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 […]

We all want to keep our minds sharp and our lives interesting. The best way I’ve found to do that is to always keep learning new skills and stay interested in the world around me. I went back to college — old, really old. I thought it would be so hard but what I found […]

Pets bring us joy and fun, and certainly make us much healthier by far. I’ve had seniors who live alone tell me that their pet is the reason for them to get up in the morning and look forward to the day. One 80-something year old told me her dog was always so glad to […]

Fall is my most favorite time of the year. The weather turns a bit cool and sweet breezes flutter the leaves on the trees. It’s a time to celebrate the harvest of food with family and friends. Out here on my two acre homestead, the geese are beginning to fly overhead. My garden is looking […]