Author Archives: Karen Everett Watson

About Karen Everett Watson

Karen Everett Watson is a gerontologist and a freelance blogger/journalist. Her parents, grown children and 10 grandchildren keep her busy learning about life while living in the Sacramento Valley with her chickens and dogs.

A Walk through My Memories

The wet winter and early spring showers have left my garden quite the mess, but it’s still beautiful to me. Everywhere I have plants given to me by loved ones — gifts of their passions and each one brings back sweet memories. Over the years I’ve added plants that remind me of loved ones long […]

Where’s Granny? Oh, She Lives in the Backyard!

Seniors nowadays want to stay independent but staying in a large home with lots of maintenance can often leave them between a rock and a hard place. Not anymore! There are so many great alternatives to an assisted living facility or a nursing home and it might fit right into your own backyard! Tiny houses […]

Dirt in My Hands

Hands planting in the dirt

The older I get the more I think about the people in my family who came before me. My life seems so different from my grandparents and great-grandparents yet I find there are many things that call to me that connect me to them. Dirt is one of them. It’s springtime here in the Sacramento […]

How Well Do You Know Your Senior?

Mother and daughter having coffee

I used to think I knew everything about both my parents. Boy, was I wrong! The past few years I’ve taken a lot more opportunities to ask them about their early lives and I’ve learned more than I ever dreamed possible. Just asking my daddy what jobs he’s done in the past was an eye-opener. […]

Doable Bucket Lists

Grand Canyon Arizona

Everyone needs something to look forward to. Our older loved ones still have dreams and experiences they would like to accomplish. They may not be as grand as they once were, but their passions are still in their hearts and following those passions to even the smallest degree can bring great joy to them. Just […]

The Touch of Love and Caring

Senior's Hands and young hands

While working in an assisted living facility, I noticed the more frail a resident was, the less they were touched. If they were frail and had dementia, they were hardly ever touched. The feeling of a kind hand in ours, or a hug from someone who cares is a basic human need. We don’t outgrow […]

Old Songs and Poems — A Link to the Past

companion or granchild reading to senior or grandfather

Being a caregiver to someone with dementia can be very challenging, especially if it’s hard to make conversation or to just feel like you’ve connected with the one you are caring for. What happened a few minutes ago, or even a few seconds ago may be lost to your elder, but some things remain even […]

The Comfort of Our Own Things

Moving boxes

There just might come a time when you have to move mom or dad into your own home or into an assisted living facility. This scenario must rank among the top ten most stressful times imaginable, but there are ways to make it a little less stressful and a lot more comfortable for your parent. […]

Spring Cleaning – Making it Easier to Keep House

Spring Cleaning – Making it Easier to Keep House

Years ago, our grannies and mamas knew that spring and summertime were a busy time of the year, so they got ready for gardening and animal caring by doing a good sweep of the entire house. While many of us may not put in a huge garden or help animals give birth, we do love […]

Ask or You Won’t Receive – Getting Help with Caregiving

a person's hand reaching out from the sea asking for a float

Tunnel vision is common among caregivers. We often think we have to carry the whole job alone even when we’re feeling tired and overwhelmed. We don’t consider the risks of not caring for ourselves. We can do it. We’ll make it through. Hello! Caregivers often suffer from serious illnesses and stress that turns to depression. […]