35 Questions To Ask Your Aging Parents

# 35 Questions to Ask Your Aging Parents: A Guide to Preserving Family History and Ensuring Well-being

Author: While there isn't a single universally recognized author for a list titled "35 Questions to Ask Your Aging Parents," many websites and publications offer similar lists. These lists often originate from geriatric care professionals, family therapists, or journalists specializing in family and aging issues. For the purpose of this analysis, let's assume the hypothetical author is Dr. Eleanor Vance, a geriatric psychiatrist with 20 years of experience working with older adults and their families. Dr. Vance's expertise in understanding the emotional and cognitive changes associated with aging, coupled with her clinical experience, lends significant credibility to the development of such a question list. Her background allows her to frame the questions not just as information-gathering tools, but as opportunities for meaningful connection and conflict resolution within families.

Keyword: 35 questions to ask your aging parents

Historical Context and Current Relevance of "35 Questions to Ask Your Aging Parents"

The act of recording family history has deep roots, dating back to oral traditions and genealogical records meticulously kept across generations. However, the formalized approach of prompting specific questions to capture this history, particularly within the context of aging parents, is a relatively recent development. The rising life expectancy in many developed countries and the increasing emphasis on preserving family legacies have fueled this trend.

Prior to the widespread accessibility of digital recording and easy communication, family history often relied on fragmented memories and handwritten notes. The "35 questions to ask your aging parents" approach provides a structured framework, ensuring a more comprehensive and systematic recording of memories. This structured approach is especially valuable given the potential cognitive decline associated with aging, which might affect memory recall.

The current relevance of such a list is undeniable. As families become more geographically dispersed and communication becomes increasingly digital, in-person opportunities for intergenerational dialogue are becoming scarce. "35 questions to ask your aging parents" provides a proactive method for initiating these crucial conversations. Beyond preserving family history, these questions also offer the chance to address vital practical matters: health concerns, legal documents, financial planning, and end-of-life wishes. Understanding these aspects allows for better family support and reduces potential future stress and conflict. Moreover, the act of asking these questions often strengthens familial bonds, offering an opportunity for shared reflection and appreciation.

Analyzing the 35 Questions (Hypothetical Example)

A typical "35 questions to ask your aging parents" list might encompass several categories:

Childhood and Family Origins: These questions delve into their upbringing, relationships with siblings, and early life experiences. Examples include: "Describe your childhood home," "What was your favorite childhood memory?" and "What were your parents like?"
Education and Career: Exploring their educational journey and professional life provides insights into their personal growth and societal context. Examples: "What was your first job?", "What was the most challenging aspect of your career?", and "What are you most proud of accomplishing in your work life?"
Relationships and Marriage: Understanding their relationships with significant others, friends, and community members enriches the family narrative. Examples: "How did you meet your spouse?", "What is your favorite memory with your [spouse/partner]?", and "Describe your closest friendship."
Life Challenges and Triumphs: Addressing significant events, obstacles overcome, and personal values offers valuable perspective and wisdom. Examples: "What was the biggest challenge you faced in life?", "What is the greatest lesson you've learned?", and "What advice would you give your younger self?"
Health and Finances: Questions regarding health history, medical information, and financial planning are crucial for practical family support and preparedness. Examples: "Do you have a living will or advance directive?", "Where are your important financial documents kept?", and "What are your health insurance details?"
Spiritual and Philosophical Beliefs: Understanding their beliefs and values provides insight into their worldview and personal guiding principles. Examples: "What are your spiritual or religious beliefs?", "What gives your life meaning?", and "What are your thoughts on [relevant philosophical topics]?"

Each of these categories contributes to creating a rich and multifaceted portrait of the aging parents. The “35 questions” framework helps to ensure a balanced exploration of these diverse aspects of their lives.

Publisher and Editor

Let's posit that this article, incorporating the hypothetical "35 questions," is published by ElderCare Solutions, a reputable online publication focused on providing resources and information for caregivers of older adults. ElderCare Solutions’ authority stems from its team of geriatric specialists, social workers, and medical professionals who contribute to its content. Their established reputation in the field lends credibility to their publication of this resource.

The editor, let's say, is Dr. Sarah Chen, a licensed clinical social worker with extensive experience in family therapy and geriatric care. Dr. Chen's expertise ensures that the questions are framed sensitively, recognizing the emotional complexities associated with aging and intergenerational conversations.

Summary of Main Findings and Conclusions

The "35 questions to ask your aging parents" approach offers a significant and multifaceted benefit. It serves as a valuable tool for preserving family history, fostering intergenerational connection, and ensuring practical planning for the future. The structured nature of the questions facilitates thorough and systematic information gathering, vital given the potential cognitive decline associated with age. This structured approach contrasts with relying on fragmented memories. Moreover, the act of asking these questions strengthens family bonds and provides invaluable opportunities for shared reflection, creating lasting memories and fostering closer relationships. The process is not merely about collecting data; it is about building stronger connections and providing support for both the aging parents and their families.

Conclusion

The "35 questions to ask your aging parents" initiative represents a powerful tool for families navigating the complexities of aging. By offering a structured approach to collecting family history and addressing practical matters, it promotes intergenerational connection, facilitates informed caregiving, and ensures a smoother transition for both parents and children. The initiative is grounded in the understanding that preserving family legacy is not simply about historical facts but also involves nurturing emotional bonds and ensuring the well-being of all family members.

FAQs

1. Why are these questions important? These questions help preserve precious family memories, facilitate important conversations about future care, and strengthen familial bonds.

2. How should I approach my parents with these questions? Choose a comfortable and relaxed setting. Be patient, empathetic, and allow them to share at their own pace.

