Caring for Aging Parents

This week, Rayna Neises, your host, speaks with Mike and Kim Barnes. While balancing their lives as spouses and parents with their successful TV/journalism careers, they have also been caring for their aging parents. It is through these experiences that they have found a passion to help others who are on this caring journey. People want to be part of a community, and Mike and Kim are dedicating their time to helping provide that opportunity. They share the following insights:

• (6:26) Each person is different, and every person’s needs are different.
• (8:32) Figure out how to prioritize and not let things slip through the cracks.
• (9:06) Being open with your children allows them to see what they will face as they get older and eventually care for you. In addition, it builds empathy.
• (10:28) Caregiving is an additional job that you have to make room for.
• (11:22) You are on an emotional roller-coaster and you cannot take everything personally.
• (16:00) Check to see if in the big scheme of things, does this matter?
• (20:15) Having a community to be a sounding board, to vent to, or ask questions helps.
• (30:37) When discussing Power of Attorney or a will with your parents, explain that it is a gift to loved ones.
• (35:01) To find interviews with experts on a variety of topics, visit Mike and Kim’s website at www.parentingagingparents.com. To join their support group, click the button on the home page and request to join their Facebook group. You can also subscribe to receive their weekly newsletter.