There was nothing unusual about my dreamlike childhood growing in Florida from the 1970s to the 1990s. Everyone around me smoked. It was as normal to us then as combing your hair. Preparing to write this blog, I did a quick family smokers inventory: both my parents, grandparents, most aunts and uncles, friend's parents, teachers, neighbors, grocery store clerks… everyone smoked.
My cousin Chris grew up to be a cowboy and, as a teenager, competed in rodeos. He also hunted,...
In June, we talked about advocating for yourself as an employee during COVID-19. But what if you...
While people light off and watch fireworks and sip a cold drink at a BBQ this 4th of July, we at...
"The Humor and Heartache of Raising Elderly Parents." If you are reading this blog I can...
I have a dear friend whose mother had Alzheimer’s. While my friend wishes to remain anonymous,...
The following is a guest blog written by Eric Sondergeld.
My father is 90 years old and suffers...
For employees and employers, the work environment changed irrevocably with the COVID-19...
The following is a guest blog by Earl Collom originally posted on the Advocate, December 27, 2013
Memorial Day is here...the “official” start of summer and the time for reflecting on those who...
My engagement was a mere a few hours old, and we were calling the family to tell them the good...
“Hi baby, it’s just Mom…” is the introduction to most of her voicemails in my inbox. Every time...
The following is a guest blog from Barry Boyce originally published on mindful.org.
Caring for...
You've no doubt heard the phrase that the only certainties are "death and taxes." But we rarely...
Most caregiving is provided by "care partners" -- the informal or unpaid individuals who step up...
The following is a guest blog written by Beth Cavenaugh, the author of Some Light at the End....
It’s humbling to need help, particularly when the help you need is with things that are so basic...
“Who are you?” said the Caterpillar…
“I --- I hardly know, Sir, just at present,” Alice replied...
Apparently Google thinks I’m searching for the perfect “gift for that person who has...
...fear is at the heart of love…
This line from a song has always resonated with me, even before...
Caring for loved ones who are dying is always difficult. When that loved one is a decorated war...
Recently I learned that a friend is the power-of-attorney and executor for the mother of her...
“Self-care”, a term that returns 2,970,000,000 results on Google in just 0.60 seconds, and just...
2020 has been quite the year. Yes, this is an overstated understatement. I am not the first...
Previously I’ve written about my own disconnection to the term caregiver. In addition to that...
As a child I was taught that “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt...
A few weeks ago, I saw the words Hope Is Not A Strategy written on a wall. It resonated with...
There are so many incredible tools that not only help us remember what it is we need to do in...
I wasn’t raised to ask for help. I was raised to identify what I wanted to do and then figure...
This morning I looked out my window into my backyard and I saw the daffodils were finally...
“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a...
The other day I was listening to a friend talk about her aging parents. While neither parent...
The following is a “guest blog” – written with much love and passion by the amazing Rachel of ...
Recently my friend had to put her dog to sleep. Cancer had taken over poor Rosie’s body and...
When I sat down this morning to read the news my feed included an advice column from...
There are defining moments whose anniversaries give us, as a society or culture, pause to...
It seems like every other day there is some historic event that conjures memories. Like the...
It used to be that I took note of the name and notation about the life of whomever was...
When my Dad was sick one of his biggest fears was to lose the ability to make decisions for...
The fear of being wrong, or not doing something right, can be debilitating. Especially when...
In my previous blog, I ended with the suggestion that through transparency you and your loved...
Overwhelm, lack of control, and an unfamiliarity with the subject matter and “language” of...
In her book Eldercare 101, my friend Mary Jo Saavedra encourages families to create an “Aging...
People mean well, they really do. Even thoughtless people and those who can’t relate to your...
So far most of what I’ve written to you about has been focused on the emotional and...
For a time, a long time, during my Dad’s illness I felt this immense pressure to be his...
“Dad had just shared with us his diagnosis. I clearly remember looking around the kitchen...
Until I was faced with the news that my father was dying, I’d not given much thought to the...
It wasn’t until I was on the phone with my Dad’s chosen hospice provider that I realized that I...
