Dealing with Grief and Fears

“I don’t want to pay that amount of money for something I don’t want!” I screamed these words to the funeral director who sat opposite me on the sofa two days after my husband had died. Tears rolled down my cheeks, I felt beside myself with rage…

In working with 1,100 people living with dementia, I’ve found working with them is the easy part! It’s their families who are much more challenging. Typically, the whole family is pulling together to figure out how to manage day-to-day life, the ins and outs of care, and trying to plan ahead. The whole family, except for that one family member…

Rituals are actions that symbolically connect us to something that is meaningful. They can be comforting and can help us express feelings, bring about a sense of closure, or keep an important part of the past alive. Rituals mark time as well as create time…

The intensity and frequency of threatening events over the past few months has had a profound impact on me. Collectively, we seem to be humming at a higher level of stress that reflects a growing feeling that the world we once thought predicable…

My Mom, who had been diagnosed with dementia, was leaning up against the sink in the bathroom. Her soapy hands were under running water. I was reaching around her trying to gently use a nail brush to clean under her nails…

Lately, my friends have been decluttering their places and spaces. Good for them! Breaking FREE from our old stuff isn’t easy but it feels great when we do. It feels like a slice of freedom. Everything from closets and garages…

Women are more invested in their relationships than men, on average. So, it makes sense that we would hurt more when our man leaves us or dies. Many are the times I’ve been almost haunted by memories of my husband, torn apart…

In memory of: Sandra “Tee-San” Williams. I made your favorite tomato soup today. Just the right sweetness, a little bit of spice and chunky, just like you like it. I reached for the phone to see if you were home so I could bring you some, and it hit me again. You are not in […]

Fear is a natural part of life. It can creep up slowly, or pop up suddenly, sometimes when we least expect it. That sudden feeling of uncertainty can jar us, when we’re used to being so comfortable in our own skin. But it’s important we recognize…

Losing a spouse is a challenging and transformative experience. Your partner’s death can reshape your life. I get it. It happened to me when my late husband, Tom, passed 17 years ago. His death was the most devastating event I ever faced…