caregiver Archives - Page 7 of 14 - Aging, caregiving and the journey through the second half of life

When the Bottom Falls Out

February 7, 2018

Long term care planning is another “hot spot” for aging parents. Attempts by family members to pressure, warn, or scare an older adults into planning decisions usually fail. That’s why we created the When The Bottom Falls Out Mind Map.…

Find The Path…

January 28, 2018

There are three critical aspects to building a partnership with aging parents:Conversation, Collaboration and Accommodation. 1. You have to find a voice that “resonates” with their need to be acknowledged as well as preserve some semblance of dignity amid the…

Sometimes winning is no solution…

January 24, 2018

It’s a long game filled with constant temptations to prove you are right. The real art of caring for aging parents may be having the insight and discipline to know what to ignore. Looking back, these will be the moments…

Match Your Words

January 21, 2018

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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 Unavoidable Dilemmas of the Last Phase of Life

January 9, 2018

Dilemmas are messy, confusing, threatening, no-win situations where choices have to be made. Dilemmas dominate the last phase of life and extract a heavy toll on the entire family. The link below offers a short summary of the important differences…

Strategic Collaboration Calls with David Solie™

December 24, 2017

If you are getting the same results using the same strategies over and over again with an aging parent, it may be time for a collaboration call to gain both a new perspective on your situation and new communication…

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…

Growing Up With Toxic Parents

November 5, 2017

This quote by Susan Forward from her book Toxic Parents captures the essence of the emotional wound toxic parenting inflicts on children. Recovery as an adult takes layers of patience and compassion as well as the context of sustained “healthy…

Perfect Gift for Caregivers of Aging Parents

November 3, 2017

Below is the complete set, all 20 cards of the Aging Parents Dance Cards deck. Together, they offer bite-sized portions of David Solie’s philosophy, insights, reframing strategies and work arounds that all help to reduce the complexity and uncertainty of…