Supporting all who care for elders
Doesn’t this dog have guilt written all over his face? I can be easily motivated by guilt. “Grandma, we haven’t come over in so long. I miss you.” Immediately, plans are changed or cancelled. How had I let time slip by without seeing my precious girls? “How long since you’ve had your ducts cleaned?” (Ummm, […]
Are There Practical Weapons to Attack Feelings of Loneliness in Elders? Read More »
Jean would come to lunch each day and order the same thing. Two pieces of egg salad sandwich, milk and tea. Vanilla ice cream for dessert. I had no problem with her order, except she would take one or two nibbles from each of her quarter sandwiches, drink half her milk and a few sips
A Unique Idea to Make Lunch a Fun Adventure Read More »
I stood at the top of the basement stairs, looking at what seemed to be an impossible descent. I’d recently had hip replacement surgery, and my friend washed, dried, folded and returned my laundry each week. So thankful, I knew I had to find a way to get down those stairs and become independent in
How To Find “Out-of-the-Box” Solutions Leading to Independence Read More »
Do you have a bucket list? In thinking about this, I knew I had something written in a file stored on the cloud. Probably 10 to 15 years old, curiosity sent me searching for it. What did I put on there? Some of the entries made me smile, some shake my head ruefully, and some
Do You Know the Secret Desire of Your Elder’s Heart? Read More »
I don’t consider myself an independent person. I once travelled to Disney with my sister and niece. They planned the whole excursion and I checked with them each day to find out which park or special event was on the roster. It didn’t matter to me. It was all fun, and I was happy to
How to Move Independence in Elders Beyond the Impossible Dream 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 »
“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 »
They are everywhere but you may not know them. It might be the person in the next office at work, ahead of you in the grocery line-up or living on your street. They might be your friends or your parents. They are living with chronic pain, and you may not be aware. If you are,
How I Learned Authentic Lessons From Being in Chronic Pain Read More »
“Others have it worse than you.” I’m aware of this. People who struggle with diseases that may kill them, and which debilitate them along the way, carry a heavier load. Who am I to whine about pain and disability, especially when it may be temporary? We need to be careful with statements like this. Although
A Behind the Scenes Look at Walking with Chronic Pain Read More »
Offering choice to elders presents many problems. Is it worth it? You decide. Choice is expensive In our dining room at lunch there are two choices of soup, several options of main course, including one bland and one vegetarian and a whole cart full of desserts. Don’t like the soup options? We can make you
Three Practical Reasons Which Inspire Me To Deny Choice Read More »