As my mother's Parkinson's Disease progressed,  it was very apparent that food and the mealtime experience became more important to her.  So much so, that I remember saying "Mom's still finds joy in yummy food".  That said, her "yummy" was not always the healthiest, but we wanted her to be happy.  We knew that healthy foods were important, but probably not as important  as the joy of witnessing her with excitement dig in to a chocolate fudge sundae with extra whipped cream.  Now THAT was a  quality dining experience!

I have always been a proponent that if something is just not working well, shifting gears may be a solution.  Let's face it - everything is changing fast these days, so much so that it seems as if technology  leads the pack in shifting gears at every juncture of our daily lives.

We all like to think that have compassion for others don't we?   After all, we give care, so we must have empathy.  Is there a difference between caring and true compassion?

We all know that the only thing certain about our life is that someday it will end.  And yet death continues to be an elusive topic in most families and social circles.  Someone recently shared with me that she felt if she brought up the topic with her parents,  they might feel like she wanted to hurry things along.

Artist and blogger Phil Davies say the reason most frustrated artist stay frustrated is that they don't know how to practice their drawing and painting skills.  Each time they draw or paint a picture, they just hope it turns out better than the last one.  If we approach caregiving skills as an art, the question then is can it be mastered?

A survey form the National Council on Aging, UnitedHealthcare and USA Today concluded that most Boomers are optimistic about their future.  That is until you ask them about needing help as they age.  When it comes to the issues surrounding who will provide caregiving when they no longer are able, optimism turns to fear.

Responding to challenging behavior for people living with dementia is often the greatest triggers of stress,  helplessness and frustration for professional and family caregivers.  Learning to be an effective dementia care detective incorporates knowledge of behavioral expression and having effective tools to respond, reassure and comfort.