Assisted Living

When it was "time" for my husband's parents to leave their farm, one of his sisters made the decision to move them to the "city" to a lovely facility. His sister lives about 8 hours away and wanted them to be in capable hands and be comfortable, so she visited a number of retirement homes with them. Collectively, they chose a lovely place, which was about a 20 minute drive from us ... new building, yummy food, fun, interactive activities ... and guess what ... they were unhappy. My husband and I took them out to dinner a couple of nights a week, took them on day trips, and interacted with them as much as we could ... still ... they just were not happy.

So we took it upon ourselves to move them 3 minutes from us, which has been good as we can check in on them every single day, take them to ball games, shopping, out to dinner, run errands, etc. Still, if you ask them, they are not happy (we think because they long for "home" on the farm). We moved them into an apartment at JKV and pretty much, set up "home health" on our own. If you are considering moving your parents/loved ones to a retirement village where they need some care/attention but not full time, it is really working for us and saving a lot of money. We have created a stimulating, interactive, loving environment where they don't live with us, but we are very involved in their lives. Their meds, appointments, meals, social activities are all managed by us. We believe it is as good as it can be for them during this "chapter" of their lives and are so thankful we have the opportunity to be close to them.

Let me know if you'd like to chat about our processes. Through a small amount of trial and error, we now are running a well thought out plan that will might work for your parents too.

Grief

Grief and sadness after loosing a loved one waxes and wanes. I have friends, Michele and Brian, who lost their daughter on July 4, 2011, after a celebratory gunshot wound. Their family was in the midst of celebrating with fireworks when their daughter, Blair, fell to the ground. Today, Michele puts her energies into promoting organ donation and has met the boy who received Blair's heart. She has listened to and felt Blair's heart beating, which is a miracle. Still the grief and sadness fill her heart every single day and the scar will never, ever heal.

Sad ...

If you are grieving after losing a loved one, Kidwell Garber recommends journaling ... we received this from them today and thought it appropriate to share.

What are your grateful for?

That question is basically what got me started in journaling – and perhaps your catalyst was your recent loss. Whatever your reason for beginning a journal, it’s a wonderful habit to cultivate. Putting your thoug...hts down on paper “releases” them to the Universe – you no longer have to carry them around with you.

"I write in my journal as I sip my first cup of coffee. Whatever shreds of my dreams I can remember go onto the pages – my plans for the day, my fears and my joys. You could use those few minutes to go on a “Rampage of Appreciation” – detailing all those things you love about the being you’ve just lost."

Journaling will bring healing, and this healing will bring:
1. A greater sense of “being alive”
2. Sharper thinking
3. Greater concentration
4. Better judgment
5. A more open and positive view of the world around you