Supporting all who care for elders
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 […]
Maybe We Don’t Understand Ageing. Are Elders Really Superheroes? Read More »
In the week after my husband died, several milestones occurred, each bringing its own white-hot pain. Meeting with the pastor and the funeral director to plan a service. Entering the casket room and picking out a plain, pine box. Writing out the words to say at the service. Saying those words. Greeting people afterwards. Talking
Did You Know Your Elder Can Care For You? Read More »
Who doesn’t appreciate a huge bouquet of flowers? Me. That’s not exactly true. I appreciated that the person who gave them spent a lot of money, and wanted to make me feel special on my birthday. I thanked them profusely, and they had no idea that their gift didn’t
How to Speak Words of Affirmation to Reach Your Elder’s Soul Read More »
I drove to my friend’s house for a visit and to deliver some homemade jam she was buying from me. As I started to make my exit from the car, I did my normal “dance.” I got my body out, reached back for the bag of jams, my purse and my cane and got everything
How Ageism Affects You and Your Elder and What To Do About It Read More »
It’s hot and muggy and I am dripping sweat with the smallest exertion. I’d like to deep-dive into my favourite lake on Manitoulin Island. I’ll be doing that soon, but in the meantime, I’m going to deep-dive in the topic of respect. What is respect? What is ageism and why is it so harmful? How
A Deep-Dive Into How To Give the Gift of Respect to Your Elder Read More »
“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Want to turn this mild mannered grandma into a fire-breathing maniac? It will happen if you use this worn out cliche in respect to elders. Besides the utter disrespect of it (“Old dog?” Ex-cuse me??) it’s not true. Not even a little bit. Although it’s true that
How to Beat Depression in Elders with “New Tricks” Read More »
When I think of wise people, Gertrude comes to mind. A simple lady without post-secondary education, she became best friends with Evelyn. I sometimes wonder if she sat in the blue lounge chair in her room one night and thought, “Evelyn needs me.” and set out to help. Quiet and gentle, she was also blind,
How to Defeat the Monster of Depression in Your Elder Read More »
Purpose in an elder’s life may be the most important aspect.
How to Bring Your Elder Purpose as Part of their Care Read More »
My favourite times at work were when I could step away from the computer, the meetings and all the other responsibilities and sit and chat with the ladies. We were doing just that one afternoon when the conversation turned to Christmas cake. A long-ago memory bubbled to the surface for me, of a time as
How to Honour Your Elders With Dementia With a Sense of Purpose Read More »
Chances are, you’ve already found at least one area of your life which excites you, makes you forget to eat (I’m sorry, I’m passionate about many things but I seldom forget to eat…) and fills your cup. Life is full, worth the effort, even fun sometimes because of __________. Here are a few facts you
Authentic Ways to Boost Purpose in Your Elder’s Life Read More »