Author: Lisa Mayfield
What is your role at Aging Wisdom?
I am the Founder and Principal of Aging Wisdom.
What made you want to work in the field of aging?
My path into this work began with a very special relationship with my Grandpa. My mom was a teacher, and during the summers we spent a great deal of time with my grandparents in Portland while she took courses. My grandparents were often in charge of keeping me out of trouble—and I cherished that time. One of my favorite memories is playing Uno with my Grandpa. He would jokingly accuse me of changing the rules so I could win. 😊
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Whether it be health crises or weather-related issues and natural disasters, Aging Life Care Professionals™ (aka Care Managers) are the rock for overwhelmed families by providing calm, creative thinking, flexibility, and excellent communication. …
Caregiving is a marathon, not a sprint. Equipping yourself for the long term is essential. Just as you would never participate in a marathon without proper preparation, you shouldn’t start your caregiving journey without planning and the right supports.
To ensure a smooth journey, here are some key resources and professionals to engage: …
May is Aging Life Care™ Month, which has me thinking about how supporting an aging parent can often feel so daunting. We see it every day in our work as Aging Life Care Professionals®. …
Aging Life Care Professionals®, Your Guilt-BusterRead More »
My Grandpa meant the world to me. Early in my life, it was just me and my mom. She was a teacher, and we’d spend the summers with my grandparents in Portland. My mom would take classes while their assignment was to keep me out of trouble.
Lucky for me, this meant hours with my Grandpa. He lovingly referred to me as “the Streaker,” since most of my time was spent in their backyard, running around like a maniac, jumping in and out of my cheap plastic pool, not wasting time with a swimsuit, soaking in the freedom. …
Gen X: We’re up! Turning to the next generation of caregiversRead More »
Over the Christmas holiday, the mom of one of my good friends gave $10,000 to a phone scammer. Earlier that month, I visited a Rotary meeting and one of their members shared that he had just been scammed by a call he thought was his bank. Last week, I heard from a prospective client that her sister had just given her entire savings away to an internet scammer.
What all three of these people have in common is that they are all in their 70’s, vibrant, active, and engaged in their lives. We typically think of victims of scams as being “vulnerable” and isolated. Yet scammers have gotten so skilled, they are forcing us to re-think who is vulnerable to being scammed. These days, we are all at risk.
Internet and phone scams are on the rise and will only continue to increase over time as scammers continue to refine their skill and gain continued success. No one is immune and scammers target all ages. However, “the people losing money are disproportionately sixty and older, with those eighty and older losing most of all,” states M.T. Connolly, attorney, author, and leading national expert on elder justice (Connolly, The Measure of Our Age, 106). …
Using medications and supplements appropriately optimizes their efficacy. Taking them as prescribed also helps avoid unwanted side effects and interactions.
Whether you’re managing prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, or herbal remedies for yourself or an older adult in your care, these four tips will help you manage medications properly and optimize safety. …
Unexpected health changes that require long-term care can occur at any age, though the likelihood increases with age. Someone turning age 65 today has a 70% chance of needing long-term care services and supports as they grow older, according to the U.S. Administration on Aging.
I’m sure you know someone who has assisted an aging parent navigate a health challenge. It was likely a stressful situation because their parents had not made plans for long-term care, refused help, and left their adult children to pick up the pieces during a crisis.
This scenario is all too common and why long-term care planning is essential, so your family is not burdened by your potential health, memory, or mobility changes.
Now is the perfect time to make sure you are well set for the future. Planning doesn’t have to be onerous; it will bring peace of mind and allow you to focus on what matters most.
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Unexpected health changes that require long-term care can occur at any age, though the likelihood increases with age. Someone turning age 65 today has a 70% chance of needing long-term care services and supports as they grow older, according to the U.S. Administration on Aging.
I’m sure you know someone who has assisted an aging parent with navigating a health challenge. It was likely a stressful situation because their parent had not made plans for long-term care, refused help, and left their adult children to pick up the pieces. …
May is both Older Americans Month and National Aging Life Care Month. This presents a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the things I love about the work I do as a Care Manager, celebrating our profession in Aging Life Care, and the clients we serve.
In that spirit, here are some of the reasons I love what my Aging Wisdom colleagues, my professional colleagues, and I do for a living. …
Why I Love Being an Aging Life Care Professional™Read More »