Ten Tough Conversations: Successfully Discussing Issues of Aging with Our Parents

Every day in America, over the phone and at the kitchen table, children and parents are discussing some of the most complex matters they will ever face. In most cases, neither the child nor the parent expected such talks to take place. Aging is inevitable, but most people are unprepared to discuss the practical effects of a parent's transition from full independence to semi-dependent living.  This is a book that looks to guide a child towards successfully discussing a variety of subjects with a parent that are often inevitable, and always somewhat uncomfortable: (1) When is it time for a parent to stop driving? (2) How do Powers of Attorney work? (3) When is it time to bring caregivers into a parent's home? (4) Is it time to admit a parent to a nursing home? (5) How will parents pay for nursing home care? These conversations (and 5 more) are the types of conversations that most families will have, sooner or later. How a family handles these talks can determine the success of a parent's aging process. When properly handled, these conversations, and the attendant planning they encourage, can ensure family stability and successful aging.  This book identifies context that can assist children in understanding a parent's thought-process during such conversations, and provides helpful starting points for conducting such discussions. Ultimately, the book seeks to promote the concepts of independence, dignity, and self-governance as pillars of central importance to the process of successful aging for parents. Also included is a recommended step-by-step approach for ensuring that a parent's aging process is simple, successful, and designed to ensure family stability throughout periods of potentially difficult transition.