Caregiver Lessons Archives - Page 3 of 15 - Aging, caregiving and the journey through the second half of life

Avoid Ultimatums

January 18, 2018

The best way to make sure nothing changes in conversations with aging parents is to give them an ultimatum. It’s good for about 10 seconds of “take charge” pride followed by the long tail of days wishing you had tried…

The Guiding Question

January 15, 2018

It’s easy to get lost in the consumptive ocean of endless transactions that come with caregiving. There is so much to do all the time that just thinking about it can be exhausting and defeating. Well intended advice from…

Release Impossible Burdens

January 13, 2018

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Childhood Matters

December 2, 2017

The residue of childhood carries with it complex feelings about aging parents that limit objectivity, exaggerate responsibilities and increase emotional vulnerability. This distorted landscape makes it impossible to receive the approval adult children desperately seek from their aging parents in…

Sooner or Later: Part 2

October 14, 2017

And here’s what’s going to happen: 11. Your parents are going to repeat stories you’ve heard a thousand times and test your patience and endurance by telling them another thousand times. Comment: Instead of complaining about how many times you’ve…

Sooner or Later It’s Going To Be Your Turn…

October 8, 2017

And here’s what’s going to happen: 1. You’re going to realize you don’t have a clue about what’s really going on with your aging parents when all your good advice falls on deaf ears or is flat out rejected. Comment:…

Aging Parents and Money

May 26, 2017

I was recently asked to write an article as a guest author for the Love & Order website on the ever awkward conversations adult children struggle to have with their aging parents about money issues. I began the article with…

Caregiver’s Context: The Big Picture

May 25, 2017

Sometimes the big picture helps makes sense of what we are experiencing. This is certainly true for caregivers of aging parents who feel overwhelmed and exhausted from the complexity and uncertainty of their work. The Caregiver’s Context Mind Map offers…

How To Talk To Aging Parents About Where To Live

May 2, 2017

I was recently interviewed for an article entitled “Conversation vs. Confrontation: Guidelines for Effective Communication with Your Aging Parents.” In it I discuss how often the insistence by older adults to “stay put” in their home despite deteriorating circumstances prevents…

Medications Older Adults Should Avoid

April 21, 2017

In a world of poly-pharmacy, there are some medication land mines that older adults should avoid. Some of these medications are well known like benzodiazepines (Valium). But some are a surprise to many of us involved in the healthcare of…