ElderThinker Pleads with Fashion Industry

What can old people wear? >>More

Ophthalmologist Visit

What to expect when you are worried about your eyes.>>More

Mature Relationships

Peace and love with and between elders. >>More

Gretchen's Blog AKA ElderThinker

Life Changes

As We Age

Finding Work

Boomers and Matures are in the same boat when looking for a job

We Joke About Forgetfulness

Seniors worry about memory loss. There are plenty of jokes about older people forgetting things. Actually, we do forget things but there are lots of reasons. >>More

How to Tell Dad He Needs Help

Gretchen Heuring | ElderThink | 04.10.09

There are difficult conversations ahead between us and our aging parents. No matter how close we live or how far, just the thought of these "talks" is stressful. They involve such things as losing the ability to drive, loss of hearing, and moving to assisted living.>>More

Sandwich Generation Is Really Two Generations

Ella Traver | ElderThink | 04.10.09

We tend to think of the "Sandwich Generation" as people in their 30s and 40s who are caring for aging parents and their own children.

There are also people in their 50s and 60s who are caring for their aging parents, grown children, and grandchildren.

And with current economic conditions, there are people in their 20s who have remained at home with their parents and they are all taking care of those who are unemployed.

Older family members are living longer and so they are needing care longer. It's a tremendous change for everyone.

Moving Mom: Helping Older Parents Move

Gretchen Heuring | ElderThink | 03.24.09

Life brings us major moments; the birth of a child, the marriage of a sister, and helping older parents downsize and move. Moving our older folks is hard for everyone and the experience can be filled with many difficult events.

There is help at hand from professionals that specialize in moving seniors. According to Mary Kay Buysse, Executive Director of the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM), "Senior move professionals guide clients through a journey that's often as much about sorting through a lifetime's worth of memories as it is about possessions."

>> More

Live Longer, Live Well

Mayo Clinic Atrium Piano

Gretchen Heuring | ElderThink | 5.25.09

Changing A Lifestyle Takes Courage

Gretchen Heuring | ElderThink | 04.02.09

Imagine that you have a Great American Lifestyle including a six-figure income (between you and your spouse,) a lovely home, appropriate cars and toys, an interesting social circle, and children grown and on their own.

Now imagine that you decide to leave your jobs, sell everything, move to a new place, and reduce your standard of living. >>More | Comment

Moving Mom: Helping Older Parents Move

Gretchen Heuring | 03.24.09

Many Senior Move Managers have backgrounds in social work or health care. Some are expert project managers. They have come into this new field because they love their work and they care. They keep up to date with new ideas and techniques through continuing education sponsored by the NASMM. >>More

Taking Care of Mom (and Dad)

Gretchen Heuring | 02.03.09

This change seems to come out of the blue. It happened to our parents and to their parents but still, we are not ready when it happens to us. There is a shift in relationship and they need us to take care of them.

Often there is denial. The elders will not admit that they need help, and we can't seem to find a way to make room for their needs in our lives. We all go on like this for awhile but Truth has a way of showing up.

Usually the change begins with an illness or injury and we discover that mom (or dad) is really too frail go on without regular assistance from a younger, stronger person. Older parents almost never ask for help.

There is experienced advice for dealing with this problem and a few resources.

>>More | Comment