3. What if my parents are reluctant to answer some questions? Respect their boundaries. It’s important to make the conversation comfortable, not an interrogation.

4. How can I record the answers? You can use a voice recorder, take written notes, or even video record the conversations (with their consent).

5. What should I do if the conversation becomes emotional? Be supportive, empathetic, and offer comfort. Remember the goal is connection.

6. Can I adapt these questions to my specific family situation? Absolutely. Feel free to modify or add questions that are relevant to your family's unique history and circumstances.

7. Should I involve siblings in this process? Involving siblings can make the process more collaborative and share the burden of responsibility.

8. Is there a specific order I should ask the questions? No, there isn’t a rigid order. Feel free to adjust the flow based on the conversation.

9. What if my parents have cognitive impairment? Adapt the questions to their cognitive abilities. Keep the conversations short, focused, and use visual aids if necessary.

Related Articles

1. "Navigating End-of-Life Conversations with Aging Parents": This article provides guidance on how to sensitively discuss end-of-life care options with aging parents, including advanced directives and palliative care.

2. "Legal and Financial Planning for Aging Parents": This resource covers essential legal and financial aspects of aging, such as wills, trusts, power of attorney, and long-term care insurance.

3. "Understanding Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease in Aging Parents": This article offers information on dementia and Alzheimer’s, including early signs, diagnosis, and management strategies.

4. "Maintaining Healthy Communication with Aging Parents": This resource focuses on techniques for effective communication with aging parents, considering potential communication barriers and cognitive changes.

5. "Caregiving for Aging Parents: A Practical Guide": A comprehensive guide to assisting aging parents, including practical advice on physical care, emotional support, and resource management.

6. "The Importance of Intergenerational Relationships in Family Well-being": This article explores the positive impact of strong intergenerational relationships on the mental and emotional health of all family members.

7. "Preserving Family History: Tips and Techniques for Recording Memories": This article explores various methods for documenting and preserving family history, beyond just asking questions.

8. "Creating a Family Memory Book: A Step-by-Step Guide": This guide provides practical instructions on creating a lasting family memory book using the information gathered from conversations with aging parents.

9. "Technology and Aging: Using Apps and Devices to Connect with Aging Parents": This article looks at useful technological tools to aid communication and caregiving for geographically distant aging parents.


