November 16, 2015 Crisis Support
On the surface, it could be argued that suicide is a cowardly act. Rather than deal with trauma or a challenging or difficult situation, a person decides to “end it all.” Some might even see this as moving on, as…
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Like charity, peace and harmony start at home. But so often, we are blindsided by a bigger picture and lose sight of this concept. We create a wide circle and “paint with a broad brush” while neglecting (if not ignoring)…
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The decision to enter an assisted living facility is complicated at best. But there are steps that can be taken to ease the process and ensure a smooth transition from a more traditional living arrangement into assisted living. The true…
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If you don’t have a “file” for the papers/information related to caring for your loved one, you probably should. I have a designated area in my office where I keep all of the papers and information for my grandmother, and…
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September 4, 2015 Friends and Peers
There are friends, and then there are FRIENDS. My brother was a FRIEND. He was a very energetic, friendly guy, and as a nurse, he befriended all he encountered…his patients, the wait staff in restaurants, the checker at the store,…
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August 25, 2015 Friends and Peers
Being a good friend starts with good communication. The old adage “you have to be a friend to get a friend” is true. And so often, “good friends” simply do not know what – or how – to do. They…
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Apparently returning to live with Momma is such a common trend that it has been given a name… “boomerang kids!” In CBS’s “Big Bang Theory,” the character Howard Wolowitz, a nerdy Jewish engineer who lives with his mother, is the…
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Should you change your personality for a relationship? Not necessarily… but recognizing that others’ personalities are unique may make your relationships easier and more enjoyable. Are you a “morning person?” If you are not, people who are cheerful and upbeat…
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“Your grandmother is so fortunate to have you to see after her,” I am told over and over by family and friends. What troubles me is that for every grandmother who has an advocate like me, there are dozens of…
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The dilemma of balancing taking care of an elderly loved one or friend with the care of your own children and family is so huge that it even has a name the “Sandwich Generation.” Countless adults find themselves wedged between these…
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If you take a good long look at several family situations like this, you see two things: 1. The majority of the care and decision making falls to one person 2. That person is usually (but not always) a female….
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June 7, 2015 Friends and Peers
I know people who are forever talking about their friends… “my friend Jill” and “my friend Sue” and “my friend Nancy,” and honestly, there are so many “friends” that I have to wonder, how do they do it? How are…
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Every one of us will suffer a broken heart at some point in our life, and at the time, we will feel like we can never recover. But there is hope, and in time, we can mend and experience joy…
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“I don’t want you to be my boss!” That was the sentence my maternal grandmother uttered to my mother one day, as Mother struggled to keep Grandmother safe, yet living independently in her own home. Protecting an aging parent without…
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I know people who won’t send a sympathy card – or even express sympathy in person – because they do not know what to write in the card – or what to say and do. Thankfully, I know others who…
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March 16, 2015 Style and Beauty - Other
She has passed her fifth decade, yet she could easily pass for forty. Her clothing is hip and fresh without being “junior high.” Her hairstyle is current. The makeup is subtle and flawless. She is fit, but not buff. She…
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In order to have a rational discussion about what it takes to be a caregiver, we have to first define the role – as best we can. Since caregiving is highly individualized, putting all aspects of this role into neat…
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We all make mistakes in life, and hopefully, as we mature, we learn how to make fewer. But when we DO make a mistake, we must learn to take responsibility for it and pursue the steps to make amends. Learning…
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March 7, 2015 Style and Beauty - Other
I’ve been in my share of “beauty pageants,” starting at age 5. I was “Little Miss Cleburne County 1962.” In my community, we have an annual celebration the first weekend in August. It is known as the Old Soldiers Reunion….
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February 23, 2015 Skin and Body
Some people claim to be unaffected by what others think of them, and on the surface, these persons may seem to have a healthy self-esteem. But right or wrong, appearance is everything in today’s society… and you ARE judged by…
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Any caregiver for an elderly person who tells you he/she has no guilt is probably lying. Guilt comes with the territory. If the elderly person is not taking the caregiver on a guilt trip, there are plenty of other “guilts”…
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For more than three decades, we have focused on adequate and appropriate child care, as more and more mothers entered the work force. Countless stories have appeared in the media about every aspect, from nutritious meals and snacks to quality…
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When it comes to beautifying feet, nothing beats a good pedicure. You don’t have to go to a salon for this treatment; however, by the time you amass the needed products for doing this at home, you may find that…
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In an article for O Magazine titled “How to Care for Your Parents and Keep Your Sanity,” Martha Beck wrote that … “One thing I can say is that you’ll have fun with the responsibilities of eldercare if you enjoy…
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My mother tells of a time when HER mother stomped her feet in frustration and anger and announced, “I don’t want you to be my mother!” And believe me, Mom didn’t want that either! But sometimes, this is how things…
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“When will it be MY turn?” This is a question countless children ask as they care for their parents, and this is the question my mother pondered when she was about the age that I am today. When did the…
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November 6, 2014 Crisis Support
It’s nothing new, really. Life turns everybody upside down from time to time. This has been going on since the creation of Adam! But solutions for handling it have been with us equally as long. Where CAN you turn when…
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October 18, 2014 Friends and Peers
My cell phone service provider has a plan that allows me to talk to others with the same provider at no charge. My mother has a phone service that allows her to choose “friends” who are using another provider, and…
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When my paternal grandmother fell and had to be hospitalized and then discharged to a nursing home for rehab, I learned quickly what is and is not covered by Medicare and Medicaid. For starters, Medicare requires that a patient spend…
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The bathroom is a potentially dangerous place for people of all ages, but elderly persons seem to be especially prone to accidents in this room of the house. There are some basic, easy modifications that can be made in the…
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