Why Minding Your Stuff Matters

Adulting and Life Preparedness: Are YOU Ready? You can easily get started by starting with your online accounts, passcodes, PINs, security questions and computer screen lock codes.

While I am commonly asked to talk on topics of What to Save and What to Shred, the REAL question is what do we need to have organized and WHY.

We all think we are doing just fine managing all this information in our heads, on our computers, on our phones, and in file cabinets … but if you have EVER had to step in to help someone else, I am telling you that 90 percent of your frustration will…

Strokes, Free Will, and Frustration For All

I am working for a gentleman who had a stroke. He is challenging every tool I have as well as frustrating his family who is very concerned for his safety and fiscal well-being. It’s hard to help someone that can’t recognize they need the help. While he saves up the mail and is happy to have us manage his bills and medical claims, he is taking cash out of his ATM regularly and has no recollection…

Guilt: The Hidden Emotion carried by Adult Family Caregivers. No matter what you do, it is too easy to second guess every choice made.

For those of us caring for or having cared for a loved one (dementia or major health issues that require you as the family member to step up and advocate), we know that guilt is a constant companion and lingering emotion long past death. What could I have done better, different? Why didn’t I do X, even though Mom made me in clear she wanted Y?

Since I help with the day-to-day finances, home…

Dreamwork Makes the Care Team Work. Do you have all the right members on your team?

Caregiving was already hard, but I feel like Covid and the isolation has made things twice as difficult. I hope you are all managing to adapt and have resources and options to help best serve those you are caring for now.

So many things seem to go wrong and fall through the cracks. I have two clients that are alone in their homes and the effort and care of the team is the only way they can…

Assistive Technologies in the Home

I’ve been on the hunt for simple options in the home that will enhance engagement. We have Google Home in our house and we struggle (and laugh) at our inability to get answers to what we think are simple questions.

As many of us are concerned about loved ones that are isolated during this pandemic, I’m digging in to see if there are things I can give to enhance the lives of my loved ones and…

What is the Right Deci$ion for Mom and Dad’s Care?

For those podcast fans, please check out Rodger That a weekly podcast focused on the caregiver. Here, skilled caregivers, Bobbi and Mike Carducci offer their personal and practical insights on caring for a loved one with dementia, as well as tips to help caregivers prioritize their own emotional and mental well-being.

Bobbi & Mike interviewed me on how caregiving can be emotionally &…

Scams are Thriving: It's time to do something to minimize the risk of loss.

In one month, I have had two clients click a pop-up on their computer, call the number posted and give their checking account and routing numbers / online passcode to their bank to the scammer on the other end of the call. Thankfully, neither of them resulted in any losses, but the amount of work created has been almost overwhelming.

I have told both my clients and their families that the…

Savoring Your Time as an Adult Child

I had a conversation today with a woman who is a Certified Caregiving Consultant named Bobbi Carducci. She and her husband Mike cared for Rodger Carducci (Mike’s father) for 7 years. Bobbi and Mike host thought leaders on their weekly podcast who share invaluable insights and helpful tips on the challenges caregivers face.

It’s easy to look back on your time as a caregiver and imagine all the…

Dealing with Dementia in the Family

I was interviewed about how to deal with dementia in the family and how to prepare for the worst on Profit Boss® Radio with Hilary Hendershott. What I failed to mention was that helping your loved one maintain purpose and meaning maybe the most important consideration.

It was posted on the anniversary of my parent’s marriage. I was the primary adult family caregiver to my two parent’s who…

High Blood Pressure and the Increased Dementia Risk

Untreated high blood pressure is linked to an increased risk of dementia. Taking medication to lower your high blood pressure can reduce the risk of dementia. If you have been diagnosed, it could slow the progression.

Someone in my life who I dearly love has been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment and has chosen not to take medication that will treat her incredibly high blood pressure.…

Helping Celebrate the Important Life Dates

My parent’s got married 67 years ago today. When I was the adult family caregiver, I worked to find unique and fun ways to celebrate with my parent’s when they could no longer plan or manage these life events.

I went back to read my post from 7 years ago, I openly admitted that slight effort felt overwhelming to me at the time.What I recognize now is that I didn’t have to manage everything.…

Happy 60th Anniversary Mom and Dad

I struggle with those events that honor or mark an occasion when I know my parent’s don’t or won’t remember. I’m admitting this hoping I am not the only one that has battled this head game. I manage so many small details of my parent’s lives some days that the slight effort and scheduling to acknowledge the event feels overwhelming.

Then I remember that if my parents could, they would have…

What’s the best option now for my Mom with Dementia?

Everyone is growing stir crazy and the news seems to be so varied. I’m wondering how other families are navigating care.

My clients that have been aging in place either shut out all caregivers and have been managing on their own, or supported by hand-picked caregivers. The others that live in communities can’t leave without agreeing to a 14-day quarantine when they return — even my one client…

The value of multigenerational family living $$$

For twenty years, my Mom told me she never wanted to live with her children. They bought into a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) also referred to as “Life Care” Communities so they would “never be a burden” to their children. For those of you that have seen the first few years of my blog … helping my parents was a very complicated affair. I won’t say it was a burden, but we could have…

Aging in Place and Covid

We are all looking and finding silver linings to Covid where we can. I believe we will see a leap forward in the coming years on how we care for aging adults.

Third visit by Emergency Services for my neighbors in one day.

I’m seeing the many ways the current systems are failing older adults who are “aging-in-place” in their home and the independent living section of their Life Care…

Dealing with Dementia was named to the list of top blogs for a fifth year in a row. Honored.

I started this blog to keep my family and friends up to date on my caregiving journey and primarily to avoid having to tell the same story over and over. I quickly realized it was a great way for me to digest and analyze how I could be a better caregiver. I started to include some practical solutions to common situations.

Today, I work with adults diagnosed with dementia and their families and…

When it comes to Dementia you may find Medication Management and Pill Aversion one of many Issues.

There seem to be two kinds of people in this world. One that uses medication and appreciates the benefits, and the other that has a general aversion to taking medication.

I fall in the second category and was happy when the one prescribed medication I was taking (a baby aspirin/day) fell out of favor. Well, I suppose there was the science to it, but when my doctor said to discontinue taking it,…