Page 5 - Aging Parents - FDCCPublications

PATIENCE, PLANNING AND SUPPORT: REFLECTIONS ON DEALING WITH AGING FAMILY MEMBERS
“To care for those who once cared for us is one of the highest honors”
Tia Walker, author
The Inspired Caregiver: Finding Joy While Caring for Those You Love
It is usually a normal part of life. Parents pass
on before their children. Most of us will face this in our lives, or have faced it, or are facing it now. Here is one who may have cared for you in your childhood, or later as an adult when you were ill, or one who provided advice and solace to you, cheered for you like none other, or just plain was there when no one else was. Here might be one who was not any of that, but was difficult and hard to deal with. No matter, for now they are leaving us. Or have left us.
In the following pages our Federation members pour forth on what they have learned going through it, to ease the burdens of what to do, or how to do it, or how to find help, for those of us going through this, or who may yet begin this
path. Some of these articles or chapters speak of tremendous advices: How to convince a parent
to move, losing their independence? What of a parent who should no longer drive a car? How to face a parent’s terminal illness, dementia, or how to seek help and resources, overcome the emotional loss, and many other situations. All here.
As you read these stories, you will surely appreciate the advices, be struck by the poignancy, learn from the experiences, and come out better in the end for having read this through. If you have already experienced loss of your parents, perhaps some of these related experiences will inspire you to speak with others about your experiences too. Everyone
I have discussed this book with who have helped write it, who have helped edit or ready it for publication, is moved.
The idea for this book arose from discussions among some of the FDCC leadership while we all passed through the COVID-19 Pandemic. Life expectancy was dropping. Our FedLife Committee began at about the same time. Many of our members leaped at the chance to write for the book. Members Frank Ramos, Miami, and Kile Turner, Birmingham, undertook the unenviable task of editing the book, and our Executive Director Bernie Heinze and his team at FDCC Headquarters finished it. The unfinished book
sat idle for a time after the material submissions, but this year we saw the raw material was good, and so pushed to finish it and pass it along to you. Thank you to Frank, Kile, Bernie, and the many authors, contributors, and workers who brought this together for you.
For all of us.
Together we hope you enjoy this as much as we did bringing it to you.
Thank you.
--- Craig A. Marvinney, February 2024 President, FDCC