Todays Gray Matters Valuing the Wisdom & Purpose In Aging Well

  Have you ever gone crazy with a new hobby? Did you go out and buy way more stuff than you needed to support this hobby. You didn’t call it stuff. You called it equipment or supplies, something that made it sound not only important but also necessary. I’m guilty of this. Over the past 38 years I’ve accumulated clown ... Read More »

ecently I came upon an article about grief gambling syndrome, something I hadn’t learned about in my masters programs. It brought to mind one of my hospice patients who wanted to know if it was alright for her and her caregiver to go to Atlantic City to the casino. Since hospice is about living as fully as you can for ... Read More »

There’s a relatively new book about caring for people with dementia. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but the review I saw excerpted a few tips that sound useful and right in line with what I’ve read other places and heard in presentations over the years. The book is A Caregiver’s Guide to Dementia: Using Activities and Other ... Read More »

My sister recently brought me a box of newspaper clippings from my mother’s estate. Among the old, yellowed newspaper I found something dated 1938. I can’t tell what paper it came from, only that the author is Edgar A. Guest. His words ring as true today as they did when they were written. As we age we experience more and ... Read More »

There you are, just going along and living your life, when one day things seem a little off.  Maybe you can’t put your finger on exactly what seems awry, but there’s a little nagging feeling. You visited your parents and their home seemed dirtier than normal. As you helped prepare dinner you noticed that your mom seemed befuddled by things ... Read More »

Are you a risk taker, or do you play it safe? What does it take to do something a little out of your comfort zone, and how do you feel afterward? These two women show completely different approaches to life and adventure. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD2NtzEPBcA Some risk avoidance makes sense. Some doesn’t. For example, I never applied to dental school because I ... Read More »

Today I’m remembering Maxine Gallagher, my mother. She departed this earth on February 19, 2014 so she didn’t make it to this, her 86th birthday. Sometimes remembering is all we can do. If someone you love is old, in fragile health, take some time to remember with them the good things they added to your life, the lessons they taught ... Read More »

What happens to you when the seasons change? I’m not talking about getting out the summer clothes, taking down the Christmas lights and things like that. Is there any change inside you? For me, no matter which season is beginning and which is ending, I feel a mixture of hope and nostalgia. I remember the seasons of years past as ... Read More »

I did some old-fashioned things recently. First, I read in the newspaper – yes, an actual paper copy – that Jane Pauley had a new book, Your Life Calling: Reimagining the Rest of Your Life, coming out in 2014. Next, I reserved the book and picked up the physical copy from the public library. Here’s what I learned from reading ... Read More »

With liberty and justice for all.” Is that phrase familiar to you? We used to say it every morning when we pledged allegiance to the flag in school. As I age, however, I wonder how many people truly understood what they were saying, how many people actually believe in the concept of liberty and justice not just for select people, ... Read More »