by: Bunni Dybnis, MA, LMFT, CMC COVID-19 has dramatically changed our world. The news, warnings, restrictions, instructions, double messages, shortages, politics, financial implications are never-ending. Most are resilient. After the initial chaos, fears, panic, and confusion, the emotional upheaval will settle down. Most will adapt to the changing world as we have adjusted to life’s…
by: Linda Fodrini-Johnson Millions of families, and my own family, are under great pressure during this unprecedented time in our nation’s history. We had been worried or concerned about our aging parents before the pandemic, but now we are even more stressed worrying about them contracting this devastating disease. There is so much conflicting (and…
by: Charlene Neu Could COVID-19 have contributed to my Mom’s death on March 2? We will never know, though she was considered to be in the most vulnerable group and had been diagnosed with Pneumonia mid-February. What I do know is that as heartbreaking it was to lose her then, it would be devastating to…
by: Susan Valoff This blog post was originally scheduled for March, designated annually as “Social Work Month.” March is also when life, as we know it in the United States, started to change, dramatically. In these days when everything feels upended, there is no better time to recognize the tremendous value that social workers bring…
On March 25th, 2020, I had the honor of meeting with some of the top women business leaders in the Seattle area. These ladies are some of the hardest working women I know. They are smart, creative and committed to not only making their businesses succeed, but they also want to make the world a…
By: Lisa Mayfield As more residents in retirement communities are diagnosed with COVID-19, some families are struggling with the decision of whether to bring their parents back home. With all the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, this is an understandable and important question. Yet any consideration of a move should not be taken lightly, especially with so…
by Lisa Kaufman Even if I have been a member of the Aging Life Care Association for nearly 20 years, I have always thought of myself as the “red-headed stepchild” (yes, go ahead and laugh if you know me…) of ALCA. And now I see an opportunity for my “particular set of skills” to be…
By: Linda Fodrini-Johnson, MA, MFT, CMC, Walnut Creek, CA The current worldwide pandemic is causing sleepless nights, hand wringing and some strange behaviors having to do with fear that can sometimes bring out the worst in us. However, we are also seeing some incredible acts of kindness and selflessness in neighbors helping neighbors. As, well…
by Lisa Kaufman I received a call this morning. A man who has never spoken with me before wanted my opinion about the care needs of his 80-year-old mother. He explained that she has moderate to severe (read severe) dementia, visual impairment, is hard of hearing and is in renal failure requiring dialysis. He went…
by Miriam Zucker I live in New Rochelle, New York, a city whose fame is rooted with the Petrie’s of The Dick Van Dyke show. That image of a suburban family living on a quiet tree-lined street changed dramatically on March 10. New Rochelle became the first COVID-19 containment area in the United States. On…