By: Jennifer Beach, LSW, MA, C-SWCM Aging comes with uncertainty and challenges. As we help our parents or loved ones through a medical diagnosis, adjust to changes in their abilities or needs, and address finances or care, one issue can make the situation more challenging: siblings. In my practice over the past 10 years, no caregiving challenge has caused more

At the recent North American Mature Publishers Association (NAMPA) convention in Las Vegas, Advocate for Elders principal Jennifer Beach was awarded first place for her monthly columns which appear in Northeast Ohio Boomer magazine! Each month, Jennifer’s “Caregiver Corner” is published covering various topics and issues that seniors and their caregiving families and friends deal with. Jennifer’s columns took first

According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), suicidal behavior is common in older adults for a number of reasons with loneliness topping the list. Many seniors are homebound and live on their own; are grieving the loss of a spouse or friend; lack nearby family; or have lost vital social connections during the Pandemic. … Continue reading Warning Signs

According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), suicidal behavior is common in older adults for a number of reasons with loneliness topping the list. Many seniors are homebound and live on their own; are grieving the loss of a spouse or friend; lack nearby family; or have lost vital social connections during the Pandemic. … Continue reading Warning Signs

According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), suicidal behavior is common in older adults for a number of reasons with loneliness topping the list. Many seniors are homebound and live on their own; are grieving the loss of a spouse or friend; lack nearby family; or have lost vital social connections during the Pandemic. These triggers can lead to

By: Jennifer Beach, LSW, MA, C-SWCM Mary Ellen is taking a big exhale as her 90-year-old mother, who lives alone, has finally agreed to allow a caregiver into her home. This has been an ongoing conversation with her mom for over a year. Mrs. Smith lives in a condo and has some medical challenges, including changes in her mobility. She

By: Jennifer Beach, LSW, MA, C-SWCM Over the past 25 years I have had, and continue to have, the opportunity to meet, talk to and work with many individuals between the ages of 55 and 102. What I’ve learned is, we are each uniquely different. Our ideas, beliefs, backgrounds, life experiences, outlooks and attitudes are as different as all of us are. Over the

Tackling Tough Talks; A Better Way By: Jennifer Beach, LSW, MA, C-SWCM Most of us have had, or need to have, conversations with an older loved one, family member or friend about difficult topics. Money, health changes (either physical or mental) and driving are a few topics nobody wants to bring up. Add hearing loss and memory challenges to the mix

By: Jennifer Beach, LSW, MA, C-SWCM Mr. Smith is 88 and lives in a long-term care setting also known as a nursing home. At 8 a.m., a breakfast tray was delivered to his room and left on his bedside table. Normally, he would be taken to the dining room for meals but due to several residents on his wing testing