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 March 7, 2010 Volume 2 Issue 5
- A Note from Dale - Spring,
BlogTalkRadio interviews, 'new' list of podcasts
- Featured
Article - "How to Help an Aging Parent Be
Resilient"
- Media Review -
Lumosity Brain Games
- Senior in the
Spotlight - Elderly couple play piano duet
- Upcoming Conferences
(This Ezine is published
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A Note from Dale
Hello! We
spent Saturday afternoon at the lake. Yes, it's Lake Michigan and everyone was still in winter coats, but the
mild temperatures and sunshine drew people out. On the way there, our 3 year old grandson
kept reminding us we were forgetting the sand toys. He figured it out as soon as he saw the ice
on the sand. But, Spring is not too far off!
If you missed my recent
BlogTalkRadio shows, you can still listen to the archived recordings. My guests, a lifelong friend and my mother,
gave insight into their elderly lives. In
"Preparing for Her Elderly Years - One Woman's Story", Cathy Burch shares all
she has done in terms of her home, legal documents and sharing her personal
wishes with her family. She talks quite
a bit about her post-retirement efforts to extend her social support system and
keep her body and brain fit. Good tips! In "What
is Life Really Like in a Retirement Community", my mother shares why she chose
her Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), tips on adjusting to such a
move, and why she loves it now, 2 years later. To listen to the archived recordings, click
here. Our Blogtalkradio schedule resumes
in April.
NEW! I've added a new web
page with links to my archived Blogtalkradio shows. You'll find my interviews with authors and
experts, categorized by subject. Subject
areas include Alzheimer's /Dementia,
Caregiving, Communication, The Elderly Speak Out, and Estate Issues. Click here to reach the new page. Enjoy! (If there is a particular author
or expert that you'd like to hear from, just click on the Contact tab and send
me your request.)
In today's ezine, I'm
sharing ways to help your aging parents be resilient. There
are some people who seem to naturally bounce back from challenges and
adversity. I met such a lady this week,
and I'm happy to share her insight with you. In our Media Review, I highlight online "brain" games that are fun and
help keep the mind active and fit. And,
finally, our Senior in the Spotlight is about a sweet couple who perform a
lively piano duet before a large crowd in the atrium of Mayo Clinic. It's sure to make you smile.
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 -
"How to Help Your
Aging Parent Be Resilient"
Our aging
parents face all sorts of challenges as they grow older:
- A
simple illness can wreak havoc on a compromised immune system.
- A
fall can result in a broken hip and extensive rehab.
- The
loss of a spouse can result in quick onset of depression
The 3
challenges I've listed are more common than you may think. So, what is it that causes certain older persons to
bounce back quickly and others to struggle? This week I met Mary, an incredible 92 year old lady. I want to share some of the lessons I learned
from her, lessons that offer insight into
why some elderly are "resilient people". Perhaps one of Mary's tips is just what your parent needs to hear.
This lovely
lady lives in her own apartment in Senior housing with Social Security as her
only source of income. She is, at first
glance, a petite and feisty lady, dressed all in purple, including her purple beret. She flashes her smile and shares a lifetime
of joy, pain and incredible experiences. As I listened to her stories of childhood abuse, loss of her only child and
the death of 2 husbands, I was struck by how she rapidly moved beyond all that
to her life today. Here are the lessons
she shared:
· Have
a deep faith and go to church. She said
it was her faith that sustained her through the years. When she can't get to church, she gathers her
neighbors in her apartment, and they have their own worship service there. She declares that whatever happens, God will
see her through it.
· Ignore gossip and do not focus on health
problems. She said she cannot tolerate
gossip. If it starts, she walks
away. Nor does she have time for
constant complaints about aches and pains. She is too interest in world affairs. She still works as an inspector at the voting polls. She asked me why our Senator Evan Bayh is
leaving the Senate, and she wanted an answer!
· Stay
connected with others. She stays
connected with all those in her neighborhood and in her church. She said she loves being around the children
and young people. In fact, she seems to
enjoy their company more than her peers.
· Keep
learning. She has an inquiring
mind. She doesn't ramble on about her
own life. She wants to know about
everyone else's. And she believes in
forever-learning. This summer she is
taking her first computer course and is excited about finally getting online.
· Be solution-oriented. For Mary, there is no problem that can't be
solved. I do believe she was assertive
long before the word "assertive" was commonplace. She believes in hard work and doing the right
thing. I know she will be living her
life that way until her last breath. What an inspirational lady!
After an hour
with this incredible little lady, I wanted to just bottle up her enthusiasm
and love of life. But, I've done the
next best thing by sharing her tips with you. I hope you'll share this article with your aging parent, family and family. Pass it on!
Media Review -
Have you heard about "brain
games"? A company named Lumosity offers
an excellent variety of games to keep the mind active and fit. My recently-retired friend Cathy found this
software and said she is hooked, playing these games daily. And, that's a good thing! These games were scientifically designed by
leading experts at Stanford and UCSF. The games have been show to improve memory and attention. Each game gives immediate, detailed feedback,
and just as you master one level, the game takes you to the next challenging
level. Cathy says she generally plays
about 15 minutes a day and feels sharp and alert afterwards.
At Lumosity.com, you'll
find games that focus on speed, attention, flexibility, memory and
problem-solving. You can open a
no-charge account or pick a more inclusive fee-based plan.
"We can indeed form new
brain cells, despite a century of being told it's impossible". ~The New York Times
To check out Lumosity.com for your aging parent (and yourself), click here.
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.
You may recall hearing about an elderly couple who happened to be walking by a beautiful piano in
the atrium of Mayo Clinic and decided to play a few tunes. Someone captured them on video, posted it to
YouTube, and it went viral with close to 7 million hits! That was one year ago.
Well, Marlow and Frances
Cowan returned to Mayo Clinic last month and gave an encore performance. They were better than ever! The atrium was filled with people clapping
and cheering them on. The Cowans seemed
to thoroughly enjoy their moment. You
cannot help but smile as you're watching this. I bet your parents will love it too!
The couple's finale
performance last week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lAsyOmoG70
The couple's story, in their own words. Inspiring! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUma-9YC32Y
Upcoming Conferences -
If you will be attending
either of these conferences in March and would like to connect with me there,
email me at dale.carter@transitionagingparents.com
"The Changing
Face of Aging" conference
"Aging in America" conference
- Sponsored by the National Council
on Aging and the American Society on Aging
- Location: Chicago, Illinois
- Dates: March 15th-19th
- For professionals in the fields
of aging, healthcare and education. Featured events within the
conference include national forums on Caregiving, Business & Aging,
Immigration, and Brain Health.
- More information at: http://www.asaging.org/AiA10/index.cfm
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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.
© 2010 Transition Aging Parents.
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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, visithttp://www.transitionagingparents.com
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