Memorial Day 2015: Elders, Aging Parents and Grandparents and The World War II Memorial

Our Elders, Aging Parents and Grandparents: Journalist Tom Brokaw highlighted their specialness, coining the expression "The Greatest Generation" for his popular book about them. On May 19, 2015 countless aging parents and grandparents (and I) visited the World War II Memorial to pay tribute and to remember.

Part of the National Park Service, the World War II Memorial definitely does not glorify war. It does glorify the deep-seated values of our elders and a time in the history of the United States that affected each and every person. 

And we--or at least I--find most old people don't hesitate to talk about the WWII war years. In fact reminiscing seems to be a popular pastime with the elderly in spite of all the adversities they've experienced. (Depression and war to name two.) 

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VA Aid and Attendance Pension to Get New Eligibility Rules

Veterans' Important Aid and Attendance Information
Reblogged from AgingCare.com

Help! Aging Parents has presented information for--and about--Veteran's since a June 2010 post. This reblogged post by John Roberts, Esq. offers new and important information, in hopes that as many Vets and their widows as possible have this information in a timely manner, read the proposed regulations, and submit comments in the link provided at the end of the article-- if they feel the need.

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Memorial Day 2014--part 2: Veteran, Omaha Beach--We Learn What's In His Heart

  MEMORIAL DAY--MONDAY MAY 26, 2014

"Can we look into the hearts of old people?"
I asked in yesterday's post.
And last night, courtesy of NBC news, we saw and we heard.

A conversation with WWII veteran, Ed Gordon, now 90, who landed on Omaha Beach--one of the 150,000 Allied troops who took part in the Normandy Invasion on D Day--and "NBC colleague," Viet Nam veteran and Medal of Honor recipient, Col. Jack Jacobs--gives us an intimate "look."

I've isolated the link below for easy forwarding.

 http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/55260333

Memorial Day 2013: A Reminder of Aging Parents and Their Sacrifices-- Past and Present-- And My Uncle Max

On Memorial Day I think about my Uncle Max. He was a WWII Veteran. He was with the Signal Corps in the Battle of the Bulge and what I know about his service during the war was a result of fuzzy memories when I was young and family conversations when I was older.

Uncle Max was a mild-mannered, sweet man, would give the "shirt off his back" to anyone. It was hard for me to envision him fighting. I don't think one fights in the Signal Corps unless necessary, but I do think one has to be very brave. If he was very brave it wasn't apparent when he finally came back home.

I say "finally came back home" because Uncle Max came home a first time. I was very young and asleep, but I remember someone woke me up and carried me downstairs to see him when he came into the house that night. I remember there was a flurry of activity and a lot of conversation earlier that day, preceding his coming home; but I was too young to know why. I only knew something big was happening.

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