  35 questions to ask your aging parents: 300 Questions to Ask Your Parents: Before it's Too Late Shannon L. Alder, 2023-02-14 Ask the perfect questions and receive answers full of wisdom with this easy-to-use guide. Learn from your parents the time honored traditions and habits that have made them who they are today, including their views on spirituality, what they learned in their youth, how they feel about parenting, and much more! With over 300 questions, this guide is a sure way to help you know your parents better.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: The Boomer's Guide to Aging Parents, Vol. 2,: How to Choose a Home Care Worker R. N. Attorney Carolyn L. Rosenblatt, 2009-01-01 This minibook is for anyone who is considering getting help in the home for an aging parent, and for the elders themselves who plan to hire someone. There is an explanation of the legal risks of hiring, and guidance about the best way to overcome your parent's resistance.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk Cameron Huddleston, 2019-06-25 Learn to start open, productive talks about money with your parents as they age As your parents age, you may find that you want or need to broach the often-difficult subject of finances. In Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk: How to Have Essential Conversations with Your Parents About Their Finances, you’ll learn the best ways to approach this issue, along with a wealth of financial and legal information that will help you help your parents into and through their golden years. Sometimes parents are reluctant to address money matters with their adult children, and topics such as long-term care, retirement savings (or lack thereof), and end-of-life planning can be particularly touchy. In this book, you’ll hear from others in your position who have successfully had “the talk” with their parents, and you’ll read about a variety of conversation strategies that can make talking finances more comfortable and more productive. Learn conversation starters and strategies to open the lines of communication about your parents’ finances Discover the essential financial and legal information you should gather from your parents to be prepared for the future Gain insight from others’ stories of successfully talking money with aging parents Gather the courage, hope, and motivation you need to broach difficult subjects such as care facilities and end-of-life plans For children of Baby Boomers and others looking to assist aging parents with their finances, Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk is a welcome and comforting read. Although talking money with your parents can be hard, you aren’t alone, and this book will guide you through the process of having fruitful financial conversations that lead to meaningful action.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Raising an Aging Parent Ken Druck, 2019-11-06
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Working Couples Caring for Children and Aging Parents Margaret B. Neal, Leslie B. Hammer, 2017-09-25 As the baby boomer generation approaches midlife, many dual-earner couples are struggling with issues of simultaneously caring for children while tending to aging parents. This timely book uncovers the circumstances faced by these workers, known as the “sandwiched generation”, and identifies what they need in order to fulfill their work and family responsibilities. Authors Margaret B. Neal and Leslie B. Hammer suggest the workplace as an arena for change, proposing that it adapt to the situations of today’s workers by providing flexibility and understanding the needs and priorities of families. Based on a four-year national study funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Working Couples Caring for Children and Aging Parents examines: employer and governmental initiatives affecting work and family life in the United States; supports provided to working caregivers in countries other than the United States; the effects of being “sandwiched” on work-family fit, well-being, and work; and changes in work and family roles and outcomes over time. This book will interest a broad audience, including students, policymakers, family care practitioners, IO psychologists, work-life professionals, gerontologists, sociologists, human resource managers, and occupational health psychologists.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Listful Thinking Paula Rizzo, 2015-01-13 What do Madonna, Martha Stewart, John Lennon, Ellen DeGeneres, Ben Franklin, Ronald Reagan, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Edison, and Johnny Cash have in common? Each is (or was) a list maker. These successful people, along with CEOs and successful entrepreneurs, all use lists to keep track of their ideas, thoughts, and tasks. Finding enough hours in the day to get everything accomplished and allow for some downtime can be a struggle. It's no wonder so many of us are stressed, overextended, and exhausted. More than half of all American employees feel overwhelmed, according to a study by the nonprofit Family and Work Institute. For the 54 percent of us who feel like we’re chasing our own tails, Listful Thinking is here to prove that it doesn't have to be that way. You can still find time to relax, read a good book, and do the things you love. Listful Thinking is the book that will give readers their lives back with indispensible tips on saving time, getting organized, improving productivity, saving money, and reducing stress.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: The Parent Care Conversation Daniel Taylor, 2006 A practical handbook for those caring for elderly parents explains how to develop an effective, workable plan of action that takes into consideration the parents' feelings and wishes, as well as such practical and financial components as health care, retirement, long-term care, and more. Original. 20,000 first printing.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Navigating the Journey of Aging Parents Cheryl A. Kuba, 2013-05-13 Navigating the Journey of Aging Parents proposes an entirely unique approach to the field of gerontology, giving dependent care receivers a voice. Caregivers will be made aware of what care receivers truly want during life's final chapters. Exploring issues of housing, spirituality, personal care and death, Cheryl Kuba has created a testament to the dependent elderly. This book draws on numerous interviews with aging people and discusses common caregiver mistakes and interpretations, what a caregiver should expect when an aging parent moves in, and how to care for an aging parent from afar. Kuba also delves into such phenomena as guilt, role reversal, changing family dynamics, financial stress, and caring for oneself while caring for another. The 22.4 million elderly people being cared for in the United States comprises the fastest growing segment of the population, making this reference on the opinions and concerns of care receivers invaluable.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Families Caring for an Aging America National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division, Board on Health Care Services, Committee on Family Caregiving for Older Adults, 2016-12-08 Family caregiving affects millions of Americans every day, in all walks of life. At least 17.7 million individuals in the United States are caregivers of an older adult with a health or functional limitation. The nation's family caregivers provide the lion's share of long-term care for our older adult population. They are also central to older adults' access to and receipt of health care and community-based social services. Yet the need to recognize and support caregivers is among the least appreciated challenges facing the aging U.S. population. Families Caring for an Aging America examines the prevalence and nature of family caregiving of older adults and the available evidence on the effectiveness of programs, supports, and other interventions designed to support family caregivers. This report also assesses and recommends policies to address the needs of family caregivers and to minimize the barriers that they encounter in trying to meet the needs of older adults.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Assisting Our Aging Parents and Patients Lesley J. Slepner, 2011 This book is intended to act as a guide, not a follow this path and all will be well roadmap. There are as many routes to the objective (safety and sanity) as there are families taking the journey. Just as you plan a trip, Slepner hopes to help you plan your path through your relative's older years. Looking at the map to plan your route and to check for alternate pathways is an excellent way to be sure that your trip is as smooth as possible. Planning for your family's older years will have much the same outcome if you take the time to plan for the journey and anticipate obstacles you may face along the way.