Preserving Stability Archives - Page 3 of 5 - Aging, caregiving and the journey through the second half of life

Boomer Pedal Bike Option: Kinder Mechanics

April 28, 2015

Older bodies need exercise options. The bikes of youthful riders, thin tired road machines and rugged mountain climbers are a poor fit for bad backs, worn knees and stiff necks. Boomers have come to a point in their lives where…

The Wrong Future

April 23, 2015

Caregivers experience a wide range of stressful situations that require a singularity of focus. While hyper-focus works in the short term, in the long term it takes an insidious toll. Health, activities, friends and finally the future all fall by…

It’s about health span, not life span…

April 21, 2015

This charming six minute video from BBC radio restates the goal of healthy living as “health span” as opposed to “life span.” Preserving quality of life and avoiding financial ruin appear reasons enough for anyone to adopt a moderate lifestyle…

No Longer Safe To Drive

February 18, 2015

At some point it becomes painfully obvious. Maybe it’s the near misses, another fender bender, traffic tickets, getting lost on errands, poor night vision, or increasing confusion. Whatever the mix of warning signs, the message is clear and deeply concerning.…

When Everything Falls Apart

February 9, 2015

Remember that there is nothing stable in human affairs; therefore avoid undue elation in prosperity, or undue depression in adversity…….Socrates The world of aging parents is a complex system. This is not simply a scientific observation; it is a critical…

Poetry and Adult Children

December 28, 2014

Moving through middle age is a polyphasic lightening round of commingled dilemmas. No one captures the tone and pace of this developmental tango better than Jeanne Marie Beaumont in her poem Afraid So. Afraid So By Jeanne Marie Beaumont Is…

Connecting with the Developmental Tasks of Middle Age

June 8, 2014

Building rapport with middle age clients requires a balance between collaboration and advisory. The goal is to resonate with the tasks. The temptation is to over emphasize advisory by focusing on traditional milestones as an on ramp for planning conversations.…

The Developmental Agenda of Middle Age

May 29, 2014

The primary developmental theme of the middle years is an emerging crisis. Rather than a sudden occurrence, it is an incipient shift in complexity and tone. As such, the middle years usher in a higher state of volatility as a…

Caregiver Mind Maps

May 5, 2013

In March 2013 I released my new book Caregiver Mind Maps: New Tools for Aging Parents. I elected a PDF format because the book’s mind maps are designed to be used on the front lines of caregiving, a kinetic space…

From Pleading To Informing…

January 6, 2013

A lead caregiver of aging parents was going to extraordinary lengths to keep everything together only to find herself drowning in transactional quicksand. As her parents drifted into the land of “more and more care,” her uninvolved siblings either refused…