Thirty six years ago I was a circus clown. At the time, I thought I’d found my calling in life. I was passionate about clowning, passionate about making people forget their troubles for awhile and laugh. Life on the road was hard, though, and I drifted into other realms. For the past two weeks the Big Apple Circus has been ... Read More »
Medical care doesn’t come cheap. As people live longer and their bodies begin to wear out they often find themselves with mounting costs and no increase in income to pay those costs. Here are 3 tips to help minimize health expenses. 1. Determine if you actually need to see your doctor or if you just need an answer to a ... Read More »
How often have you heard, or perhaps even said yourself, that old people are a drain on society? That they sit around drawing social security, draining the Medicare system, use up resources that others could benefit from? Actually, studies show that older people may be more productive than younger people. They’ve been found to be loyal, reliable, responsible employees. When ... Read More »
If your loved one has dementia, you understand the title of this post. When I served as chaplain in a dementia unit at a retirement community I learned that every day I had to introduce myself to my residents. Every day they were so happy to meet me. I’d patiently sit down and listen to their stories as though hearing ... Read More »
Having elderly parents is both a joy and a challenge. When they’re living on their own it’s easy to worry about them forgetting things, taking wrong medications, falling. You get the picture. But what about when you think you’ve finally found a safe place for them to live, a place where they’ll have people to look after them? How do ... Read More »
If you’re as old as I am you probably remember stores selling posters and other things that said, “Today’s the first day of the rest of your life.” These 30 or 40 years later the saying is still true, but my goals have certainly changed. I’ve worked with older people and have become one of them myself. I don’t have ... Read More »
I was a hospice social worker for several years, and before that I was a chaplain on call at a busy trauma center. I’ve met my share of people who can’t take care of themselves, and I’ve met the people who care for them. Sometimes family is great at caregiving, sometimes it’s best to hire someone outside the family. I ... Read More »
I recently noticed a newspaper story about a woman who lives in a building where I used to provide social work services to home health patients. Helen Crossley was about to turn 105 years old. She”s proof that it’s possible to age well, to add value to your community, and to inspire others. Here’s her story: http://wapo.st/17mo2Y3. What treasure do ... Read More »
I’m a boomer and happy to be one. I have to admit I’ve wondered if I should move from my suburban home to a more urban setting where I would have easy access to public transportation, entertainment, an intergenerational population, and more. A detached retina 13 years ago got me started thinking early about how to cope with challenges of ... Read More »
Caring for a loved one can be exhausting physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. It’s important to take care of yourself if you’re to have the energy to care for someone else. That’s good advice, but it isn’t always easy to follow. Believe me, I know. My mother is 85 and my mother in law is 89 so I have first ... Read More »
Todays Gray Matters Valuing the Wisdom & Purpose In Aging Well