Thursday, August 9, 2012

You Won't Know What You Don't Know...

At the risk of sounding too much like Yogi Berra (famous catcher for the Yankees), when it comes to caring for aging parents and loved ones, you won't know what you don't know until you know it.

We learned very quickly when we had children that they don't come with an instruction book. Parenting is about winging it most of the time, and sharing your successes and failures with your peers.

In the same way, aging loved ones don't come with instructions either. And many of the predicaments can be much more difficult to maneuver. In many ways it becomes even more important  to network with friends, family, co-workers, etc. to learn what they know that once they didn't know they needed to know either.


This is just one of the reasons I wrote the book The Everything Guide to Caring for Aging Parents; to share my experiences from both sides of the fence. As a home health and hospice nurse for over 30 years, I think I've seen and helped families cope with almost every scenario. And as a daughter/daughter-in-law with aging parents, I have lived through many of these experiences myself.  I hope you find it helpful!