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: The Everything Guide to Caring for Aging Parents Kathy Quan, 2009-01-17 There are a lot of issues to consider as our loved ones get older. From in-home care to assisted living facilities, there are myriad options available - and each person's needs are unique. Family members need a resource that will answer all of their questions and ease them through this often complicated transition. This helpful handbook guides concerned children as they: decide which level of care is best for their parent; maintain communication and discuss difficult topics; handle home safety issues; manage transportation; find and work with a primary-care physician; navigate insurance paperwork; handle legal issues and questions; and other sensitive issues. From setting up a support network to avoiding scams, this informative guide will help a family decide on - and implement - the best care options for their loved ones.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Aging with a Plan Sharona Hoffman, 2015-05-12 This book offers a concise, comprehensive resource for middle-aged readers who are facing the prospects of their own aging and of caring for elderly relatives—an often overwhelming task for which little in life prepares us. Everyone ages, and nearly everyone will also experience having to support aging relatives. Being prepared is the best way to handle this inevitable life stage. This book addresses a breadth of topics that are relevant to aging and caring for the elderly, analyzing each thoroughly and providing up-to-date, practical advice. It can serve as a concise and comprehensive resource read start-to-finish to plan for an individual's own old age or to anticipate the needs of aging relatives, or as a quick-reference guide on specific issues and topics as relevant to each reader's situation and needs. Using an interdisciplinary approach, Aging with a Plan: How a Little Thought Today Can Vastly Improve Your Tomorrow develops recommendations for building sustainable social, legal, medical, and financial support systems that can promote a good quality of life throughout the aging process. Chapters address critical topics such as retirement savings and expenses, residential settings, legal planning, the elderly and driving, long-term care, and end-of-life decisions. The author combines analysis of recent research on the challenges of aging with engaging anecdotes and personal observations. By following the recommendations in this book, readers in their 40s, 50s, and early 60s will greatly benefit from learning about the issues regarding aging in the 21st century—and from investing some effort in planning for their old age and that of their loved ones.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: The Caregiving Trap Pamela D. Wilson, 2015-10-06 The Caregiving Trap combines the authentic life and professional experience of Pamela D. Wilson, who provides recommendations for overwhelmed and frustrated caregivers who themselves may one day need care. The Caregiving Trap includes stories about Pamela's actual personal and professional experience along with end of chapter exercises to support caregivers. Common caregiving issues include: A sense of duty and obligation to provide care that damages family relationships Emotional and financial challenges resulting in denial of care needs Ignorance of predictive events that result in situations of crises or harm Delayed decision making and lack of planning resulting in limited choices Minimum standards of care supporting the need for advocacy
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Doing the Right Thing Roberta Satow, Ph.D., 2006-03-16 Now in paperback, one of the first books to help navigate the profound emotional challenges of caring for elderly parents in a strained parent-child relationship.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: The Family Guide to Aging Parents Carolyn Rosenblatt, 2015-03-17 There are more than 43 million adult family caregivers caring for their aging parents and family members in the United States alone. While Boomers are about to enjoy retirement and the freedoms that come with a life well lived, the responsibility of caring for their aging parents is a key issue they unexpectedly face. The Boomer’s Guide to Aging Parents is the complete guide to help the caregiver understand the issues and be prepared for the realities. Covering everything from legal issues to what to do when your aging parent still wants to drive, The Boomer's Guide provides clear counsel for giving loving care and enjoying life after retirement.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: A Bittersweet Season Jane Gross, 2011-04-26 Just a few of the vitally important lessons in caring for your aging parent—and yourself—from Jane Gross in A Bittersweet Season As painful as the role reversal between parent and child may be for you, assume it is worse for your mother or father, so take care not to demean or humiliate them. Avoid hospitals and emergency rooms, as well as multiple relocations from home to assisted living facility to nursing home, since all can cause dramatic declines in physical and cognitive well-being among the aged. Do not accept the canard that no decent child sends a parent to a nursing home. Good nursing home care, which supports the entire family, can be vastly superior to the pretty trappings but thin staffing of assisted living or the solitude of being at home, even with round-the-clock help. Important Facts Every state has its own laws, eligibility standards, and licensing requirements for financial, legal, residential, and other matters that affect the elderly, including qualification for Medicare. Assume anything you understand in the state where your parents once lived no longer applies if they move. Many doctors will not accept new Medicare patients, nor are they legally required to do so, especially significant if a parent is moving a long distance to be near family in old age. An adult child with power of attorney can use a parent’s money for legitimate expenses and thus hasten the spend-down to Medicaid eligibility. In other words, you are doing your parent no favor—assuming he or she is likely to exhaust personal financial resources—by paying rent, stocking the refrigerator, buying clothes, or taking him or her to the hairdresser or barber.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Bettyville George Hodgman, 2015-03-10 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD “A beautifully crafted memoir, rich with humor and wisdom.” —Will Schwalbe, author of The End of Your Life Book Club “The idea of a cultured gay man leaving New York City to care for his aging mother in Paris, Missouri, is already funny, and George Hodgman reaps that humor with great charm. But then he plunges deep, examining the warm yet fraught relationship between mother and son with profound insight and understanding.” —Alison Bechdel, author of Fun Home When George Hodgman leaves Manhattan for his hometown of Paris, Missouri, he finds himself—an unlikely caretaker and near-lethal cook—in a head-on collision with his aging mother, Betty, a woman of wit and will. Will George lure her into assisted living? When hell freezes over. He can’t bring himself to force her from the home both treasure—the place where his father’s voice lingers, the scene of shared jokes, skirmishes, and, behind the dusty antiques, a rarely acknowledged conflict: Betty, who speaks her mind but cannot quite reveal her heart, has never really accepted the fact that her son is gay. As these two unforgettable characters try to bring their different worlds together, Hodgman reveals the challenges of Betty’s life and his own struggle for self-respect, moving readers from their small town—crumbling but still colorful—to the star-studded corridors of Vanity Fair. Evocative of The End of Your Life Book Club and The Tender Bar, Hodgman’s New York Times bestselling debut is both an indelible portrait of a family and an exquisitely told tale of a prodigal son’s return.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: The ABA Checklist for Family Heirs Sally Balch Hurme, 2011 The ABA Checklist for Family Heirs is a wonderful tool for anyone needing assistance in organizing information for heirs. The book, which comes complete with a CD of documents that can be modified according to one's needs, includes the following checklists: personal history; family history; insurance; benefits for survivors; banking and savings; investments; real estate; debts; wills and trusts; and final wishes.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Juggling Life, Work, and Caregiving Amy Goyer, 2015 One in four American adult face the challenges of caring for an adult friend or relative. Although caregiving can be a richly rewarding and joyful experience, the role comes with enormous responsibilities-- and pressures. This gentle guide provides practical resources and tips that are easy to find when you need them, whether you're caregiving day to day, planning for future needs, or in the middle of a crisis. Goyer offers insight, inspiration, and poignant stories and experiences of caregivers, including her own as a live-in caregiver for her parents.