Transition Aging Parents

Transition Aging Parents

Your source of insight and information to help your aging parents "thrive and find joy" in every stage of their life!

Bi-Weekly Ezine Issue December  30, 2009 Volume 1 Issue 16

• A Note from Dale - Reflecting on 2009, looking ahead to 2010!

• Featured Article - "Top 5 Interviews in 2009 by Transition Aging Parents"

• Media Review -  "Good Caregiver" affirmation

• Seniors in the Spotlight -   Senior Finds Artistic Talent at age    

(This Ezine is published bi-weekly on Sundays.  You are on our list because you signed up for it at TransitionAgingParents.com.  To change your subscription, see link at the end of this email)

à à à To get your F.R.E.E. 5-Part E-Course, "5 Essential Strategies for Helping Your Aging Parent Face Change", visit my website at http://www.transitionagingparents.com 

A Note from Dale  

Hello!  Christmas has come and gone, and tomorrow is New Year's Eve.  I hope you have had a wonderful time through the holidays.  

As I reflect back on 2009, I thank each of you for being a part of 'Transition Aging Parents'.  There are so many wonderful people to thank (too many to name) who have shared their stories, their books, and their products/services with me.  The words I heard most often was, "I want to help as many people as I can."  Truly an inspiration to me!  Thank you all!

I'd like to suggest that you take a few moments before 2009 ends. Acknowledge the challenges you have faced and also the joys you experienced. And, don't miss the chance to tell those around you how much you love them.

Looking ahead to 2010, I have 2 exciting new items to share.  I created a Facebook Fan Page for 'Transition Aging Parents'.  How will this help you?  Each day I'll post at least one helpful resource or tip.  The Fan Page also gives you the opportunity to ask me questions and interact with others caring for aging parents.  To check the posts or "become a fan", click here

You may have heard I was writing an ebook for adult children of aging parents.  I'm on schedule to release it on January 25^th.  In my 6 Steps to Guide Your Aging Parent through Crisis and Change, I share my ADAPT framework, a result of my personal experience, research and desire to offer a simple, clear guide for families.

I'm excited about our ezine content this week.  Our 'Featured Article' is a recap of the 5 most popular radio interviews I conducted in 2009.  They were some of my favorites as well!  Our 'Media Review' features a "Caregiver Affirmation".  And, our 'Senior in the Spotlight' features an 87 year old gentleman who discovered his amazing artistic talent late in life.

As always, my best wishes to you and your parent(s) as you journey together,

Dale Carter...

PS: Welcome to all my new subscribers!  I am so very grateful to have you as part of our Transition Aging Parents community.  I think you'll love the information, tips, and inspiration you'll be receiving!

"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin."  ~Mother Teresa

(Note:  If there is a topic, resource or person that you would like me to highlight in future issues, please write to me at dale.carter@transitionagingparents.com)

Featured Article

Here are the top 5 most popular radio interviews I conducted in 2009.  If you've not visited me on BlogTalkRadio, this is a great chance to check out one or more interview.  Each is only 30 minutes long.  Each guest shares their expertise, resources, and passion to help families of the elderly. 

(Note:  I'm preparing the lineup for my 2010 BlogTalkRadio show.  If you know of an author, expert or individual who you'd like to hear from, please forward their name to me.)

1.      Parent Diagnosed with Alzheimer's - Where Do I Start?  Join me and Jason Young, geriatric clinician, as we explore many of the questions you may have about dementia and Alzheimer's. What are the warning signs? How is a diagnosis made?  What are the common treatments?  How can you best help and communicate with your parent?  How about you...what support options exist for you?  Click here

2.      Preventing Alzheimer's.  Join me as I interview, Dr. William Rodman Shankle, a medical director of the Shankle Clinic, a specialty clinic for Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. He is author of "Preventing Alzheimer's" (Ways to Help Prevent, Delay, Detect, and Halt Alzheimer's Disease and Other Forms of Memory Loss). Dr. Shankle describes his "Prevention through Delay", the importance of knowing and reducing your risk factors, an annual memory screening and obtaining an accurate, early diagnosis and treatment. (Dr. Shankle specializes in prevention, early detection, and management of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. At the Shankle Clinic, Dr. Shankle and his staff provide comprehensive evaluation and treatment of memory loss due to Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.) Click here

