Watch the video blog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbOpD9U-jNw
What do you do when you hear that your mother has been hospitalized and you know she has dementia, even though it has not been diagnosed because your father wasn’t ready to hear the truth? Now, Dad is gone, and you have a situation than can go from bad to worse [...]
Read Full Post »
Is your marriage at risk because you have only time for your parents’ needs? Are you still trying to get mom’s approval at the risk of losing your marriage? Are you using your parents care needs as a distraction for working on your relationship?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it is time [...]
Read Full Post »
View this video blog: Memory Loss and Aging Parents
When one parent is exhibiting signs of memory loss the other parent can often cover up for the spouse who is losing the ability to care for themselves. Adult children are often surprised when they hear about a diagnosis they never saw, sometimes because of denial and [...]
Read Full Post »
View the video blog: Guilt and Parent Caregiving
Recently in talking with a caregiver who takes care of her mother, father and mother-in-law, the ever present “guilt work” came into the conversation.
“Why”, said the daughter, “do I never feel like I do enough or do the right thing”? Well, it is more complicated than this simple [...]
Read Full Post »
Do you allow Mom to smoke, despite her dementia and living alone in a senior apartment complex? Do you respect your Dad’s right and autonomy despite his 90+ years of life? With poor vision and beginning forgetfulness, do you allow him to drive across the state to see an old friend who is ill?
Adult children [...]
Read Full Post »
It is hard, as adult children, to know – Is my Mother tired? Or, is she depressed? Or, is she just not feeling well in general?
Viewing our parents objectively is challenging. Parents often shield their children from negative thoughts, feelings, depression or discomfort.
In addition, hearing is often diminished and being in a busy environment can [...]
Read Full Post »
I just came across a great article by Jonathan Rauch, published in the April issue of The Atlantic Magazine. Mr. Rauch talks about his process of deciding when to move his very independent father closer to his home in Washington DC from Phoenix and his experience with doing so.
In his anecdote, he reveals many common [...]
Read Full Post »
“Clean out a room, change your schedule and your social life- Mom is moving in.”
Your mother has had a change of status and can no longer live alone. You think it is best that she move in with you because you just retired and have the time to care for her.
The desire and the passion [...]
Read Full Post »
It has been my honor, over the past 25 years, to help people make hard decisions such as giving up a home of 50 years for a retirement community or a downsized condo. One comes to this decision from various paths; economic reasons, health concerns, loss of spouse or wanting to relocate near adult children. [...]
Read Full Post »
When one parent is exhibiting signs of memory loss the other parent can often cover up for the spouse who is losing the ability to care for themselves. Adult children are often surprised when they hear about a diagnosis they never saw, sometimes because of denial and at other times because the well parent was [...]
Read Full Post »
