Monday, February 27, 2012

Help Aging Parents: A 98-year-old Teaches Us About Them and About Us

 Continued from Saturday's post.....


R has concluded, based on her 98 years on this earth: "Life is good, it's the people that mess it up." 

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Saturday, February 25, 2012

Aging Parents: A 98-year-old Teaches Us About Them and Us

To begin, you need to know that like Grandma, her mother, R has devised expressions that she sprinkles throughout her conversation. My favorite Grandma-saying “Angels Can Do No More” legitimizes the frustration when people do all they can--to seemingly no avail. (I think about caregivers.)      

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Thursday, February 23, 2012

Aging Parents, Connections, and a Veterans' Nursing Home


My "off-the-cuff" thought for these veterans who have no doubt given a lot and seem to have so little in life at this point, is to think "double it" when we are doing something nice for our parents.
Can we get together with friends and double or triple or increase our output when we make/take/send cards, decorations, goodies and/or little holiday gifts to our parents?
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Aging Parents, Connections, and a Veterans' Nursing Home


Creative thinking to help parents age well fuels my posts. I have always been a practical, out-of-the-box thinker. Combining this with my counseling background to empower and strengthen self-esteem has been a priority. Whether teenagers or seniors, I love figuring out ways to help and find an easier, better, or best way to overcome challenges. But now I am perplexed.
In a serendipity way, I came across this article about a nursing home, specifically a NY State Veteran's Affairs nursing  home. Many--if not all--residents have no doubt sacrificed for our country. I hope you'll click the link below this picture and read the short article, written yesterday, 2/20/12.
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Saturday, February 18, 2012

Stimulation and Connections Enhance Seniors' Lives-- 6 Suggestions



1.  A Little Help From My Friends....
A quick call to my friend, Linda. "Any chance you're free Friday or is that your bridge day?"
"You're sort of right--sometimes it's my bridge day and it will be this Friday.  Jackie's mother is almost 90 and loves to play bridge. So I play bridge with Jackie and her mother --not every Friday--but when I'm asked and that's this Friday."
.....Without Overloading Friends
How thoughtful of Jackie...towards her mother as well as towards her friends. Linda doesn't give up time every Friday. No doubt Jackie, the daughter does, but involves different friends in such a way that she doesn't over-impose on their Fridays.
Meanwhile, Jackie's giving her elderly mother something priceless, something special to look forward to--time with her daughter and several other women on Fridays. This not only provides togetherness, socialization, and all the good that accompanies it (fresh ideas, connections)  but stimulation for the brain as well.
2.  Games
Yet games needn't be confined to bridge to stimulate the brain.........continued on my other site: http://helpparentsagewell.com
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Monday, February 13, 2012

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY FROM HELP! AGING PARENTS

Wishing you and your parents a
Happy Valentine's Day
from
Help Parents Age Well's Blog
Help! Aging Parents

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Career, Aging Parents, Caregiving--Part 3: Clarigying the Quandary

“My elderly parents were the priority and I devoted myself to their needs. For example, it meant so much to them to know they would be able to be driven to anything.  I never let them down.  For over a decade their evening social engagements as well as other commitments took precedence over plans my husband and I had and over plans with my friends....."

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Linkedin? Aging Parents? Caregiving?=Quandry: Part 2

Only children. The Lone Ranger wasn’t “lone.” He had a sidekick, Tonto! 24/7 caregiving by one person isn’t conducive to good physical or mental health over an extended period. (Forget any thoughts of an additional day job.) Find out, before problems arise, if other family members can help out. Also check with good friends and your parents’ neighbors. (See preceding, sometimes we get lucky.

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Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Linkedin? Aging Parents? Caregiving?=Quandry

Can Careers and Caregiving Exist Together?

I receive invitations to join Linkedin from former professional colleagues and current "fellow" (seems like a sexist adjective, but?) board members. Although I'm no longer working, I'm well aware of the difficulties juggling career and caregiving entail.....

Is that why an invitation to join Linkedin--for those of us with aging parents--can elicit a yearning? Or if we're already Linkedin, do we dare sneak a peek at the site without a pang of regret?

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