Category Archives: health and wellness

Your Aging Parents: Ignoring the Situation Won’t Make it go Away

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Debbie Held

When I last heard from Lacey, she was having a crummy holiday season. She’d spent Christmas Eve in an airport, catching an exorbitantly-priced, last-minute, cross-country flight home to be with her ailing, aging parents, both in the same hospital but … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, aging in place, Assisted Living, caretaking, Communication, health and wellness, The Middle Ages | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Your Aging Parents: Ignoring the Situation Won’t Make it go Away

Working Through Sibling Rivarly to Care for Aging Parents

Posted on October 28, 2017 by Debbie Held

Recently, I counseled a woman who was struggling with the ever-increasing demands of caring for her aging parents while trying to manage her own family’s needs. “Mia” has two young children, a husband, and a full-time job—in addition to her … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, aging in place, caretaking, Communication, health and wellness | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Working Through Sibling Rivarly to Care for Aging Parents

Why Your Aging Parents Need a Voice-Activated Home Speaker

Posted on July 30, 2017 by Debbie Held

While voice-activated smart speakers (Amazon’s Alexa-enabled Echo  and Google Home)  were not created specifically with senior citizens in mind, these fairly inexpensive gizmos are a futuristic dream come true for any member of the sandwich generation who is caring for … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, aging in place, Communication, health and wellness, medication | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Why Your Aging Parents Need a Voice-Activated Home Speaker

Make a Phone Call, Make a Difference

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Debbie Held

How often do you call your aging parents? (Pause for uncomfortable silence…) I completely understand. I have been there myself. Now, In this digital age especially, it can feel as though your days are not your own: work seems to … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Communication, health and wellness, News and Press, The Middle Ages | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Make a Phone Call, Make a Difference

Virtual Chatting with Your Aging Parents: How Skype and FaceTime Could Benefit Your Entire Family

Posted on December 30, 2016 by Debbie Held

  It’s something you probably do regularly in your business or personal life (either with colleagues, friends, or both), and yet you’ve likely never even considered making it a part of your ongoing routine with your aging parents. The “it” … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Communication, health and wellness, The Middle Ages | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Virtual Chatting with Your Aging Parents: How Skype and FaceTime Could Benefit Your Entire Family

Are You a Caretaker? Make Your Life Seem Calmer in Less Than 30 Minutes a Day

Posted on September 28, 2016 by Debbie Held

By now we all understand why the term “sandwich generation” was coined. It’s an apt description of living life as the main caregiver for two generations, one above and one below. This person is sandwiched in-between his or her two … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, health and wellness | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Are You a Caretaker? Make Your Life Seem Calmer in Less Than 30 Minutes a Day

Surprise! Paying an Unannounced Visit to Your Aging Parent and Caregiver

Posted on August 21, 2016 by Debbie Held

Have you ever dropped in unannounced, just to check on your aging parent and his or her caregiver? If not, you should. There is so much more to true daily caregiving beyond just feeding, dressing and medicating a patient. Environment … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Assisted Living, health and wellness, The Middle Ages | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Surprise! Paying an Unannounced Visit to Your Aging Parent and Caregiver

Your Aging Parents and Medications: Putting Systems in Place Makes Everyone’s Day go Better

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Debbie Held

If you are an adult caregiver for your aging parent(s) and you have your own family, job and chores that you need to work around, then you are well aware of the stresses of being a member of today’s sandwich … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, health and wellness, prescriptions, The Middle Ages | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Your Aging Parents and Medications: Putting Systems in Place Makes Everyone’s Day go Better

Having “The Talk” With Your Aging Parents: Pick up the phone and do it today

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Debbie Held

  Last week I checked in with a friend from whom I’d heard neither hide nor hair in months.  “I was worried,” I told him. My friend went on to explain to me that he and his wife were feeling … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, health and wellness, The Middle Ages | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Having “The Talk” With Your Aging Parents: Pick up the phone and do it today

Show Mom and Dad How Much You Care … With a Package!

Posted on May 13, 2016 by Debbie Held

There’s nothing quite as thrilling as receiving a package in the mail. Even if you already know what’s inside, there’s still that sense of exhilaration as you race to cut open the packaging and get inside the wrapping as quickly … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, health and wellness | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Show Mom and Dad How Much You Care … With a Package!