Relationships
Understanding how relationships change as your parents age and how you can manage the challenges that arise
Slowing down
Written by Kathy Lawrence The changes that our parents are undergoing can be frustrating for everyone concerned. Understanding what’s happening and being patient is important for our relationships. It’s really hard to do. Slowing down to the speed of ageing parents. For most of us life is a rush. We’ve probably rushed to find the […]
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How I coped with my mum’s dementia
This week’s storyteller is Lesley Trenner. Lesley, an Ageing Parent Coach, describes how she learnt to deal with her mum’s advancing dementia while making career decisions. She talks about how she now offers support to others facing similar challenges with their parents. Looking back, we aren’t entirely sure when mum’s mental condition started to decline […]
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Carers support groups, can they help?
Adrienne Gruberg, Founder of US site The Caregiver Space, talks about how she cared for her late husband and mother-in-law and shares how support groups helped her cope. When you read things in the news about how people have become full-time carers for their parents and partners you never think it’s going to happen to […]
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Tips to change festive pressure into pleasure
Juggling the needs of family, friends and work can come to a head during the festive season, especially if you‘re the sort of person that wants everyone to have a wonderful time. Trying to meet the needs of older family as well as the young can be daunting. Dr Mariette Jansen offers a few tips […]
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Tips on dementia and the family fall-out
This week’s storyteller has chosen to be anonymous. After taking the lion’s share of caring for her mother despite having an extended family close at hand, this week’s storyteller shares some of her insights into making the best of what life throws at us. Recognise that people don’t get it The problem with dementia is […]
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Who takes responsibility when it’s a more distant relative who needs help?
Dear Lesley We were visiting my parents over the Christmas holiday – I thought the visit would be an opportunity to see how they are getting on, as they are both in their 80s now, and was looking forward to a bit of a break myself. As it turned out, they are not doing so […]
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When families can’t agree on care
Dear Lesley, All my brother and sisters and I seem to do these days is fight. We used to get on really well. Then mum was diagnosed with dementia and she gave us all Power of Attorney. We argued about when was the right time for her to move into a home and we’ve argued […]
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