|
|
By Carol January 24th, 2012
For every caregiver, the day will arrive when caregiving comes to an end. Most of us can’t know when that day will come. Because of this, caregiving often seems endless, but it is not.
Some of us are able to accept that the end is coming sooner or later. The couple in this video are planning for the time when he will be gone, and she will be alone. Senior co-housing is one option for companionship and support for the spouse that is left behind.
Weighing the Options from Our Future Selves on Vimeo.
Social Bookmarking
Technorati Tags: afraid, aging in place, Brave Old World, caregiver mental health, caregiver needs, caregiver stress, co-housing, coping with death, Elder Spirit, end of life, end of life decisions, family caregiver, pain of caregiving, Paula Span. Columbia University School of Journalism
By Carol January 22nd, 2012
Years ago I could only use a yellow legal pad for my writing. If I didn’t have my yellow pad, I couldn’t write. Then a determined Bill coaxed me to try word processing. Now I love the ease of editing, the spellchecker and the way words flow from my fingers onto the page. I especially like Microsoft Word, a program that I always thought was too complicated for me until we started blogging.
Today, with my right hand encased in a stunning purple cast, I can’t use my cherished Microsoft Word. The best I can do is to hunt and peck enough to edit this.
And what is this?
I am “writing” this post via an iPad app called Dragon Dictation. Since I had joint replacement surgery on my hand almost two weeks ago, …
Continue reading this post here
By Judi January 8th, 2012
I first heard this poem read by the author on NPR radio back in June of 2011. The words that the poet speaks are raw and true. Listening to it brings tears to my eyes. (Rated R for some strong language.)
The poet is Kane Smego who is a frequent participant in Poetry Slams and he is the Artistic Director of Sacrificial Poets, a Chapel Hill, NC group who’s mission is “To inspire, foster, and promote artistic expression, personal growth, and social justice for youth in our collective communities through the use of the spoken and written word.”
Below is the written transcript of the poem from the video.
Retired Royalty By: Kane Smego
There is a proverb from the Ashanti of Ghana that says: “The words from the mouth of an old …
Continue reading this post here
By Carol November 15th, 2011
When Dad was courting our stepmother, the lovely Elizabeth, they surprised us all by becoming ardent opera enthusiasts. Each year they bought their season tickets. Then, weeks ahead of each performance, they began preparing by immersing themselves in musical recordings of the coming opera while reading along on the translated librettos. When the night arrived, they would dress in their best—for Dad this was formal wear complete with opera cape—and head downtown for a magic evening of music and drama.
Opera was one of the activities that we looked forward to enjoying with Dad when he moved to Denver toward the end of his life. During his two years with us we saw three live operas and many others on TV and DVD. In the process, Bill and I both grew in our knowledge …
Continue reading this post here
By Carol November 6th, 2011
If you own your home and your son doesn’t rehab old houses, you need a handyman (or woman). This person must be competent, reliable and trustworthy. They must have good communication skills and be affordable. This is an amazingly tall order in today’s world.
But for those of us who live in an aging in place Village neighborhood like Washington Park Cares in Denver, finding honest, trustworthy and competent help around the house is not a problem. Some of this help comes from the organizations volunteers. If you have a light bulb you can’t reach or need safety grab bars installed in your bathroom, a volunteer may be available to do it.
Otherwise, the organization carefully vets service providers–like our sprinkler and tree man, Don Chapman, who came the same day last summer when …
Continue reading this post here
|
|
