Tag Archives: elderly parents

Finding the Center

Posted on March 24, 2023 by Bob Ritzema

I recently blogged about having moved into a community in Milwaukee, describing the community I’m living in. This is a big life change for me, so it’s prompting reflection and necessitating adjustment. I wanted to describe a bit more what … Continue reading →

Posted in Relationships, Spirit | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Life Changes

Posted on December 23, 2022 by Bob Ritzema

Life changes. However, I didn’t experience much change for about 10 years. As I’ve written in previous posts, I came to Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2012 to help my parents. That was a year of many changes, but then things … Continue reading →

Posted in caregiving, Psyche | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

The Changed Lines of Generational Power

Posted on January 22, 2019 by Bob Ritzema

I have been reading Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, who is a surgeon, a staff writer for the New Yorker, and a Harvard Professor. He’s a busy guy! His book explores how medical advances have changed aging and death, not … Continue reading →

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A Matter of Perspective

Posted on January 27, 2018 by Bob Ritzema

I know a woman and her adult daughter who have always been close and who say they love each other deeply, but who can’t seem to get along. The mom is in her eighties and has moved into an independent … Continue reading →

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Caregiver Vigilance

Posted on October 25, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

I wrote in September about my 91-year-old mom’s fall and subsequent hospitalization. She suffered two compression fractures in her back, causing her a good deal of pain and significantly limiting her ability to do things for herself. After she left … Continue reading →

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Mom on the Mend

Posted on September 24, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

My mom, who is 91 years old, fell a couple weeks ago. She was in the bathroom, heading for the toilet in the middle of the night when her feet flew out from under her. She normally takes her time … Continue reading →

Posted in Body, caregiving | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Healthcare Decisions for Our Parents and Us

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

In a recent New York Times article, Dr. Mikkael A. Sekeres, a cancer specialist. told of his first meeting with a 97 year-old patient. The elderly man had recently moved into an assisted living facility in Cleveland in order to … Continue reading →

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Caregiving: Imperfections and Opportunities

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Bob Ritzema

I recently read an article by Next Avenue writer Chris Hewitt about Bob Morris’ book Bobby Wonderful: An Imperfect Son Buries His Parents. The book is an account of Morris’ involvement with his elderly parents towards the end of their … Continue reading →

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Do You Need to Grieve Your Unfulfilled Expectations for an Adult Child?

Posted on August 17, 2016 by Bob Ritzema

As a therapist, I work regularly with people who are grieving some sort of loss. One of the most difficult losses handle is death of a child. Families used to be much larger than they are now and, prior to … Continue reading →

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Look Around. Your Family Consists of–Surprise!–Complex Human Beings

Posted on June 16, 2016 by Bob Ritzema

I recently read Rod Dreher’s book How Dante Can Save Your Life. Dreher wrote the book when he was struggling with depression resulting from family problems. Decades earlier he had moved away from his family in Louisiana and established a successful … Continue reading →

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