You’ve spent years caregiving, you added in home care and then you decided it was time for a memory care community. You researched, maybe had some help, toured a few places and chose one. You moved your dad in and then one day you couldn’t find his lotion. In this post we are exploring what’s […]

Pet therapy  Dog Walking and Increased Health Pet Attachment and Decreased Loneliness Pet Ownership and Decreased Cardiovascular Disease The Healing Power of Pets for the Elderly These are just some of the articles on the benefits of pets for seniors. But what happens when your mom or dad can no longer take care of their […]

Today I want to start with something a little more personal…you may know that I host a podcast called Desperately Seeking Senior Living. On that podcast I’ve decided to change my hostname. So what’s in a name? A Lot…there’s so much that I would give anything to have had the technology we have today where […]

You know your dad needs Assisted Living and you’ve toured a few and think you’ve found the one. But on each tour they happily talked about their happy hours and your dad hasn’t had a drink in 30 years. Or maybe your mom has Alzheimer’s Disease and keeps asking for wine with dinner but she […]

Over the past several weeks we’ve looked at signs that your loved one may no longer be safe at home alone. No longer safe driving, cooking, bathing, cleaning. Maybe their friends and neighbors are also worried. But every time you bring it up to your mom? Well…it doesn’t go great, or maybe it does! But […]

Your dad’s health is declining. Your mom has been his caregiver for years and let’s face it, she’s not getting any younger! You’re worried about her health so when she finally agrees to let you help her find a senior living community for dad, you’re relieved. You get on the phone all excited to tell […]

I recently watched the documentary, Alive Inside and it deeply moved me. I often talk to families about the importance of music and memory. I even created a “Name that Tune” activity for a memory care community I once worked at. It was amazing to see the entire room come to life with each song. […]

Caregiver Burnout “I knew she was tired, I just didn’t know how tired.” “ She seemed to be forgetting about her own doctor appointments, was no longer up for hosting Thanksgiving but brushed us off when we offered to help with anything.” “I wanted to spend more time talking with her because I knew she […]

My Dad passed away in 2007 at 55 yrs old. I’ve wanted to write about grief for a while now, especially since I work with so many families facing loss but I couldn’t quite write about it without facing my own. Near the end, my Dad was suffering from Alcohol Induced Dementia…before I even knew […]