This blog presents the ideas and creative thinking of some of Utah's talented older adult writers. Their submissions are to inform and entertain, not to present policy or opinion positions of the Utah Commission on Aging. Enjoy.
During the last 10 of his 97 years, every time my father introduced me to someone, he always said, “This is my oldest daughter, Marti, and she manages all my finances!” He had six sons, so maybe it showed a bit of his old school nature that he pointed out it was me and not one of them who had taken on this task. He had made me co-executor of his estate along with my youngest brother, but he was very willing to have me take on the whole responsibility.
Some of us older folks were raised with the idea that it was shameful to turn the care of our aging parents or spouse over to someone else or even to ask for in-home help. Some of us even promise that they will never have to leave their home, a promise that was insisted upon by the same parents who told their children, “I never want to be a burden on my kids.” These two commitments are rarely compatible.
No! Not that “Good Word.” This blog post is not about religion. But I am writing it with a sense of missionary zeal for spreading the many compelling topics, helpful strategies and resources I learned about recently while attending the Symposium hosted by Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox, Aging with WISE Purpose: Improving Wealth, Independence, Security and Engagement. I left with a head and a notebook full of ideas for future blogs, but I just couldn’t wait to give you a taste of some of what were the highlights for me.
November is National Family Caregiver Month. Governor Cox has also declared November as Family Caregivers Month in Utah. Are you a family caregiver?
At this year’s 4th of July neighborhood breakfast, I met my new friend, Dr. Bruce Jasper, a neuropsychologist. After explaining why my husband wasn’t with me (he died 3 years ago of Alzheimer’s) and his wife wasn’t with him (the breakfast food didn’t fit into her healthy lifestyle), we had a very interesting discussion about lecanemab, the latest FDA approved drug purported to slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s, and how its effects compare with those of intensive lifestyle changes.