About this time last July, my world was turned upside down by a small misstep off the curb in the hot summer dusk. Forty-eight hours later, I was the not-so-proud owner of: A walker A cane Crutches A stabilizing boot (so-called “air cast,” removable for showers)

There’s no doubt that the value of unpaid work done by non-professional caregivers is huge – estimated to be nearly $500 billion annually, and exceeding the value of paid home care and total Medicaid spending. An important piece of the caregiving puzzle is companies, and what they are doing (or not doing) to support the…

I haven’t written a word about my Dad in my newsletters yet. But there haven’t been many days in the past 28 years that I haven’t thought of him – especially on Father’s Day. He was a fine figure of a man – tall (6’4”), dark (olive-skinned with black hair) and handsome (think Elvis in…

My own caregiving journey began when I was 53, on a brilliant, sunny, late May morning out in the Hill Country of Texas, where I live. Our yard Cardinals were flitting from one tree to the next, and I could hear the low, intermittent thrumming of the hummingbirds at the feeder out on the back…

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday of year. The air is just a little bit more fresh and crisp, and the trees (at least in the South) are still pretty nice looking, with the color and foliage not quite fully changed yet. The food and libations are fantastic and never-ending, there are no presents…

I sure wish I had kept a journal while my Mom was dying. Lots of caregivers do, and I highly recommend it. That’s because while many of my memories – in general and specifically related to caregiving – are etched in stone, so to speak, still others have faded. In some cases, I have no…

I cannot say enough good things about Teresa, the CNA who was assigned to our family by the hospice organization that helped us in my Mom’s last six months. Teresa visited our house every weekday in the afternoon, for an hour or so. She was there to help with anything we might be having problems…

Every spring in Japan, I am reminded of the cycle of life through nature’s gift of the cherry tree. Its blossoms are glorious in their ultimate radiant pinks and whites with their fluffy-looking texture. But I especially enjoy the way we can watch them “come out and emerge” – first the small, reddish-green buds on…

Managing Health and Stress Brings Long Term Benefits for Both Caregivers and Care Recipients. As part of writing my book, I’ve been trying to sort through the different caregiving scenarios I’ve experienced in my life – with my great-grandparents, grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, friends – as well as the scenarios that I’ve heard about…

One of the things I do to honor my Mom’s passing (and honestly, to bring myself emotional comfort as well) is to bring some of her ashes with me on most of my travels. My goal over the past 8 years since she passed has been to sprinkle her ashes in meaningful spots around the…