Tag Archives: Family

A Year in Review

Posted on January 3, 2024 by Bob Ritzema

A year ago I was living in Grand Rapids, Michigan, packing up in preparation for moving to Milwaukee. I had been there for ten years, ever since I came north to help my parents, and I had formed many attachments. … 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 →

Posted in caregiving, Relationships | Tagged , , , , , | 2 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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“Can You Spare Me a Dime?” Getting Ready For the Journey.

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Bob Ritzema

My mom and I were my dad’s primary caregivers as dementia gradually chewed at his mind. I helped them in their home for almost two years, until, at last, my mother made the difficult decision to have dad admitted to … Continue reading →

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The Week Before Dad Left

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Bob Ritzema

Dad went into the memory unit at Christian Rest Home a week ago. A week before that, it didn’t seem that admission was imminent. However, that previous Wednesday, my mom said for the first time, “I can’t do this anymore.” … Continue reading →

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Why Are Boomers Working Longer?

Posted on May 23, 2014 by Bob Ritzema

I recently ran across an interesting article about boomer retirement. The author, James J. Green of Summit Business Media, summarizes a report by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. In 1993, 29.4% of adults 55 and older were in the workforce, a … Continue reading →

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How Well Do You Grant Your Parents Independence?

Posted on September 21, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

I found an interesting observation by Harvard professor James Wood in his recent  New Yorker article on memoirs written by the children of several mid-twentieth century writers.  Wood notes, “To bestow on one’s parents their independence is also to announce … Continue reading →

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