Whether you are trying to keep your toddlers safe at home, or preparing for a visit from your 95 year old grandmother, the techniques to keep both age groups safe and happy are similar.
- Keep walkways clear of snow, leaves, rocks, toys, etc. Little legs that are just learning to walk can trip and fall. And older bodies with eyes and balance that might not be as good as they were need a clear path to stay safe. Also using a stroller or a walker is easier on clear ground.
- Check the hot water temperature. Both baby skin and the skin of elderly people is more susceptible to burns from hot water. Keep both ages safe by turning the temperature down a few degrees to avoid accidental scalding.
- Keep the rooms warm enough. Ever wonder why nursing homes often feel over-heated? It’s because the elderly have a harder time regulating their body temperature. Babies do, too (and they move around less so they aren’t generating their own heat.) Consider turning up the thermostat a few degrees, and being sure to provide lap blankets and sweaters if needed.
- They both like to be involved! Just because a baby can’t talk doesn’t mean they should be left out of activities. Likewise, an older relative with hearing or vision issues shouldn’t be left out either. Figure out a way to integrate people of all ages into the fun. (Somehow even when my grandmother had trouble with her vision, she still managed to beat me at Chinese Checkers!)
- Treasure them while they are here! Babies grow up fast, and people don’t live forever. Slow down and treasure your time with them. Take pictures, write down funny things they say and enjoy them!
Shel Silverstein has a lovely poem about the similarities between our older and younger selves. Click here to read “The Little Boy and The Old Man.“
I often ask my happy, healthy older clients what their secret is.
Do you know what the answer most often is? Walking.
It’s true: my clients who remain healthy and active (and at home) the longest are those who have a regular, daily habit of walking. Some of them walk around the block a few times a [...]
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Once you have narrowed down your choices for a prospective guardian to take care of your children if something happened to both parents, it’s important to talk to those people to make sure they want to serve, and understand what it means.
Some of the things you will want to talk about:
Whether the prospective guardians want [...]
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When thinking about pursuing guardianship over a family member with special needs who is unable to care for themselves, many families wonder whether they should appoint co-guardians, so that there is someone in place if something happens to one of the guardians.
Here are some of the benefits to having co-guardians:
Someone is available if a guardian [...]
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So you reviewed the last post on whether to have your aging parent live with you and you’ve decided to give it a try. Here are some ground rules for making it work:
1. Plan respite care and support before you need it. Don’t set yourself and your parent up for failure by trying to take [...]
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Very often when I’m meeting with older parents and their adult children, they will say “If mom becomes unable to care for herself, she’ll just move in with us.” This works differently for different families – sometimes I hear that it is working for everyone, other times I get a call asking for referrals to [...]
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Interacting with a family member who has memory loss due to dementia or Alzheimer’s disease can be stressful on everyone. Especially if you are going home for the holidays (or they are coming to your house) and haven’t been around them for a while. I always recommend that my clients hire an Alzheimer’s coach for [...]
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I remember when I was little trying to figure out a gift for my nana at Christmas. My mother used to to tell me that my grandmother didn’t want more stuff, but rather something from our heart. A picture, a sleepover (where she let me cheat at go-fish and eat chocolate chips) or some help [...]
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My Texas colleague, Pamela Parker, has written a workbook for parents to help you create a “personal instruction manual for your special needs child.”
As Pamela writes,
the workbook helps parents provide information about their special needs child to future caregivers and trustees. By using the charts and answering the questions in this workbook, parents [...]
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The Huffington Post had a recent article on 4 dangerous myths about choose guardians for your children.
The myths in the article are:
1. That there is a perfect match for your children, you just have to figure out who that is and then you’ll get the Will in order . The truth is, there is [...]
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Leanna Hamill, Attorney at Law, P.C. provides estate planning and related legal services to clients of all ages, with a focus on the needs of older individuals and their families.
