Last week Daddy called and said he was worried about my mama. “She’s confused,” he said. “She woke up from a nap and couldn’t remember where anyone was.” I knew she’d been having some trouble remembering things. I also knew she thought she had a bladder infection. Then she developed a skin rash. “Karen,” she […]

We never know when will be the last holiday we get to spend with a beloved family member. Actually, there are no guarantees for any of us to be around for another year of family gatherings. Let us all make the most of our holidays this year and create memories to last and memorabilia to […]

Remembering when we were young and everything was new is fun for all of us, but especially for our older loved ones. Even those with mild to moderate dementia will love to talk about the “good old days.” When you start a conversation about your loved one’s past — hang on to your hat! You’re […]

A lot of my posts focus on the caregiver more than those they are caring for. The reason is that all you caregivers have a lot to lose if you don’t care with care. Really. You are focused on doing everything you can to take care of your loved ones. Yes, that would be more […]

What family stories mean the most to you? Have you taken the time to make sure your younger family members know their own history? Sit down with a tape recorder, video camera, or computer, or even just some paper and a pen and get started. You won’t regret it. As the grandkids started coming, I […]

Updated July 2025 There is no shortage of financial planners, organizations, books, and websites focusing on helping people plan ahead for the moment they can retire. And in the last decade or so, a great number of resources have also evolved to help planning for the end of life — a currently popular euphemism for […]

Because every disease, cause, and semi-notable soul seems to be singled out for special notice every day and month of the year, it’s easy to get cynical about the honorifics and get lulled into forgetting the import behind the honoring. And so it was when the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, an advocacy […]

If you haven’t experienced it yourself yet, then surely you’ve heard the rumblings of discontent from those who have. It turns out Bette Davis was right: old age is no place for sissies. In fact, it’s mean-spirited. And sneaky, too. It seems you go to sleep one night unfazed, but when you wake up your […]

Did you grow up wanting to be like your mom? Not me. Honestly that’s the last thing I wanted to do and worked really hard at it. I remember being one of those ornery daughters. I also remember having one of those daughters. You know what they say about “payback.” It’s all so true. Now […]