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: How to Care for Aging Parents, 3rd Edition Virginia Morris, 2004-10-15 “The bible of eldercare”—ABC World News. “An indispensable book”—AARP. “A compassionate guide of encyclopedic proportion”—The Washington Post. And, winner of a Books for a Better Life Award. How to Care for Aging Parents is the best and bestselling book of its kind, and its author, Virginia Morris, is the go-to person on eldercare for the media, appearing on Oprah, TODAY, and Good Morning America, among many other outlets. How to Care for Aging Parents is an authoritative, clear, and comforting source of advice and support for the ever-growing number of Americans—now 42 million—who care for an elderly parent, relative, or friend. And now, in its third edition, it is completely overhauled and updated, chapter-by-chapter and page-by-page, with the most recent medical findings and recommendations. It includes a whole new chapter on fraud; details on the latest “aging in place” technologies; more helpful online resources; and everything you need to know about current laws and regulations. Also new are fill-in worksheets for gathering specifics on medications; caregivers’ names, schedules, and contact info; doctors’ phone numbers and addresses; and other essential information in one handy place at the back of the book. From having that first difficult conversation to arranging a funeral and dealing with grief—and all of the other important issues in between—How to Care for Aging Parents is the essential guide.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Caring for Your Parents Hugh Delehanty, Elinor Ginzler, 2008 Practical advice you can trust from the experts at AARP--Cover.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: The Heart's Journey to Freedom Jade Mazarin, 2010-05 Do you feel attached to a guy and unable to let go? Are you missing out on your potential? You know it's not healthy. You know you need freedom and a stronger version of yourself. But how do you get there? Ladies, there is hope. Written by someone who has been there, this book can be your guide... - Uncover why you stay attached and how to let go, step by step - Deepen your faith and discover who you were made to be ........................................................ Jade Mazarin writes with wisdom, strength and authenticity to give women hope and courage to explore the deepest longings of their hearts and true nature. Every woman who has struggled with attachments will benefit from this book full of insights, biblical truths and practical applications. MARY ANN WOODWARD, Licensed Counselor, Paraclete Counseling Center It is rare to read a book that is as open and vulnerable about relationships as this one. Jade uses the challenges she has faced to inform others about the ways God intends us to live. This book can provide insight for those who wonder about God's plan. DEANNE TERRELL, Psychologist, Dean, Richmont Graduate University Jade Mazarin has a passion for helping women with unhealthy attachments. Many of my clients have attended her seminar and found it life-changing. I know this book will meet the needs of many. RICHARD BLANKENSHIP, LPC, NCC, CCSAS, Author of S.A.R.A.H The Heart's Journey to Freedom is a beautifully written account of one person's courageous path through attachment and surrender. I believe you will find it inspirational. GARY W. MOON, Vice President and Professor, Richmont Graduate University Jade Mazarin, M.A., offers counseling and spiritual direction in Vero Beach, FL. She guides others by drawing from both her professional and personal experiences. www.jademazarin.com
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: The Invisible Conversations (TM) with Your Aging Parents Shannon A. White, 2012-03 Why read The Invisible Conversations with Your Aging Parents? If you're an adult who's caring for an aging parent, you might being facing something like this: Mom's health is beginning to decline. You love her, but you're worried about how you're going to provide the care she needs while handling the other demands in your life. Dad has always been a private person. You want to support his life choices as he gets older. How do you talk about what he needs both now and in the future? Ever since Dad's death, Mom hasn't been the same. How do you help her grieve, when you're dealing with your own feelings of loss? Whether it's discussing living arrangements, health issues, money, grief and loss, the ability to drive, or advance directives, this must-have resource will help you start or continue the conversations you want and need have with your aging parents. Shannon guides you through facing the toughest topics, so you can communicate clearly with dignity and respect. Her practical tools will help you alleviate stress and nurture a deeper connection within your relationship together.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Necessary Conversations Gerald Kaufman, 2015-01-27 In this timely book, family counselors Gerald and Marlene Kaufman urge adult children and their parents to have direct conversations about the decisions that lie ahead as parents age. The Kaufmans suggest that families use their parents' retirement as the benchmark for having the first discussion about their parents' plans for the next phase of their lives. The Kaufmans point out that most families wait until they're faced with a crisis before having these conversations. The big questions facing aging adults are: 1. Where should they live as they become less able to care for a property? 2. How will they manage their finances so that they are as prepared as possible to meet their needs as they age? Are they ready to invite one or more of their children to become their partners in making financial decisions? 3. Are they ready to invite one or more of their children to become their partners in making their medical decisions? 4. How can parents and children work together in determining when it's no longer safe or wise for the parents to drive? 5. What end-of-life decisions should parents be prepared to make? What is the best way to have those discussions? Necessary Conversations is filled with stories and examples from many families, most with different life circumstances, but all facing these same issues. The chapters end with Getting Started, a list of suggestions for action, as well as Questions for focusing on practical outcomes to the discussions. The book includes a series of exhibits—from a Needs Assessment for Caregivers to a Medications and Supplements List to a Driving Contract and Checklist. A thoughtful and useful guide to a life stage that's often dreaded and muddled through. Gerald W. Kaufman and L. Marlene Kaufman have been family counselors for nearly 40 years. This book grew out of a seminar they were asked to lead with their adult daughter and her husband.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: All This Could Be Different Sarah Thankam Mathews, 2023-08-01 2022 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST ONE OF THE LOS ANGELES TIMES' TOP 5 FICTION BOOKS OF THE YEAR ONE OF TIME AND SLATE'S TOP 10 BOOKS OF THE YEAR Named one of the BEST BOOKS OF 2022 by NPR, Vogue, Vulture, BuzzFeed, Harper's Bazaar, and more “One of the buzziest, most human novels of the year…breathless, dizzying, and completely beautiful.” —Vogue “Dazzling and wholly original...[written] with such mordant wit, insight, and specificity, it feels like watching a new literary star being born in real time.” —Entertainment Weekly From a brilliant new voice comes an electrifying novel of a young immigrant building a life for herself—a warm, dazzling, and profound saga of queer love, friendship, work, and precarity in twenty-first century America Graduating into the long maw of an American recession, Sneha is one of the fortunate ones. She’s moved to Milwaukee for an entry-level corporate job that, grueling as it may be, is the key that unlocks every door: she can pick up the tab at dinner with her new friend Tig, get her college buddy Thom hired alongside her, and send money to her parents back in India. She begins dating women—soon developing a burning crush on Marina, a beguiling and beautiful dancer who always seems just out of reach. But before long, trouble arrives. Painful secrets rear their heads; jobs go off the rails; evictions loom. Sneha struggles to be truly close and open with anybody, even as her friendships deepen, even as she throws herself headlong into a dizzying romance with Marina. It’s then that Tig begins to draw up a radical solution to their problems, hoping to save them all. A beautiful and capacious novel rendered in singular, unforgettable prose, All This Could Be Different is a wise, tender, and riveting group portrait of young people forging love and community amidst struggle, and a moving story of one immigrant’s journey to make her home in the world.