One of the biggest lessons every caregiver learns is that in order to take care of anyone else, you need to take care of yourself first. It’s simply impossible to pour from an empty cup! But how do you find time for self-care when there just doesn’t seem to be any extra time? During our…

I’ve been enjoying doing our “31-day Easy, Self-care Challenge” since the first day of this shiny, New Year, and it’s been eye-opening. I awoke on that first day of the New Year (which feels so far away by now!), with all sorts of resolve for the things I’d like to achieve this year, including paying…

Ten years ago was a long, hot summer I’ll never forget. That’s right when I was serving as the live-in caregiver for my mom as she moved toward the end of her life. We actually had a very nice summer, all things considered. Though we knew mom’s time was coming in the not so distant…

I don’t talk much about my dad in my blogs. But that’s only because I write mainly about caregiving, and I didn’t have the honor of caring for Daddy as he grew older. He died at age 58. It was one of the biggest shocks of my life, and left me reeling for quite some…

Two weeks ago on a Friday morning, I was happily moving through life managing my work and daily life without much of a care in the world. I was ticking the boxes on my “to do” lists (both work and personal), and my big focal point was to lose 10 pounds, so I had started…

This will be the 10th Mother’s Day since my mom’s passing and I find myself thinking of her even more than before, if that is possible. Certainly, I have a greater appreciation now for all she did to make my life better. The gifts Mom gave me have stood the test of time and continue…

There’s an interesting global development in the world of aging and caregiving. It’s the trend of individuals taking a more creative and proactive stance about how and where they will age. Just like in the movie Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, people are exploring new and different ways to spend their retirement years, including what happens…

Let’s just get right to it; here are the top ten ways that caregiving and downhill skiing are similar: There are many variables that can affect your journey; anything can happen at any time Planning ahead and thinking through the various possibilities definitely helps you to prepare better so that you will be more comfortable…

There were so many things to do once my mom passed away, it was mind-boggling. Probate will registration. Closing of bank accounts. Cancellation of all utilities, car insurance, and other necessities of life. It’s impossible to imagine I had it easier than most people, yet I know now that I did because my mom was…

One of the best planning decisions my mom made for herself when she turned 64 (10 years before she was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer and given 18 months to live) was to purchase long-term healthcare (LTHC) insurance. Using her professional skills as a purchasing agent, she literally calculated “how much” she thought would…