David Solie's blog Archives - Page 19 of 24 - Aging, caregiving and the journey through the second half of life

A New Dilemma of Aging: Nursing Homes Refusing To Admit Obese Patients

December 16, 2015

This article is a bellwether warning for older adults about who may and may not be offered a bed in a nursing home in a society with an epidemic morbid obesity. As the authors summarize: “Obesity is redrawing the common…

Exhausted Caregivers

December 14, 2015

Back in July of this year, I posted an article about exhausted caregivers due to decision fatigue. A reader asked me compress the article into a mind map. Here is the PDF version Here is the original article…

A Few Words of Advice on Choosing a Retirement Community

December 10, 2015

When considering a retirement community, most potential residents and their families inquire about: 1. Types of accommodations (independent living, assisted living). This should also include information about the community’s financial strength. 2. Amenities (wellness resources, enrichment programs). This should also…

No Easy Way Out

December 5, 2015

In working with our aging parents, we encounter predictable dilemmas with no easy way out. Here is a personal story that echoes a common theme I hear about from adult children. As my mother approached 90 and despite increasing frailty…

Transition Assets: The Boomers Arriving At 70

November 30, 2015

“We neither get better or worse as we get older, but more like ourselves” ……Robert Anthony Beginning in 2016, the boomers will be landing on the shore of seventy something. While turning 70 is still officially classified as “young-old,” there…

Rethinking Solo Caregiving For A Spouse

November 24, 2015

Solo caregiving for a spouse takes a toll on both parties. What starts out as act of compassion and loyalty can deteriorate into a role that exceeds the best efforts of one person. Unfortunately, the stress of day to day…

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…

Old Age is the Stage

November 18, 2015

Art is the great decoder of unintelligible worlds like old age. In psychology we call this decoding ‘sensemaking’ and the plays about aging in this splendid article are sensemaking at its finest. As important, they give old age a humanizing…

The Untenable Promise

November 14, 2015

Older adults fear nursing homes more than death itself. Those of us waiting to be old fear it right along with them. When asked to promise to never to put an aging parent in a nursing, we do not hesitate.…

Do Not Go Gracefully…

October 30, 2015

Aging is complex and uneven. Not everyone is aging gracefully. Wendi Knox’s inspiring article reminds us that other styles are equally compelling, valid and necessary. To this end she declares: “I intend to age exuberantly. Colorfully. Creatively. Bravely. Boldly. Healthfully.…

David Solie’s blog