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Caring for Yourself While Caring for Your Aging Parents, Third Edition Claire Berman, 2005-12-27 For women and men who are involved in caring for aging parents, and for those who see caregiving in their future, this empathetic and practical book offers complete coverage of all the practical issues you are likely to confront, while addressing the emotional stress and particular needs of caregivers. Claire Berman, drawing on her own experiences, the experiences of many other adult children, and interviews with specialists in the geriatric field, discusses the wide range of emotions that can accompany caregiving--Publisher.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Life's Golden Ticket Brendon Burchard, 2012-08-06 A fictionalized account on one man's journey through a theme park of life after being implored by his dying fiancee to go and discover... Trapped in a prison of his past so he can't see the possibilities, the gifts and the choices available to him, his journey is our journey. Based on Brendon's experience teaching and coaching, he realizes that people never transform the quality of their lives unless their hearts and minds are truly engaged in changing - they need to have a deep, emotional reason to change. This beautiful, engaging story of love, loss and redemption will connect with people immediately. It will also cause readers to think and reflect on their lives more deeply, become more aware of their own life stories, accept their authentic selves, and become accountable for who they are. Brendon reaches out to engage hearts and minds in transforming lives with emotional edge and mental clarity. What is this golden ticket? And what kind of life does it really gain us admission to? The chapters are arranged into life lessons around 4 gates to transformation: Awareness, Acceptance, Accountability, and Action. Whatever you do, pay the price of admission for Life's Golden Ticket! This book is entertaining, provocative and loaded with wisdom. Honestly, this is the most original book I've read in years! (Bill Treasurer, CEO, Giant Leap Consulting and author of Right Risk - Ten Powerful Principles for Taking Giant Leaps with Your Life) I read the story in one sitting, I just couldn't put it down. I cried, I laughed, I cheered, I wondered where it was all going - and when I finished, I was so thankful for the journey (K C George, Corporate Program Manager, VISA USA) Life's Golden Ticket is wise without being preachy, inspiring without forgetting insight, entertaining without sacrificing empowerment. Brendon Burchard shows incredible depth, compassion, and wisdom on every page. He has given us a true gift. (Kelley Graham, Director, Levi Strauss & Co)
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Retirementology Gregory Salsbury, 2010-04-25 Bonus content What's Your Retirementology I.Q.? included in this digital edition. Looking ahead to retirement? Depending on your circumstances and your age, you may no longer have any margin for error. And your emotions and irrational behavior could be perpetuating a dangerous cycle of overspending and rising debt that may shatter whatever vision of retirement you still have. Welcome to the world of Retirementology. Retirementology bridges retirement planning with investor psychology and the market Meltdown of 2008 to produce an entirely new way of thinking about how we spend, how we save, how we borrow, and how we invest. Financial mistakes are deeply rooted in human nature, but you may be able to overcome them--if you understand the breakthrough principles of behavioral economics and apply them in your own retirement planning. Dr. Gregory Salsbury identifies some of the classic cognitive biases and behavioral mistakes most of us keep making when it comes to retirement planning. For example: Why will people drive 45 minutes to use a $2.00 coupon? Why won’t people sell a poor performing stock just because they inherited it from grandma? Why do people spend differently with a credit card than they do with cash? Why do people believe that they paid no income taxes because they received a refund? You’ll learn why the financial meltdown has amplified the impact of these all-too-human cognitive mistakes and discover ideas for addressing them. The bottom line for your bottom line is that retirement can no longer be ignored, viewed as a single event, relegated to a “zone,” or romanticized. Instead, you must understand how every spending and financial decision you make from here on can impact the way you will spend your golden years. Retirementology attempts to help you do just that. Retirement planning: right brain versus left brain Why these different areas of the brain impact financial decisions--and what to do about it It’s real money! “De-layering” your finances How to overcome the psychological tricks that separate you from your money Family matters: managing financial support decisions for your extended family Choosing between your family or your retirement Get “long-term smart” How longevity, inflation, volatility, and your own expectations impact your retirement goals
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Our Turn to Parent Barbara Dunn, Linda Scott, 2010-06-04 No one can anticipate what it will be like for you the day you discover you must become a caregiver for one or both of your parents. As you begin to care for them, you will be filled with questions and looking for advice. Our Turn to Parent shows you how to work with your parent to become their caregiver and their champion, and it provides the tools you need to make decisions and feel confident that you are doing right by your aging parents. With stories from real lives, it also offers honest and personal anecdotes about surviving these trying times. Our Turn to Parent is the best and most thorough caregivers’ guide available in Canada today. Our Turn to Parent offers practical advice on •deciding when you need to step in and help •developing the caregiver relationship with your parents •discussing with the family your parents’ hopes and plans for the future •adapting the home so that it is safe and comfortable for their evolving needs •finding appropriate care and help in your community •choosing the right place for your parent to live should independent living no longer be possible •navigating the medical system •organizing your parents’ finances before they become incapacitated •making clear your parents’ personal care and end-of-life wishes •caring for yourself “I have found the last few years to be the most challenging in my life and the most fulfilling…. I have laughed with my mother and cried with my mother, but most of all I have been there for her as she was for me as I was growing up.”–A Caregiver’s Story
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: The Book of Questions Gregory Stock, 2013-09-10 The phenomenon returns! Originally published in 1987, The Book of Questions, a New York Times bestseller, has been completely revised and updated to incorporate the myriad cultural shifts and hot-button issues of the past twenty-five years, making it current and even more appealing. This is a book for personal growth, a tool for deepening relationships, a lively conversation starter for the family dinner table, a fun way to pass the time in the car. It poses over 300 questions that invite people to explore the most fascinating of subjects: themselves and how they really feel about the world. The revised edition includes more than 100 all-new questions that delve into such topics as the disappearing border between man and machine—How would you react if you learned that a sad and beautiful poem that touched you deeply had been written by a computer? The challenges of being a parent—Would you completely rewrite your child’s college-application essays if it would help him get into a better school? The never-endingly interesting topic of sex—Would you be willing to give up sex for a year if you knew it would give you a much deeper sense of peace than you now have? And of course the meaning of it all—If you were handed an envelope with the date of your death inside, and you knew you could do nothing to alter your fate, would you look? The Book of Questions may be the only publication that challenges—and even changes—the way you view the world, without offering a single opinion of its own.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: The Midnight Library Matt Haig, 2021-01-27 Good morning America book club--Jacket.