & Divine Intervention, we have 101 stories from people who shared the experience of finding a miracle.

Here are previews of two of my favorite stories from the book that show every day does hold the possibility of a miracle:

Persistence can pay off, with even bigger benefits than expected.
In her story "Drugstore Dreams" Anne Oliver was obsessed with the huge old-fashioned apothecary cabinet she saw at a store when she toured the town she and her family had just moved to. The cabinet was about sixteen feet by eight feet; the upper section had shelves covered by glass doors, and the lower section had something like a hundred small drawers.

But it wasn’t for sale. The bulk of the store’s inventory was kept in there. Anne visited that cabinet for the next six years, checking to see if the cabinet would ever be available. She kept dreaming about that cabinet, too. She knew she was meant to own it although she couldn’t figure out why she was so obsessed with it.

Finally, she received an e-mail. The store was remodeling, and the cabinet was for sale. She rushed over to seal the deal, and the store owner kindly showed her the one issue with the cabinet: a handle was missing from one drawer. Suddenly, everything became clear. Anne had seen a cabinet just like that when she was a child. It was at a drugstore where she had grown up, several hundred miles and several states away. After the owner told her about the handle she said, “I know. If you open that drawer over there and look way in the back, you will find the handle. I broke it off accidentally when I was four years old and I hid it in there more than fifty years ago.�

Happy coincidences happen to all of us.
In Sheila Petnuch Fields' story "Dream on my Doorstep" she was a young, single mom raising three little boys on a preschool teacher’s salary, and was always short on cash. There was no money for extras, but she dreamed of redecorating her dining room. The family celebrated all their milestones and holidays in there and the room was a drab beige, from the carpeting to the walls.

Sheila finally saved enough money to buy a gallon of pale green paint for the walls and some solid green fabric for the chair seats, but what she really wanted was the beautiful green, cream and rose fabric she’d seen at a local store. If she had that fabric, she could sew window treatments, too, but it was completely unattainable on her budget.

Then one day Sheila’s elderly neighbor sent her grandson over with a bag. Every so often, she’d go through a closet and find craft items and leftover art supplies that she thought Sheila might be able to use. When Sheila opened the bag, she couldn’t believe it, because inside were yards and yards of green and cream and rose fabric almost identical to the one that Sheila had fallen in love with at the store. There was enough for the windows, a table runner, and even several pillows for the adjacent living room.


Amy Newmark

Staring at the calendar I find it hard to believe that Christmas is just days away. I still have so much to do!

This time of year it's easy to get caught up in checking items off our to-do list... we forget to slow down and actually enjoy the holidays.

It reminds me of one of my favorite stories from our new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Is in the Air :

In her story, Caroling My Cart Out, Melissa Cutrera was rushing through her errands with her young children in tow, two in the shopping cart and one trying to keep up at her side. As they raced down the aisles, she flung things into the cart and told them not to touch anything. She was stressed and not exactly feeling any holiday joy.

But then her five-year-old daughter started singing Christmas carols, and her seven-year-old chimed in. They were singing loudly, and Melissa was worried about what people would think of this chaotic scene.

It turned out the shoppers around them loved it. They were smiling and singing along. By the time they checked out and were making their way through the parking lot, Melissa was singing, too. She had found her Christmas spirit.

Happy Holidays!


Amy Newmark

Growing up can be tough for preteens... especially these days. As parents, you want to support them... offer advice. But often times that is met with an eye roll or a shut door. Now what?

I am really excited to share the stories in our new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Positive for Preteens. Stories about situations your preteen may be experiencing but with advice and encouragement from kids their own age!

Here are previews of two of my favorite stories with tips for your preteen on doing the right thing and being grateful:

Make true friends to be truly popular.
In her story "The Real Popular Table" Victoria Fedden used to watch the “popular girls� across the middle school cafeteria and wish she could get a seat at their table. But then she walked by them one day and they made fun of her. Victoria sat down with her own friends and had an epiphany: “Why would I even want to be friends with people who were so mean?� She looked around and spotted a boy sitting by himself and impulsively asked him to come and sit with her and her friends.

