About Us

My friend and consultant, Marsha, and I both experienced elderly issues with our parents at the same time. We’d both had many years of experience working with seniors in various ways – property management, financial services, coordinating services for seniors, interfacing with healthcare professionals, working as housing director, dealing with collections and debt management, and with legal issues, teaching, leading activities, etc. Many areas.

But when issues happened with our own parents, it was very, very different. Marsha's father was dealing with dementia, and elderly nutrition problems, and an array of health issues which resulted in hospice care.

My family had to suddenly rush Dad, who was a 93-year-old widower, from his retirement home in Arizona of 25 years back up to his home state to live by me, in a really nice assisted living facility.

In Dad’s situation, he had total sudden hearing loss in one ear with only 50% hearing in the other. He was almost deaf. Then he lost almost total sight in one eye from macular degeneration, and had serious vision loss in the other. It culminated and hit over night. He woke up one day and couldn’t see to drive, read labels (or anything for that matter), shop, etc.

When Dad arrived backed here, he first lived in a wonderful assisted living facility about four blocks from me, for almost a year. I was over there every single day, sometimes two or three times. He was almost deaf and blind and thus could not socialize or do much. He knew no one, couldn't see who was talking with him, had no way of recognizing anybody the next time, and couldn't hear what they said anyway. With only 50% hearing in one ear, he could only hear certain frequencies as well. So I got him a new digital hearing aid and our family learned to regulate our voices to a frequency that he could hear in order to communicate with him.

He was so lonely and disoriented at assisted living, that we then decided he'd move in with me, since I worked from home. Now he's 96 and still going strong. Lack of hearing and vision are his main issues. Other than that, at age 96+ he is still in great health, ambulatory, and can do almost everything for himself except cooking, entertainment, etc. So I read to him several times a day, and we exercise together, which he loves. We have a gigantic big-screen TV on which he can see basic shapes and movement, so I can narrate the news and documentaries (he can't follow anything with characters, nor hear enough of the frequencies of music).

So my friend Marsha and I have both experienced a very intense flurry of activity, decisions, talking to various experts, and lots of new learning. We worked with our families and talked to other friends who had different experiences and knowledge. We pooled our expertise and learning together to help each other deal. And then decided to share what we knew and learned in this web site, covering a wide range of elderly issues.

There is no universal “recipe” or To-Do list to help our elderly loved ones. Because everybody’s situation is different. But it helps to make a plan. These pages hopefully will offer some insight, tips, and also senior activity ideas and fun. We can’t forget the fun – it can always be found. Even with my Dad’s dilemma, we did find solutions to help him have a quality life. He is comforted and encouraged.

We continue to learn and grow. And so does our web site. Please feel free to share your story too. And feel free to Contact Us with any comments or things you’d like to see on our site. Now you know About Us. And we’d love to learn About You!

The best to you,

Mary

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