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: The Second Half of Marriage Leader's Guide David Arp, Claudia Arp, 2000-08-18 Your children are gone or leaving soon. It's time to focus once again on your own future and your marriage. What's in store for the second half? David and Claudia Arp provide answers and practical help in this groundbreaking book. Drawing on their national survey of hundreds of second-half couples, the Arps reveal eight marital challenges every long-term marriage faces, and they offer strategies and exercises for meeting each of them. The Second Half of Marriage will challenge you to create a vision for the rest of your life together and inspire you to make that vision a reality. The second half of marriage can be a time of fulfillment, no matter what challenges a couple previously faced. Couples can rediscover each other and build a more mature, satisfying, and romantic life together. The Second Half of Marriage ZondervanGroupware is a unique resource designed to facilitate this rediscovery and rebuilding.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents Lindsay C. Gibson, 2015-06-01 Now a New York Times bestseller! If you grew up with an emotionally immature, unavailable, or selfish parent, you may have lingering feelings of anger, loneliness, betrayal, or abandonment. You may recall your childhood as a time when your emotional needs were not met, when your feelings were dismissed, or when you took on adult levels of responsibility in an effort to compensate for your parent’s behavior. These wounds can be healed, and you can move forward in your life. In this breakthrough book, clinical psychologist Lindsay Gibson exposes the destructive nature of parents who are emotionally immature or unavailable. You will see how these parents create a sense of neglect, and discover ways to heal from the pain and confusion caused by your childhood. By freeing yourself from your parents’ emotional immaturity, you can recover your true nature, control how you react to them, and avoid disappointment. Finally, you’ll learn how to create positive, new relationships so you can build a better life. Discover the four types of difficult parents: The emotional parent instills feelings of instability and anxiety The driven parent stays busy trying to perfect everything and everyone The passive parent avoids dealing with anything upsetting The rejecting parent is withdrawn, dismissive, and derogatory
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Mum, Tell Me Elma Van Vliet, 2019-03-07 THE BELOVED INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER A gift book for your mother, a lifetime of precious memories for you Mum, Tell Me is a gift book that gives you the chance to ask your mother all those questions you'd always wondered about, and plenty you hadn't. Questions like - What did you want to be when you grew up? - Did you ever have your heart broken? - What is one of the most beautiful or special things you've achieved in life? - How did motherhood change you? Once she's answered them, she gives the book back to you. And you'll be left with a lasting chronicle of your mum's memories, dreams, wishes and stories; a personal keepsake to treasure.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Aging with Care Amanda Lambert, Leslie Eckford, 2017-11-10 Finding the right fit to match aging adults with the best caregiver to assist them in their home can be fraught with challenge. In today’s pressurized world, the process involves overstressed family members and a shortage of great caregivers. So many adult children are seeking a helping hand and a friendly, experienced voice to guide them through this emotionally charged rite of passage. Aging with Care: Your Guide to Hiring and Managing Caregivers in the Home, takes a personal, professional, and sometimes humorous approach to the challenges, benefits, pitfalls and problems of hiring in-home caregivers. Here, two geriatric care experts explore the essential credentials and experience a home caregiver should have, pitfalls to avoid, hiring options and managing costs, and the decisions that go into finding the right fit for your loved one to be able to age in place. Sharing stories and insights from interviews with caregivers and elders, as well as industry experts, they walk you through the ins and outs, and provide you with the tools necessary to making the best care choices you can for the ones you love.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Women Rowing North Mary Pipher, 2019-01-15 New York Times Bestseller * USA Today Bestseller* Los Angeles Times Bestseller * Publishers Weekly Bestseller A guide to wisdom, authenticity, and bliss for women as they age by the author of Reviving Ophelia. Women growing older contend with ageism, misogyny, and loss. Yet as Mary Pipher shows, most older women are deeply happy and filled with gratitude for the gifts of life. Their struggles help them grow into the authentic, empathetic, and wise people they have always wanted to be. In Women Rowing North, Pipher offers a timely examination of the cultural and developmental issues women face as they age. Drawing on her own experience as daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, caregiver, clinical psychologist, and cultural anthropologist, she explores ways women can cultivate resilient responses to the challenges they face. “If we can keep our wits about us, think clearly, and manage our emotions skillfully,” Pipher writes, “we will experience a joyous time of our lives. If we have planned carefully and packed properly, if we have good maps and guides, the journey can be transcendent.”
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Kiplinger's Personal Finance , 1991-03 The most trustworthy source of information available today on savings and investments, taxes, money management, home ownership and many other personal finance topics.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Elder Rage Jacqueline Marcell, 2001 Elder Rage, or Take My Father... Please: How to Survive Caring for Aging Parents--is a riveting true story as well as an extensive self-help book, with solutions for effective management, medically and behaviorally, of challenging elders who resist care. Jacqueline Marcell's poignant and often-humorous story of caring for her challenging elderly father and sweet but frail mother, addresses issues like how to get an obstinate elder to: give up driving, accept a caregiver, see a different doctor, take medication, go to adult day care, move to a new residence, etc. Includes: Behavior Modification Guidelines, 25 Q&A's=How Do I Handle My Elderly Loved One Who...?, Long-Term Care Insurance, Ten Warning Signs of Alzheimer's, How is Alzheimer's Diagnosed, Three Stages of Alzheimer's, Startling Statistics, Other Diseases That Act Like Alzheimer's, Jacqueline's Top Ten Recommendations, Hope For The Future, The Search for the Cure, Valuable Resources, Recommended Reading. Internationally known dementia specialist, Rodman Shankle, MS MD, contributes the Addendum: A Physician's Guide to Treating Dementia. Over 50 endorsements include: Hugh Downs, Regis Philbin, Dr. Dean Edell, Duke University Center for Aging, Dr. Nancy Snyderman/ABC News, Leeza Gibbons, Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, Rudy Tanzi/Harvard Medical School, and The Johns Hopkins Memory Clinic. http://www.elderrage.com
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: Motherhood ? Is It for Me? Denise L. Carlini, Ann Davidman, 2016-11-15 Deciding yes or not to motherhood can be fraught with confusion, pain, and loneliness. Many a woman is undecided about arguably the most important life-defining decision she'll make in her lifetime. With the 'Motherhood -- Is it for me?' program, the authors of this book, both dedicated and seasoned psychotherapists, created a process that has helped countless women over the last 25 years. Finally available in print, this program is the perfect resource for closely examining ambivalence around this crucial life choice. Through precise steps, readers are guided on their own personal journeys toward deeper understanding and learn what they really want. The process even allows a woman who is experiencing extremely painful immobilization to find her way through to her true desire. The authors know from their professional experience that an analytical pros-and-cons approach often fails to successfully answer this most personal question. Interspersed throughout this book are twenty diverse stories of women who made conscious choices, half deciding yes and half deciding no. Their stories -- and sometimes advice -- create a valuable community that provides support to every reader, breaking the isolation they may feel.--Book cover.
  35 questions to ask your aging parents: When Your Parents Grow Old Florence D. Shelley, 1988 Rev. ed. of: When your parents grow old / Jane Otten. 1976. Bibliography: p. 399-411. Includes index.
35 (number) - Wikipedia
35 (thirty-five) is the natural number following 34 and preceding 36. 35 is a tetrahedral number. 35 is the sum of the first five triangular numbers, making it a tetrahedral number. [1] 35 is the 10th …

