Helpful grief support groups are hard to find after you lose a parent. That is why 8 years after my father’s death, I had heard so many good things about the Griefshare program, I had to experience it myself. Every week for 13 weeks I will write about my experience attending the Griefshare program. Griefshare is a structured nondenominational thirteen-week support group with videos, a workbook and discussions about grief and loss.  The videos feature grief specialists talking about grief and recovery issues while telling real life stories of others who have experienced a loss. (more…)

Many people ask me how I wrote, produced and published my own book. After much research, attending writers’ conferences and talking and pitching to agents and editors, and almost signing on with two different NYC agents to represent my book, I decided to start my own publishing company to produce my book so I could retaining all editorial and creative rights to the book. Here is a great article about all the changes happening in the book industry that are affecting writers, publishers and wanna-be self-publishers and book authors in today’s New York Times….

We were just told that Mom Minus Dad is the 2009 Silver Award Recipient of the Mom’s Choice Awards! I am personally thrilled that books about caregiving and assisting ill and aging parents are beginning to get the recognition they need to aid our society as we face many losses with the large Baby Boomer generation.

Adrienne E. Simpson, President of Smooth Mooove Senior Relocation Services, Inc. in Stone Mountain, Georgia, hopes to help other seniors and families avoid moving nightmares by anticipating many specific downsizing and relocation needs of seniors ahead of time. Ms. Simpson started her four-year-old company after she was personally overwhelmed by the physical work and time commitment required when moving her mother from Georgia from Michigan. Below Ms. Simpson answered some common questions about moving seniors…

Q: Ms. Simpson, Can you explain how moving needs are different when you are moving an older parent? 
A: Seniors don’t move because they want to. They move because they have to.  They move for three reasons:  failing health, loss of a spouse, or a house that is overwhelming with responsibility. When a senior moves they typically downsize.  They don’t take everything with them.  They have to make difficult decisions on what to keep, sell, donate, and give away.  The downsizing process is overwhelming, emotional, and traumatic.  It’s what makes moving seniors different.

Q:  What is the biggest mistake adult children make with regard to moving an aging parent?
A: Waiting too late, allowing their parents to delay the event until they are in crisis.  When the move is done during crisis, the senior loses the ability to make critical decisions on what will happen with personal property.  The children make all the decisions and often decide that everything is junk and discard everything.
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