As I facilitate families through the Golden Agreements process, I often learn things that I hope other families can learn from as well. Without providing personal information, here are a few ideas and thoughts I believe are worthy of sharing. Compensating Kids for Care One very considerate Golden Client I worked with was concerned that both of her girls are independent business owners and time away from their work to care for their mom would mean less income. The family mad

Managing Aging and Eldercare in Blended Families Managing the aging process for your parent is hard enough. The time and energy to be present and available for all the needs can be consuming. This challenge is even more complicated when you are managing two different families due to blended families or chosen relationships of the parent. The unspoken rules and inherent loyalties within each original family unit can create friction, making it crucial to approach this sensit

The Next Chapter: Talking to Your Parents About Changing Their Living Situation After a lifetime of making their own choices about where and how to live, the very introduction of this question causes much anxiety. For many seniors, staying in their own home is the ideal, but sometimes, changing circumstances necessitate a move or additional support. You respect their independence, but are concerned about them and their safety. Your clarity on their needs is not often reflect

Planning Ahead: How Early Funeral Conversations Bring Peace and Connection This article was inspired by a lovely family who shared this personal detail about their mom’s funeral. Mom had spent her life as an interior decorator and loved her craft. Her “signature” was that she would add a small piece of art, book, or drawer pull to the house to be “found” by the residing family. Always whimsical and appropriate, she took joy out of the idea that there was a special addition th

Do you recall how life changing it was to get your driver’s license? Even the most reasonable amongst us get uptight and concerned and the loss of independence by giving up driving. The reasons for giving up driving start mounting with age and it is understandable to discount the significance of any one piece of evidence that it’s time. Meanwhile, loved ones have no vested interest in “taking away keys” other than safety of their loved one and the well being of others on th

Ugh. No one wants to start this conversation. We spend our entire life admiring our parents for the care, support, and opportunities they gave us and now it’s time to give back. Only this time, most parents don’t want it! They want to see themselves as independent and capable as they were for your entire life and they are not prepared to begin receiving help. Golden Agreements was born from 20 years of experience, and consequences, of lack of planning for aging. It's a scen