It’s not always easy making the decision to find your mom or dad the assistance they need. In fact, your mother or father is most likely as discouraged about this as you are. No one wants to be taken care of, and your parent probably had requested that they remain living in their home as an independent adult. However, whether…
If you are looking for the best gift you can give your parent this holiday season, as well as the best gift you can give yourself, consider the gift of togetherness. Togetherness means more than just spending an hour visiting your mom or dad, or taking your parent to the doctor, or running their errands. It’s about the gift of…
For years you may have tried to help your parent acknowledge the difference between collecting and hoarding. However, over time your mother or father found the need to hold on to items from their past that remind them of bygone days. Within days, weeks, months and now years the collecting may have taken over their home and life. This “collection”…
Growing up, we were taught to listen to our elders. Yet as our parents have grown older, we have tended to think they should listen to us instead of the other way around. We see things we believe are uncharacteristic of our mother or father and the alarm bell rings in our head. When we approach mom or dad and…
Whether the sun is shining or the sky is overcast, every day can be an overwhelming day for seniors as they age. Simple tasks like waking up and getting out of bed may be a challenge for your parent, and yet they may not be ready to face that daunting fact. Caregivers are all too familiar with how environments change…
Have you ever wondered who your ancestors were? You may have met your grandparents and maybe an aunt or uncle or two, but families have gone global, and many have disconnected. However, many seniors want to leave their legacy behind for you and their grandchildren and those who follow behind them. It’s highly recommended for seniors to research their genealogy. Not…
Often family photos have been placed in albums or boxes that may or may not be labeled. Your mom or dad may have stowed these family mementos away many years ago. In fact, it’s possible you have never seen many of the relatives and friends of your parent’s past. These photos are a link to their past and may provide…
Your mother or father may not be ill or cognitively impaired, but over time some of the everyday tasks that he or she once did independently may become more involved. It’s not that your mother is no longer cleaning her home, but her eyesight may not be as clear and focused, and she may be missing not only specs of…
Is your mom or dad’s health failing? Do you have concerns that assisted living facilities will not meet their needs? Is your schedule too demanding to oversee or assist with your parent’s daily support requirements? Lastly, are your decisions based on emotions or facts? You will not be the first, nor will you be the last family to make decisions…
You may think you know your parent but many adult children are out of touch with their elderly mother or father’s feelings and needs. It is important to get reacquainted so you can understand how to help them moving forward. When you once lived in your parent’s home, you may have known your mom or dad’s political likes and dislikes…
