My parents died in their mid-sixties. They didn’t have the opportunity to tell me what they truly wanted. Now that I’ve reached my early sixties, I can give you my perspective and tell you how to find what your own…
Read more
The family is the lifeblood of a country. It is the adhesion that keeps everything together. A breakdown in the family structure could be devastating for everyone. Whether the family is large or small, once the cohesive factors are there,…
Read more
I had to smile at the irony as I started to think about the topic of talking to aging parents about their “future”. How many options do aging parents have that deal with their future? The future for aging parents…
Read more
Dementia’s Christmas (A Dementia Story of Love) Hum, somebody said Martha, but that lady has white in her hair and MY Martha is a little girl…. This lady’s coming to my table and she called me mom, but that just…
Read more
Parents need to instill a sense of responsibility and discipline in their children regarding their working life in order to help them become mature adults,capable of facing the challenges of everyday life. Here is what parents can do to accomplish…
Read more
Old age is an interesting level of existence. To me it seems like a whole new dimension is layered to an already complex reality. It is an indescribable sense of emptiness that was never there before. We have different ways…
Read more
It will be a challenge but also a triumph, to care for a sick friend or family member at home.The time it takes for them to recover will vary according to their illness. First,care givers deserve congratulation, for standing up to…
Read more
It seams just like yesterday when you were a kid and your strong mother was taking care of you. No matter how many difficulties she met you didn’t feel a thing. That is because you meant everything for her and…
Read more
In this situation, no one can give you the answer. Making such a decision, requires a lot of thought and planning ahead. This will effect everyone involved, your parents, yourself and any children you may have. It should be discussed,…
Read more
Nursing homes are supposed to cater to elderly people who cannot manage on their own, for one reason or another. We’d all like to believe that it’s as close to a fairy-tale ending elders can receive when they are unable…
Read more
Whether because your Aunt Annie is traveling with her Chihuahua or your niece cannot stand to let your Great Dane alone all day, pet lovers sometimes bring their pets with them to holiday activities. Depending on your pet’s disposition, age,…
Read more
Retirement housing is usually specifically built with the older person in mind and usually on one level, like a bungalow or flat. This allows you to continue to be as independent as possible. There are two main types of retirement…
Read more
When grown children move on and parental duties end, the empty nest syndrome may not be as hard felt, until after retirement or loss of a spouse. Nonetheless, with more time on their hands, parents can get lonely. Their grown…
Read more
One stable pillar in my household has always been family pets. We’ve had fish, birds, cats, dogs and even mice! The one animal I really wanted but could never have, I finally got this past year: a ferret! My mother…
Read more
Odor. The one thing that we all dread gracing our co-workers or family with. Daily showering and fragrance will kept odor at bay, but sometimes more often then not odor finds a way to return. High maintenance jobs, fitness sessions,…
Read more
When you have decided that the best place to take care of your aging parent is in your home you must face some important decisions about how to accommodate not only your parent, but also the rest of the family…
Read more
Having your parent live with you must be a mutually agreeable decision between the two of you and other members of your family. Many times, though, circumstances present themselves in such a way that the decision is taken out of…
Read more
If you are entertaining Muslim guests, all the traditional rules of being a good host or hostess apply; be warm, caring, gracious and welcoming. Muslims have specific traditions and customs but your guests will not expect you to know the details…
Read more
We all know what to call those who use our towels and never wash them, eat all our meals and never do the dishes, sit in rooms they never clean, roam around all the day long in their night dresses…
Read more
Care givers have a special gift, the gift of compassion. I have sought the training to become a certified nurses assistant then extending into the field of home health care. I put my talents to use in a private rest…
Read more
There were six of us kids; I was the last girl and had two younger brothers. I know a lot about the pros and cons of growing up in a large family, as you may well imagine. One of the…
Read more
My first conversation with my mother about planning for her future happened after my sister-in-law put yet one more elderly pet to sleep due to age-related incontinence. Mom, mourning her heartlessness, also commented to me, “Don’t let Donna make DNR…
Read more
Where Did all the Mothers Go After 1963? Those of us that were children in the 1960’s seemingly lost our mothers and happy homes to the “Women’s Liberation Movement.” The children were the ones who suffered most when the mothers…
Read more
Usually, Muslims are confused with Arabs and so, entertaining a Muslim guest is mixed up with entertaining an Arab guest. Muslims and Arabs are two different but related people in the sense that Islam originated from Arabia. Therefore, when entertaining…
Read more
I’ve always believed that honesty is the best policy. That’s why when one of my family members had a smelly body odor problem, I would yell, “Yechhh! Take a shower, you smell.” That’s why when you live with someone who…
Read more
How to handle the situation when your guest bring pets with them Your friends mean the world to you. However, their pets may have not made that impression on you and your friends visit with you is important to you. You…
Read more
Some of you may remember the comical moment on a Jerry Seinfeld episode where Kramer saw Elaine naked in her own bedroom. When asked by Elaine what he was doing in her bedroom, Kramer exclaimed “I thought it was a…
Read more
Often when couples welcome a new baby into the world they have a tendency to neglect their relationship. Initially, they are so enamored with their new bundle of joy they don’t even notice that they are not taking care of…
Read more
In today’s world it is very important for children to learn how to respect other people and live in harmony with neighbors, friends and relatives. A pet will bring out the caring side to your family, from a lizard to…
Read more
What people are concerned about most when receiving unexpected guest is – the condition of the house. Kitchens and bathrooms draw major concern, and rightfully so. You don’t want “SURPRISE!” guests popping up when the housework has not been done….
Read more