When I learned my mother had entered a “deep sleep,” I took a last-minute flight to be with her. It was my pre-doula days, so I didn’t know exactly what was happening to her. Mom had gone down, then rallied, often that year. In fact, no one in the family knew what to think, and the

You’ve heard the African saying “It takes a village to raise a child.” I like to say, it takes a team of geniuses to get us through grief and loss. Or to get through life in general, truth be told. The good news is, each of us has our own personal team of smart senior advisors. And because

Those of us with vulnerable elders have probably been on high alert since the beginning of COVID. The constant worry can really wear on you. This new approach to gratitude is a practice that can help you manage the anxiety and fear you have about COVID. It’s a must-read for anyone with a vulnerable elder in assisted living, who tested positive, or is just too ornery to take precautions.

So many caregivers feel stuck. Like the weatherman Phil Connors from the movie Ground Hog Day, we feel claustrophobic. Resigned to living the same day over and over again. Nothing changing, at least not for the better. I want my life back! we moan. But a cardinal family living right outside my dining room window reminded me: life is right here. We just have to remember to visit it once in a while.

My client AL’s father lived in a memory care community. It was a decision made in his best interest by her entire family. Still, AL struggled with guilt.  Her mother had died at home, with her. It seemed unfair her father couldn’t do the same. But he had dementia. And he was a large man with a