Checklist for Aging Drivers
The Sierra Mountain Times has a useful checklist on evaluating the driving ability of your aging parents. If you’re worried about whether your parent is still safe in the car, this list will help you be more objective.I’m pleased that my mom still seems to be a good driver. She got a new-to-her car a couple months ago. It’s so much nicer than the one she had, which had all of us concerned for her safety. When dad was sick, she just couldn’t manage to think about buying a car, even with help. A couple months ago, my brother came over before lunch, brought her a car to test drive, and completed the deal after lunch. It’s a great car and I feel so much better knowing she won’t have mechanical problems. And it’s fun to drive it too! We’re praying that she can continue driving for at least another couple of years.
Labels: aging parents, driving
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Activities for the Elderly
Looking for some new activities to do with your aging parent? Maryan Pelland at Suite 101 offers a list of 10 ways to keep the elderly active and interested.Labels: activities, elderly parents
Monday, October 15, 2007
Leaving a Legacy
As I age, I think more and more about what kind of legacy I’ll leave. What have I done that is worth passing on? What are the lessons I’ve learned? What do I want to be remembered for?Rosemary Lichtman has written a great article on helping our parents ferret out their legacies. She offers four steps to encourage them to determine the intangibles that are important to them. This is at least as important as the financial legacy we spend so much time thinking and talking about.
How about you? What are you doing to create your own legacy or help your parents with theirs?
Labels: aging parents, legacy
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Avoid Being a Burden
I know I’ve written about this before, but reading this article convicted me to write again. After all, writing is a lot easier than actually doing something about it.Yep, even while we’re busy caring for aging parents, the reality is, we aren’t getting any younger. I look around our house and cringe. I often joke, “If we were to die suddenly, our kids would never talk to us again.” We have way too much stuff. Way too much! And way too little time to clean it out.
We’ve done a few things that help:
• I routinely look for old records that I can shred while waiting for the computer to churn. Amazing how much you can do while a website loads!
• Every time I go into a room that still has junk, I take one item and deal with it. Slow, but steady. We’ve gone through a couple rooms and remodeled, which has given us the incentive to do the rest. It’s amazing how much nicer a room is when decluttered!
• Every time I open a file cabinet to file something, I look for a file I can purge. Amazing how much is no longer needed.
• I’ve become more aggressive about getting rid of clothes. I’ve always been so frugal I couldn’t bear to part with things that still had life in them. But now my sister has lost about 30 pounds and is now my size. She’s loving the hand-me-downs and I’m loving the space in my closet.
• Books are my major vice. I’ve become a lot more deliberate in what I buy and am actively selling anything I don’t have a reason to keep. I list them on Amazon.com and Half.com and have been able to sell many that are too good to give away.
We have a LONG way to go, especially in the spare bedroom and garage, but our goal is to make life easier for our son when we can no longer manage. And my mom is doing the same at her house. Thanks, Mom.