Preserving Stability Archives - Page 2 of 5 - Aging, caregiving and the journey through the second half of life

Caregiver Dilemma: Moving Beyond the Wake Up Call

January 2, 2016

Popular media is abuzz with wake up calls for adult children. Framed as warnings, they detail the impending crisis that comes with caring for aging parents. While provoking anxiety and concern, they are ineffective as a call to action. It’s…

The Long Tail of Parental Regret

November 19, 2015

Some childhoods turn out poorly leaving a trail of emotional scars and dysfunctional behaviors. Survivors are left to make the best of it. While dreaming of a Hollywood moment, none of them expect an abusive or absent parent to ever…

Boomers Still Haven’t Found What They’re Looking For

October 4, 2015

Is there a fourth way for Boomers to view being older in addition to: 1. Aging is to be dreaded 2. Aging is decline and detachment 3. Aging is a time off hyper-activity Carol Orsborn and Robert L. Weber, authors…

Navigational Thinking and Being Older

September 25, 2015

We see things not as they are, but as we are…H.M. Tomlinson Navigational Thinking is an effective strategy for recalibrating perspective. It offers aging adults a process to create a more useful attitude about being older. Navigational thinking mimics the…

Losing Patience on All Sides

September 19, 2015

The tug of war between adult children and aging parents comes down to control. This article is based on an interview I gave the publication on my perspective regarding this generational power struggle… When Seniors Try the Patience of their…

Exhausted Woman’s Syndrome

September 17, 2015

This article on the exhausted woman’s syndrome offers a sobering list of symptoms that female caregivers will recognize that comes with their heroic efforts to keep everything together. Recognizing Exhausted Woman’s Syndrome By Christine Hammond, MS, LMHC…

Higher-Hour Caregiver

September 7, 2015

This article is an excellent overview of the unpaid caregiver zone in America. It highlights the challenges and demands of being a higher-hour caregiver (20hrs/week of caregiving). As important, it identifies why caregiver support groups, although a wonderful resource…

Aging Parents: Time To Move?

July 12, 2015

Helping aging parents consider a change in living accommodations is a delicate process. Before offering unwanted advice about where to live, adult children should first undertake a compassionate assessment of the losses and potential gains of this emotional transition. There…

Caregiver Decision Fatigue

July 1, 2015

Caring for aging parents brings with it a new kind of exhaustion called decision fatigue. While its cause has a number of contributing factors, two in particular stand out as primary sources: • Sustained engagement with dilemmas • Decision volatility…

Toxic Parents and Adult Children

June 4, 2015

It’s the luck of the draw as to which childhood any of us inherit. Sometimes it’s filled with toxic parents who leave abusive tattoos that last a lifetime. Remarkably, they wind up under our care with the same bag of…