Victoria says, “From then on, we made a point to invite everyone the popular girls made fun of to eat at our lunch table.� Eventually, Victoria’s table was even a refuge for girls who’d been kicked out of the popular group. She says, “When I looked at my group of friends, which seemed to grow every day, I understood where the true ‘popular table� was in our middle school cafeteria and knew that I had gotten my wish after all.�

Learn to count your blessings.
In Suzanne De Vita's story "Learning to Love My Messy Life" she envied her friend Michelle, who lived in a large, tidy, quiet house. She admired her huge bedroom, her toys, and her nanny and housekeeper. She failed to notice that Michelle’s parents were rarely home, or that Michelle was lonely when Suzanne wasn’t there.

It was only when Michelle came to visit Suzanne’s messy, chaotic house, overflowing with her five siblings and her parents, that Suzanne noticed how much fun her own home was. Michelle was soaking it in, laughing with the family during dinner and enjoying every moment. She told Suzanne, “You’re so lucky you have such a big family.� Suzanne concludes her story by saying, “Suddenly, my house—my crowded, messy, loud house—seemed like paradise.�


Amy Newmark

Life begins again at 60, right? Well, it does if you have the right attitude! As a person over 60 I am so excited to share with you our new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Age Is Just a Number. This is a fun read for dynamic, active men and women in their sixties, seventies, eighties, and even nineties who prove the adage that age is just a number!

Here is a preview of two of my favorite stories about how your senior years can be the best part of your life:

1. It’s never too late to try that new thing.
In her story "Realizing a Dream" Beverly Burmeier's new normal is the constant pursuit of her dreams. She describes taking a beginner trapeze class in her seventies and being the oldest participant by a number of decades. But she did well, flying through the air and catching the trapeze with ease, then dropping onto the safety net like a pro. Her instructor was so impressed he taught her some additional tricks.

Beverly says, “This was truly a dream come true. But I learned more than how to fly on a trapeze that day. I learned that it’s never too late to try new things. Now I’m not afraid to step out of my comfort zone with activities such as ziplining, hang gliding, parasailing, paragliding, Flyboarding, and skydiving. I’ve traveled worldwide to fascinating places including Antarctica, India, Nepal, Cuba, and seven countries in Africa.�

2. It’s time to confront your fears and surprise yourself!
Confronting your fears at any age makes you proud. Sometimes you even surprise yourself with what you’re capable of doing. That was the case for Barbara Bartocci in her story "Going the Distance" after experiencing a major change in her life—a divorce after 30 years of marriage. Her younger brother Rob had been through a divorce himself, so he knew what she needed. He encouraged her to drive all the way from Kansas City to his waterfront vacation condo two hours north of Seattle. She would have the place to herself on weekdays and he and his girlfriend would join her on weekends.

Barbara was nervous about making the 1,800-mile drive by herself, but she did it, even camping outdoors along the way. And then she found herself enjoying the solitude at the condo and the time to do whatever she wanted, whether it was biking for hours, reading novels until two in the morning, or sitting on the peaceful deck sipping coffee.

Barbara says, “It felt less like an ending and more like a beginning.� When she returned to Kansas City after a few weeks, she says, “I carried with me the memory that in camping and driving to Seattle, I had done something way outside my comfort zone. If I could do this, perhaps I could navigate my new life.�


Amy Newmark

I know it seems early to be talking about Christmas but with the way things are these days I feel like we all need as much holiday cheer as possible! And with Thanksgiving just around the corner, the shift into high gear for Hanukkah and Christmas is not far behind.

The 101 inspiring stories in our new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Is in the Air, is sure to kickstart your holiday spirit!