3.      Geriatric Care Manager for Your Aging Parent.  Amy Abrams (certified Geriatric Care Manager and founding partner of Elder Care Guides, a care management company) joins me to discuss how a geriatric care manager can help you and your aging parent. Why you'd want to consider a care manager, what services are offered, what training/certification to look for, and the steps to finding, selecting, hiring and retaining one. Click here

4.      Talk Early, Talk Often with Your Aging Parent. My guest is Dale Susan Edmonds, founder of Talk-Early-Talk-Often.com. She shares her knowledge and strategies for helping families communicate with their aging parents. You will want to hear Dale if you're wondering how to start talking about life changes with your parent OR if you have a specific issue. Who to talk to, what to talk about, and how to keep the conversation going as your parents age. When is the right time to start talking? Now. Why? To save money, trauma and prevent untold heartaches. Dale has been an Ordained Minister for 25 years and is a Family Communication Coach, speaker, and workshop leader. Certified as an Advance Care Planning Facilitator and Instructor, she works with families, congregations, and professional associations to meet the challenges of aging, with confidence.  Click here

5.      Use "Memory Triggers" to Help Your Aging Parent. Nadine Brechner, author of "Memory Triggers", joins me to share the story of how "Memory Triggers" and her company came to be. It's a classic "necessity is the mother of invention" story and is found in the beginning of each book. Nadine had struggled to find books that appealed to her mother (with Alzheimer's). She shares how her new, specially designed books facilitate meaningful conversation and interaction with our aging parents. Click here

Media Review -

Source:  http://visitingbasket.com/page12.php

Seniors in the Spotlight 

In each issue, I want to spotlight a senior who inspires me and hopefully will warm your heart.  There are so many wonderful elderly role models.  May these stories help us keep a positive perspective on the aging process. 

I love reading about people who discover gifts and talents late in life. I have an 80 year old brother-in-law who became an artist in retirement, after an engineering/international business career.  The following story is about another gentleman finding his artistic talent late in life.

Bill Hall doesn't recall any talent at drawing back when he was a child.  But, after moving to a retirement community, he decided to sign up for a beginner's art class, and his talent began to emerge.

"I looked at what he was doing after his first couple of classes and suspected he'd been drawing for a long time," said Hall's son, Andy, of Des Moines. "That wasn't the case. He didn't realize any of this until he started taking classes. We were all stunned. I called my brother on the phone and told him he wouldn't believe the talent our dad has."

Bill gets much of his inspiration from drives in the country and study of Iowa's landscape.   Somewhat reluctant to sign up for that first art class, he now says, "Sure, I'll stick with it," he said. "I'm having too much fun to quit."

To read the whole story about Bill Hall, click below.

Source: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20091220/NEWS03/912200331/1010/NEWS08/Carlson-Long-buried-artistic-talent-comes-to-life-in-87-year-old

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Note about Dale

Dale Carter is wife, mother of 3 grown children, and long-distance caregiver to her elderly mother.  She is a former educator and university IT consultant.  In the spring of 2008, a major life experience (helping her elderly mother through a major health/life crisis) changed the course of Dale's life work. 

Dale created "Transition Aging Parents" as a way to share her experience and reach out to other adult children of aging parents.  She provides insight and shares information to help adult daughters and sons ensure their aging parents "thrive and find joy" in every stage of life.  

Her goal is two-fold: to serve as a resource for adult children as they help their aging parents through the many transitions in aging AND to highlight this time in their journey together as one of joy, renewed bonds and reflection of lives well-lived.

© 2009 Transition Aging Parents. All Rights Reserved.

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Dale Carter, founder of Transition Aging Parents, is dedicated to providing insight and information to adult children of aging parents so their parents may "thrive and find joy" in every stage of life. To get your F.R.E.E. 5-Part E-Course and receive her bi-weekly articles on resources, options, and new innovations for aging parents, visit http://www.transitionagingparents.com

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