Well today is the first day of winter but many of us have been “cold” for a while now. Seniors are especially sensitive to the cold so layer on the sweaters and blankets to keep them comfortable. Even mild hypothermia can be dangerous to seniors who account for 60 percent of hypothermia deaths. During the […]

I am so inspired by the way many senior communities are thinking outside the box to enrich the lives of seniors. The latest two that touched my heart are about chickens and four-year-olds. People don’t have to be alone to feel lonely and many in assisted living fight depression because they feel alone. These two […]

Our strongest link to past memories lies just at the end of our noses. Smell is that one sense that can help us remember our childhood experiences, and it’s especially true of Christmas! Artificial trees can be beautiful but they lack one thing — the smell of Christmas! Just a sniff and a whiff of […]

The term “helicopter parents” was coined to describe those parents who “hover,” like helicopters, to make sure their kids succeed. Now those helicopter parents, as members of the sandwich generation, find themselves caught in the middle, caring for both kids and aging parents. So they have been transformed into helicopter kids. “Sometimes I sense panic […]

The beginning of the year is a good time to both look back and plan ahead.  Here are some of the financial issues you may want to check.  A) January is a good month to review the provisions of your will and other estate plans. You have likely spent time or communicated with family members and […]

The older we get, the more ups and downs we experience. A lot of us caregivers are getting “older” and we, like our older loved ones, experience the ups and downs of life — all the time! When we were younger, our days were mostly good ones — we felt good, we could do a […]

For many years, my childhood friend has lived with me. She moved in after a heart attack and had many health issues since. During her “stay” both her parents passed away and now she’s lost all but an aging aunt. Just a few weeks ago, she broke her leg and had to have surgery on […]

Every year around this time, we’re all searching for the perfect gift to give that special senior in our life. Chances are they don’t need much. Material things mean very little to older people. So what do we give? We can all give the sweetest of gifts — our time! If I could go back […]

Roasted turkey with savory stuffing. Standing rib roast with Yorkshire pudding. Sides of buttery mashed potatoes, sugary cranberry sauce, and for dessert, a pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream. These are all the makings of a holiday culinary feast. A caregiver or a senior planning for the holidays should enjoy the season’s fun festivities. That […]

All these blended family members can wreck havoc with Thanksgiving! It seems each one has their own idea about what should go into the stuffing. Perhaps this Thanksgiving is the perfect time for a stuffing face-off! Now most of my family comes from the Southern states and that means cornbread stuffing. Most of the relatives […]