It’s a humbling experience to walk the halls of Senior Concerns during the holidays. Almost every day there is some act of kindness that catches your heart and makes you realize what a great community we live in. A few days ago a student group brought in a big batch of frozen cookie dough from a school fundraiser.  This generous and creative student group expanded their own fundraiser to support another organization in their own community. Anyone who donated to the fundraiser had the option to donate their dough to the Senior Concerns Meals on Wheels program. Last week a gentleman brought in a check for $500. At the holidays his church offers a donation to a charity making a difference in Ventura County. He explained to the front desk staff that his church’s gesture was especially moving to him because his wife had been a participant in Senior Concern’s Adult Day program for a number of years before her passing. Yesterday a member of the Westlake Rotary brought in a set of raffle...

My parents were in their 60s when I moved to California, which is 3,000 miles away from “home.” Caring for my aging parents long distance wasn’t even a consideration at that time. As the years passed, my dad developed Parkinson’s and my mom became his full-time caregiver. Had I lived close by, I would have been there for doctor visits and to help with meals and my dad’s care. It wasn’t that they needed an in-home caregiver as much as they needed someone to guide them through the maze of decisions they were making as my dad’s condition progressed and my mom’s ability to care for him declined. I was fortunate enough to know about a hidden gem of a resource—a geriatric care manager (GCM). I often describe them as “life arrangers for the elderly.” Generally speaking, they are nurses or social workers who have dedicated their practices to helping families caring for older adults. Four years ago I attended the annual conference of the National Association of Professional Geriatric...