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Old 03-03-2008, 03:22 AM   #6
stiles watson
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Leona
Posts: 6,382
M.O.C. #2059
As a professional counselor, I ran a seminar on "Caring for Mom and Pop". It ran about 10 weeks and then recycle. I would have experts from several pertinent fields come in to inform folks about important issues needing to be addressed along the trek.

Topics included legal issues such as, wills, living wills, and durable powers of attorney; domicile issues like the old homestead, and transition to the different stages of living assistance; family relationships such as "playing old tapes", power plays, and role transitions; and money management when the child is running the finances.

A big effort was made to help transition with dignity for all. We would have about 45 minutes of seminar and then reserve an hour for opportunities for the participants to debrief and share experiences.

Participants included children who needed to care for their parents and and parents wanting to learn how to help their children take care of them. This support was beneficial to all who came.

Dianna and I were also in the midst of it all at the time. Both of us had proud dignified and sometimes very stubborn parents to deal with. Neither of us had help from siblings. Dianna lost her mom at 88 and I lost dad at 93. We can sure empathize with your coming path.
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