Because of the my mother\’s dementia, I\’m often asked by people who are concerned about “intellectual pauses” of their loved one (or their own) if there\’s anything they can do to remember more, longer, and make their memories easier to access. Please know that I\’m not a “brain specialist”. Nothing written here should imply a […]
Many parents are uncomfortable living in their children\’s home – the feeling that they\’re an imposition – especially if they have nothing to do. Most parents don\’t want to feel like guests, yet it\’s a fine line between helping and interfering. This is an actual story . . . “After my husband\’s death, my daughter […]
Here\’s a tough one . . . Your Mom and/or Dad has moved in with you. At some point s/he told you s/he wants to pay you something to help defray the cost and you said no. Or maybe when the subject came up and you were uncomfortable and said “let\’s discuss it later”. I […]
Can you believe that summer is here? Whether graduation, a wedding, or a vacation, as a caregiver, a big question you may be asking yourself is should you bring your aging loved one along with you on the trip or not. If the answer is ‘yes\’, this article will help you make it a good […]
There are a lot of reasons why parent(s) and their adult children decide to live together. The first and best reason is that everyone just wants to live together. You and your parent have a great relationship, perhaps they live far away, you have the room . . . you want them to come live […]
Many people ask me when they should start talking with their aging loved ones about what they want for the future – where they want to live, what they want their prized possessions to go – that sort of thing. I\’ve heard people say the general rule of thumb is “40/60”. In other words, when […]
If preserving your loved one’s dignity as well as their estate is part of the family fortune you and your family care about saving; If their health and protecting their right to make health care decisions is important; If preserving their lifestyle in the face of a crisis is important; If avoiding airing their “dirty […]
How often have you heard about siblings who aren\’t speaking because of some minor dispute that happened years ago? Maybe you know of siblings who were getting along just fine until they started talking about family issues and now they aren\’t speaking. Or maybe a conversation brought up old baggage. When we have strong emotions […]
One of my favorite television shows is “Cash in the Attic”. On the show, an antiques expert goes to people\’s houses and searches for treasures and then takes them to auction for them. A lot of the stuff is from garage sales and flea markets, others are actual antiques – inherited pieces. Sadly, many times […]
As you gathered at Mom & Dad\’s house over the holidays, did you happen to notice items that you would like to have such as ornaments, holiday dishes or silver? (Oh come on . . . I\’ll bet you did!) And even if you didn\’t, I can assure you at least one of your siblings […]
