What can we help you find?

Carol Marak is a Solo Advisor and Advocate, and soon-to-be-published author of the book Solo and Smart. Carol is a former family caregiver; she has spent the last decade providing help and advice to c…

Carol Marak is a Sol…

Carol Marak is a Solo Advisor and Advocate, and soon-to-be-published author of the book Solo and Smart. Carol is a former family caregiver; she has spent the last decade providing help and advice to countless aging adults planning for their future. Carol’s work has appeared in Time Magazine, ABC News, New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, US News and AARP the Magazine.   This interview has been edited for length and Clarity and covers essential Retirement Planning for solo agers.     Ben: What's your background and how did you get involved in advocating for solo aging? Carol: I'm a…

Joy Johnston did not expect that she would become a full-time caregiver for her mother soon after her father died of dementia. But she persevered, uprooting her life and moving cross-country to care f…

Joy Johnston did not…

Joy Johnston did not expect that she would become a full-time caregiver for her mother soon after her father died of dementia. But she persevered, uprooting her life and moving cross-country to care for her mom. Her memoir, The Reluctant Caregiver: Missives from the Caregiving Minefields, provides a fresh perspective on how to provide care even if you’re not a natural caregiver. Joy’s writings also highlight the challenges involved in long-distance and rural caregiving.  Below is the second part of a conversation we had about her caregiving experiences. You can read the first half of the …

Theresa Wilbanks cared for her father until his passing at 99 years of age. Theresa founded Sustainable Caregiving and works with fellow family caregivers to help them navigate their caregiving journ…

Theresa Wilbanks car…

Theresa Wilbanks cared for her father until his passing at 99 years of age. Theresa founded Sustainable Caregiving and works with fellow family caregivers to help them navigate their caregiving journey. Look for Theresa’s book, Navigating the Caregiver River: A Journey to Sustainable Caregiving, coming soon! By Theresa Wilbanks During the time that I cared for Dad, I experienced the raging river of Emotions that comes with caring for a family member. Overwhelmed and drowning, I navigated toward a more sustainable caregiving experience. When I learned to set boundaries, use mindfulness to…

Getting dressed should feel simple, comfortable, and familiar. But as people get older, clothing needs often change. Mobility may be more limited, balance can become less steady, and small tasks like …

Getting dressed shou…

Getting dressed should feel simple, comfortable, and familiar. But as people get older, clothing needs often change. Mobility may be more limited, balance can become less steady, and small tasks like buttoning a shirt or pulling on pants can take more effort than they used to. So what do senior citizen men wear? And what do senior citizen women wear? The short answer is that most seniors wear clothing that feels comfortable, easy to manage, and appropriate for their daily routine. That might mean soft pull-on pants, easy-to-button shirts, non-slip socks, roomy cardigans, or adaptive clothing d…

As we age, our bodies change, and so do our clothing needs. For seniors, getting dressed can become a challenging task due to limited mobility, dexterity issues, and various medical conditions. That's…

As we age, our bodie…

As we age, our bodies change, and so do our clothing needs. For seniors, getting dressed can become a challenging task due to limited mobility, dexterity issues, and various medical conditions. That's where adaptive clothing comes in to save the day (and your fashion game)! In this article, we'll explore the incredible benefits of adaptive clothing for seniors and why it's a game-changer. 1. Enhanced Comfort and Ease of Dressing Let's face it - comfort is key, especially for our beloved seniors. Adaptive clothing is designed with their comfort in mind, offering features that make dressing a br…

When you think of fashion, you probably imagine runway models, trendy outfits, and bold accessories. But what if adaptive fashion could also be functional? That's where adaptive clothing comes in. Th…

When you think of fa…

When you think of fashion, you probably imagine runway models, trendy outfits, and bold accessories. But what if adaptive fashion could also be functional? That's where adaptive clothing comes in. This innovative style of clothing has a rich history, with its roots in providing comfort and ease of use for individuals with disabilities. Today, adaptive clothing has evolved to be both practical and fashionable, revolutionizing the way we think about inclusivity in the fashion industry. The Early Days of Adaptive Clothing The concept of adaptive clothing can be traced back many centuries. In anc…

  How a Gen Xer overcame strained Relationships and rural healthcare: Joy Johnston did not look forward to the time in her life when her parents, living on the other side of the country, began needin…

  How a Gen Xer ove…

  How a Gen Xer overcame strained relationships and rural healthcare: Joy Johnston did not look forward to the time in her life when her parents, living on the other side of the country, began needing care. But she persevered, providing care for both of her parents, and is now an advocate for other caregivers. Her memoir, The Reluctant Caregiver: Missives from  the Caregiving Minefields, provides a fresh perspective on how to provide care even if you’re not a natural caregiver. Joy also runs The Memories Project, which started out as a tribute to her father and now is a advocacy platform f…

Over the past year, we’ve been fortunate to speak with a wide range of Experts in the caregiving world. From executive directors at care communities, to gerontologists, family caregivers, and even s…

Over the past year, …

Over the past year, we’ve been fortunate to speak with a wide range of experts in the caregiving world. From executive directors at care communities, to gerontologists, family caregivers, and even some living with dementia. Many of them provided valuable advice for those beginning their caregiving journey.  Janice Swink, living with early onset dementia:  You can't prepare for it because I don't know what's going to happen. I could lose my balance all of a sudden, without warning. So I'm prepared in a sense, for surprises all the time. I hope that people try to understand all the different…

This is the second part of our conversation with Janice Swink, the spunky music-loving mom of two, who lives with dementia. You can view the first part of our conversation here.  Ben: Your Twitter fe…

This is the second p…

This is the second part of our conversation with Janice Swink, the spunky music-loving mom of two, who lives with dementia. You can view the first part of our conversation here.  Ben: Your Twitter feed (@JaniceSwink) is pretty powerful. It's full of joy. You have a lot of videos of you dancing – in your kitchen, on the street, in a store. And of course you're also documenting many of your daily struggles. You share both your ups and downs. Janice: I said that I'm not going to sugarcoat it and that I will share the good, the bad and the ugly. And unfortunately, there's more ugly than anythin…