Where is telephone country code 35? - Answers
Dec 16, 2024 · Country codes beginning with +35 (dialed from many countries as 00 35 or 011 35) refer to a number of countries in Europe. To narrow it down to one specific country, you …

Intelligence Analyst | U.S. Army - goarmy.com
In this job, you’ll be responsible for providing the Army with crucial and reliable information about enemy forces and potential areas of conflict. Additionally, you'll analyze and distribute tactical …

Ariana Grande - 34+35 (official video) - YouTube
The official “34+35” music video by Ariana Grande. Listen & download Positions (the album) here: http://arianagrande.lnk.to/positions Subscribe to Ariana Gra...

Which country code is 35?
There is actually not a single country with +35 as international prefix. 10 countries in Europe are using a three digit prefix that starts with +35 Or 0035: 00351 – Portugal.

What Does the Number 35 Mean in Our World?
Discover the intriguing world of the number 35, a unique figure with rich historical, mathematical, and cultural significance. In this article, we delve into its distinctive properties, symbolic …

35 celsius to fahrenheit - 35 °C to °F - Metric Conversion
How to convert 35 Celsius to Fahrenheit. Multiply the Celsius value by the Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion factor: 35 * 1.8 = 63. Finally, add the Fahrenheit offset of 32 to the result: 63 + 32 = …

Qi35 | TaylorMade Golf
Qi35 is designed to give golfers more distance from more of the face* while maintaining maximized forgiveness through high MOI designs. Whether you’re looking for low spin and …

35 Minute Timer - Online Stopwatch
Simple to use, no settings, just click start for a countdown timer of 35 Minutes. Try the Fullscreen button in classrooms and meetings :-)

Prefijo +35 • Códigos telefónicos - Códigos Internacionales
Conoce el país de origen de los números de teléfono que comienzan con el prefijo telefónico +35 o 0035 ¡Descubre los códigos de área de los teléfonos de cualquier país!

35 (number) - Wikipedia
35 (thirty-five) is the natural number following 34 and preceding 36. 35 is a tetrahedral number. 35 is the sum of the first five triangular numbers, …

Where is telephone country code 35? - Answers
Dec 16, 2024 · Country codes beginning with +35 (dialed from many countries as 00 35 or 011 35) refer to a number of countries in Europe. To narrow it …

Intelligence Analyst | U.S. Army - goarmy.com
In this job, you’ll be responsible for providing the Army with crucial and reliable information about enemy forces and potential areas of …

Ariana Grande - 34+35 (official video) - YouTube
The official “34+35” music video by Ariana Grande. Listen & download Positions (the album) here: http://arianagrande.lnk.to/positions …

Which country code is 35?
There is actually not a single country with +35 as international prefix. 10 countries in Europe are using a three digit prefix that starts with +35 Or …