Supporting all who care for elders
“I’ll never put my mother in a home.” I’ve heard these words many times over the years. My biggest challenge is always to keep silent, or to carefully ask a few gentle questions. Spoken with conviction and often a sanctimonious air, the words don’t usually invite dialogue. Those eight words hold hidden messages and although not all […]
Why I Think My Care Choices For My Elder Are Better Than Yours Read More »
Margaret liked her stuff. She wasn’t the least bit materialistic. Not in the traditional sense. With her, it was all about the memories. Her sentimentality made it impossible to part with anything which had the slightest story attached to it. In her house, whole rooms were devoted to boxes of old pictures which she planned
How to Make Downsizing Your Friend Read More »
“Will you be my neighbour?” Fred Rogers’ winsome question prodded a generation to think beyond their cultural norms. Neighbours were the same age, colour and religion as me. They were adults, they didn’t have wheelchairs or (gasp!) mental health issues. When we did something for them, they gave back. Yeah, we could be neighbours with
Will You Be My (Elderly) Neighbour? How to Connect Read More »
I made a valiant effort to keep the horror off my face. It was the yearly care conference for this resident and her four children sat in our meeting room with the doctor, physio, dietary staff and others. The purpose was to review her care plan and tweak it if needed. I had just explained
How Do Social and Medical Care Get Married? Read More »
Have you ever had your life change in a single night? We were coming home from a birthday celebration. The event, special in itself, had been more blessed by the presence of a beloved aunt. The ride home should have been a time to happily relive the event. The pain in my husband’s foot, of
How to Navigate Being A Sudden Care Partner Read More »
I am so thankful for the many elders who added to my life.
Three elders who helped complete the puzzle of my life Read More »
When dementia makes the outcome of celebrations unsure, how do you cope?
How to Celebrate When a Disaster is Possible Read More »
“We can’t deal with this problem here. She needs to go to hospital.” They are all looking at you. The doctor, the nurses, the care staff, your family. As your mother’s care partner and power of attorney, the next decision is yours. Maybe she has pneumonia which isn’t responding to the antibiotics she’s been given,
Six Reasons To Say “No” To A Hospital Visit Read More »
I want to be an elder with a cape. You know the ones I mean? The man in his 90s who completed a marathon. The woman in her 80s with the hot, incredible body who moves with grace on the balance beam. She’s more flexible than I was at, well, ever. The nurse who works
Are We Getting Elderhood Wrong? How To Turn It Around Read More »
He looked a little embarrassed as he plopped it on my porch. My friend remembered I mentioned wanting this, and when she saw one abandoned on the side of the road, she asked her husband to stop and pick it up. When they delivered it to my door and I saw it, he wasn’t expecting
Why Purpose has a Colossal Role in Your Elder’s Comfort Read More »