Here is a preview of two of my favorite stories about the joys of the holiday season:

It helps to remind yourself why you’re doing all this work.
In the story "Doing Dishes" Melody Groves surveyed the pile of dirty dishes filling her sink and counters after a holiday event, all left for her to wash by herself. Her busy children and grandchildren had already gone back to their homes. But as she grumbled and worked she started to think about how each glass and plate was used: the football-shaped glass that her eight-year-old grandson loved, the spoon her eleven-month-old grandchild had used for applesauce, the remnants of the chicken her husband had so carefully and proudly cooked just right. Before she knew it, the dishes were done and Melody had reviewed a lot of happy memories. In the course of emptying the sink she had realized how full her life really was.

If you see a need, fill it.
In her story "Around the Tree" Crescent LoMonaco heard that one of her brother’s friends couldn’t afford a Christmas tree, and she was horrified. The newly divorced mother of three was already facing a slim Christmas. Crescent’s first instinct was to get that struggling mom a tree. She followed that impulse and went shopping for the perfect tree, complete with a stand, decorations, lights, and even an extension cord. She and her husband dropped off the tree anonymously in the family’s driveway. Later that day, her brother called to say that his friend had told him she had a Secret Santa who had provided a tree for them. She was so happy and appreciative, and said it really felt like Christmas. Crescent says, “Thinking back, it wasn’t about the tree. What I loved about the tree and what I wanted so much for that family was the family time. The tree was just the backdrop.� And she’s right; whether you’re gathering around the perfect cut tree, artificial tree, or decorated avocado tree, it’s the gathering that matters. The tree is just an excuse for the good stuff.


Amy Newmark

It's National Dog Week! What a perfect time to talk about dogs and how so many of them love to have a purpose. When they can’t do their jobs they get antsy, and their humans need to find them something new to do, a new way to contribute.

Below is a preview of one of my favorite stories from our book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Dogs, about a dog who was so committed to doing good that his human had to make sure she could keep going to work every day!

In Tracy Beckerman's story "On the Job" Tracy has to find something for her dog Monty to do during the pandemic. Monty, despite some early bad behavior during his puppy and teenage years, had become a therapy dog after Tracy had gone through the very difficult process of training him, which meant acting like the alpha dog and meaning it. But it worked and Monty loved being a therapy dog. His favorite thing in the world was to have his belly scratched, and there were many people willing to do that for him all day. Tracy says, “We visited children battling cancer, seniors with dementia, and even worked the airports when flights were delayed or canceled, and passengers needed a way to blow off some steam. On the job, he was the center of attention.�

Monty loved going to work. But then the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and Monty the Therapy Dog had nowhere to go. No job, no morning walks with his dog friends, no chasing a ball in the local dog park. Tracy says, “Soon, I got the feeling that he was more depressed about the isolation than my husband and I were, and I realized I needed to do something to stimulate him or risk the chance that he would start snacking on our underwear again.�

Tracy asked her husband if he would pretend to need therapy. He reluctantly agreed and Tracy put her plan into action. She put Monty in his official vest and bandanna and clipped his badge to his collar. Then she put on her official sweatshirt and badge and slung her therapy backpack, which held the dog’s certification papers and some dog biscuits, over her shoulder. Monty perked up and struck his therapy-dog stance.

She took him outside, closed the door, and knocked on it. The dog sat next to her and waited patiently.

“Hello,� she shouted as she opened the door and stepped in. “We’re here for your therapy visit.�

“Up here,� yelled her husband from the top of the stairs.

Tracy said, “Monty, therapy,� and they walked up the stairs. Tracy’s husband lay on the floor pretending to be in pain. Monty lay down next to him and rested his chin on her husband’s leg.

“Good job, Monty!� she said. “And good job to you, too, honey. You really look like you’re in pain!�

“I really am in pain,� her husband said as he massaged his leg. “I tripped over the dog’s toy and slammed my shin into the coffee table.�

“Well, you did it for a good cause,� Tracy replied. “See how happy he is.�


Amy Newmark