Sharing wisdom that comes from parenting our parents
The loss of any person whom we have known for years, is understandably traumatic. The loss of what it means to be that person while they are still alive is especially hard. Context is everything in our relationships with one another. Dementia is cruel to the sufferer, as well as to those around them. With …
Being a caregiver sometimes provides a limited view on getting older. Whether it is our elders getting older or ourselves, the realities of aging catches up with all of us. Being a “preacher’s kid” often placed me in communities of older individuals. I developed some useful social skills through chatting with the local grandparents as …
There are a lot of working parts in any caregiving arrangement. Underlying the errand running, meal preparations, doctors visits, and the million other little things, there is trust. Trust that we love the person. Trust that we will be there tomorrow to do it all again. Trust. Since caregiving relationships are also replete with paradoxes, …
In gathering my thoughts and reflections on caregiving each month, little epiphanies keep springing up. Some of these ideas are obvious (caregiving is a tough job), while other ideas are surprising with their insights and arrive at only certain times, no sooner. Let me set the stage. Steps Along the Way I have written much …
Dad's Back 