Voices of Experience: How to Survive Caring for Aging Parents

By Jacqueline Marcell

I want to tell you how much I miss my mother. Bits of her are still there. I miss her most when I am sitting across from her.  ~ Candy Crowley

Jacqueline Marcell is a former television executive who gave up her career to take care of her challenging elderly father and sweet mother, both with undiagnosed Alzheimer’s. The experience was so shocking that it compelled her to write her first book, Elder Rage, or Take My Father, Please!, to help caregivers avoid all the pitfalls she experienced and to prevent their frustrations from escalating to any form of elder abuse. Here she offers a glimpse of her caregiving journey:

Understanding and Managing Grief, May 12 - May 18, 2019

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Working while mourning: How to grieve when you're on the job, http://j.mp/2HCEMUz « NBC News

Am I Going Crazy or Grieving? http://bit.ly/2HuIi3C « Shine On Counseling

Why we need to talk about grief, http://j.mp/2HI9wUz « Harper's Bazaar

Pet Loss: Death of A Service Dog

A service dog can mean a whole new way of life for the handicapped. The activities that able-bodied people take for granted now can be routine for the disabled also, with the help of a four-footed therapist.  ~ Janet Ruckert, EdD

A reader writes: I have been looking at your websites and the materials that you offer for pet loss. I'm wondering if any of it would be of help to me. I lost my dear sweet black Lab Service Dog to malignant melanoma just a few weeks ago. She was not a pet ~ she was my assistant and helper and light of my life for nine and a half years. She was my constant companion and went with me everywhere. She helped me every day both physically and emotionally. I use a wheelchair and a specially converted rampvan for mobility. If I fell my dog would go find help for me. Her loss has left an unbelievably huge hole in my heart. I let her go because I could not and would not let her continue to hurt like I know that she was. I need her so much and just can't seem to let myself get on with the things I need to do in my life without her.

Understanding and Managing Grief, May 5 - May 11, 2019

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Forget the Flowers and Skip the Brunch. I Hate Mother’s Day. http://j.mp/2VrUfAF « Medium

Parents Who Lost A Child Need A Day Like Mother's And Father's Day, http://j.mp/2HnstvB « The Federalist

Writing a Book With My Mom Kept Her Memory Alive, http://j.mp/2Vjl4qO  « Modern Loss

Parent Loss: Grieving An Elderly Mother

We knew and loved our mothers our whole life. It's no mystery why it hurts so much and why it takes so long to heal.  ~ Elaine Mallon 

A reader writes: Yesterday was the 4th month anniversary of my Mom's death. I still feel that after this time I have not fully grieved over her, or that if I do, I will not emerge from the pit of despair. I have been beset by material problems that have distracted me from grief, problems that are connected with her death. I feel that my mind is fracturing, that I am being hemmed in and trapped by everything, and there will be no end to this suffering. It is a constant companion that seems to not ever want to leave.

Understanding and Managing Grief, April 28 - May 4, 2019

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Hospice Journey, http://j.mp/2GTYZoG « Widower's Grief

‘My Death Stories Are My Birth Stories’ http://j.mp/2GUJJI3 « Modern Loss

We All Have A Grief Secret, http://j.mp/2H0tUjh « What's Your Grief?

In Grief: Supporting the Survivor of Suicide Loss

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.  ~ Helen Keller

A reader writes: Six months ago I learned that a dear friend’s husband died by suicide. He was found hanging in their garage. As horrible as that was, I’ve just been told that yesterday their 17-year-old son took his own life too, and in the very same way. We are all in a state of shock. I don’t know what I can do to help her. I don’t even know where to begin. Would you have any suggestions or words of wisdom for me?

Understanding and Managing Grief, April 21 - April 27, 2019

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Out of Grief Comes Faith, http://j.mp/2VnpsEs « The Grief Dialogues

Grief After Accidents, Suicide, and Other Sudden Losses, http://j.mp/2VuxStu « Crossroads

Why losing a dog can be harder than losing a relative or friend, http://j.mp/2KYWWEX « AfterTalk

Voices of Experience: A Glimpse of Life After Loss

By Sharon McCuistian

All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.  ~ Havelock Ellis

After the sudden, unexpected death of her husband, Sharon Ellis McCuistian found herself a widow at the age of 48. With two grown children in college, Sharon had to find a way to live in her new reality. She turned to the things she loved to help in her journey through grief: faith, family, friends, and her love of words. Writing became the cathartic venue by which she began to process her loss. That writing grew into her blog, Now Choose Life, where the following post first appeared. It is reprinted here with her permission.

Caregiving and Hospice, April 14 - April 20, 2019

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Caring for a Loved One: The Letter Every Caregiver Should Write, http://j.mp/2KUo6Nx « Grief In Common

8 Things to Consider Regarding End of Life Pain Management, http://j.mp/2Pmag4X « BK Books

How to Find the Right Words for Someone in Hospice, http://bit.ly/2H7LQuA « Next Avenue

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