 | Trapped
Thursday, May 27, 2010 | I bumped into a neighbor while on a morning walk. He usually walks about the same time as I so we meet quite often. He is about my age and is a retired marine pilot. His wife has had a couple of strokes and macular degeneration has left her almost blind. He is the... Read More
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| | Demanding Parents and Dominated Kids
Wednesday, January 20, 2010 | It should not be a surprise to learn that not every mother is loving nor is every father understanding and accepting. Some are down right mean and difficult to live with. Some have been demanding and dominating... Read More
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| | Speak It and Then Dump It
Thursday, September 10, 2009 | I walk most mornings in my neighborhood and, in the process, meet some very interesting folks. One of my favorites is a retired military man who carries a plastic sack and picks up the trash people throw into the street. He is a delightful guy. Our visits... Read More
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| | The Importance of Socialization
Tuesday, June 09, 2009 | My mother-in-law fully intended to move into a retirement facility in the city were we lived. It took her a while to get mentally ready for such a drastic move and then there were various delays that extended the process even further. Then her . . . Read More
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| | But I Promised
Friday, May 08, 2009 | I promised my parents they would never go to a nursing home. I made the same promise to my wife's parents and I had every intention of keeping those promises no matter what it took, no matter what it cost, no matter what I had to arrange. They were not going . . . Read More
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| | When You Think the Unthinkable
Wednesday, April 22, 2009 | He sat in the isle seat on the second row of a conference on long term care. He looked to be in his early forties, and I still can almost feel the intensity in his eyes as he locked on every word I said. At the end of a lengthy discussion period when the audience seemed to explode with their concerns, he began to speak. Haltingly at first, he told of his wife having a debilitating disease that demanded every moment he could give and still earn a living. The disease was not one that would . . . Read More
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| | Should the Parents Move?
Tuesday, March 31, 2009 | One of the most frustrating things about giving care to aging loved ones is the fact that there are no right answers to many of the issues we must face. There are far too many variables in each situation for anyone to come up with any rules or even guidelines to follow. We are forced to go with the flow and make . . . Read More
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| | Supporting the Primary Caregiver
Monday, December 15, 2008 | There are an estimated ten million people in the United States that require almost full time care. 80% of that care is given by family members in the home. That number will grow by leaps and bounds in the years ahead as the Baby Boomers age. Right now they . . . Read More
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| | The Primary Caregiver
Friday, November 07, 2008 | In most families the care of aging parents will fall on one person. There are exceptions of course but most of the time one person will become the primary caregiver. Sometimes this is a rather natural process that seems to automatically . . . Read More
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| | A Clear Understanding About Money
Saturday, August 30, 2008 | If you are facing a loved one receiving care other than that provided by a family member, get ready for sticker shock. The average nursing home giving what is called critical care is in excess of $35,000 per year depending on where the care is given. . . Read More
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| | The Real Cost of Care
Wednesday, May 28, 2008 | Someone said, "Once you open a can of worms, the only way to get the worms back in the can is to get a bigger can." I know it sounds strange, but that old saying kept running through my head as an audience's responses took over a meeting where I was supposed to be the speaker... Read More
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| | Preparing for Distant Care
Thursday, May 01, 2008 | Depending on the relationship, of course, it is much easier to give care if the parents live nearby. There have been some definitive studies done concerning the cost to industry in lost time and productivity as more and more of us are trying to care for loved ones hundreds of miles away... Read More
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| | The Family Meeting
Tuesday, February 19, 2008 | Most long term care decisions happen on the spur of the moment with little or no planning. The doctor says it is time for the loved one to leave the hospital, but they can't go home and live alone... Read More
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