Silverdale
In the process of becoming a Certified Senior Advisor, I have been privileged to glean wisdom and insight from some of the foremost authorities on senior life today. Along the way I’ve come to the realization that aging is a set of processes that are significantly affected by what we think. Our attitudes, values, and [...]
In last month’s column we addressed the importance that seniors place on being able to maintain a home living environment for as long as possible. However, such a strong determination is not without its challenges and potential pitfalls. As we observed, merely desiring to remain independent is no guarantee that a senior can maintain a [...]
With the senior population continuing to grow, we can anticipate that this problem will become even more prevalent, and anything we can do to minimize or reduce these occurrences is critical to the health and well being of our elders.
Summertime brings a lot of family time. With family reunions, picnics, weddings and other events, long distant family members travel to gather together. It is also the perfect time to do some planning for the future. With parents aging and their health and lifestyles changing, children need to discuss some changes and decisions that will [...]
Continue reading about Family Reunion–a Good Time for Family Planning
While seniors face a growing number of challenges just trying to stay physically, mentally, and emotionally “fit”, I’m sad to say that there is another challenge that is taking its toll on our senior population today … and that is physical and financial abuse. And what makes this even more troubling is that it often comes at the hands of trusted family members and friends.
Continue reading about Nine Tips for Seniors to Avoid Financial Abuse
Generally, elderly parents want to remain living in their own home. However, remaining in the home becomes a concern when children see their parents slowing down, perhaps even having trouble with handling stairs and doing general daily activities.
In the previous two columns dealing with this subject, I specifically addressed some of the practical actions and preparations a senior and their family can take to lessen the inevitable challenges “before” and “during” the death of a parent. In today’s column I want to focus on how to handle the actual death experience, and [...]
Continue reading about What Happens When Mom and Dad Are Gone? Part 3
Recently, my wife and I engaged in an exercise that far too few couples (or individuals) ever get around to doing. For several hours we discussed and completed a document detailing our “wishes” regarding how we want to be treated if we become seriously ill. We also discussed and wrote down how we want to [...]
While our experience of spending time with a dying loved one was brief, there are many today that have that process prolonged … even for weeks and months. Fortunately, our society has established one of the most caring, loving, and compassionate vehicles for those in the final stages of life … hospice care (which includes palliative care), and there isn’t any finer organization than our own Hospice of Kitsap County. For almost 30 years, they have been providing the families of our community with the highest quality and compassionate care and dignity to those at the end of life’s journey, regardless of their ability to pay. Because of them, families can face these “end-of-life” challenges with confidence and the knowledge that their loved one is being provided outstanding care.
Continue reading about What Happens When Mom and Dad Are Gone? Part 2
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that at least 1.7 million Americans age sixty-five and older would die in 2008, and an equal or larger number in 2009. Of those, many will be the last surviving parent, and sadly, a large percentage will depart without a plan or even a simple will. No family meetings. No wishes expressed. No final loving words to share.
Continue reading about What Happens When Mom and Dad are Gone? Part 1
