Every stage of life is characterized by a “crisis” or a set of tasks that are in conflict, but must be resolved to enable the individual to move forward in life.
Our elders are faced with the only developmental crisis in which it is necessary for the individual to, instead of pushing forward as required by every other crisis, look backward as well as permit a member of a younger generation facilitate the emergence of their legacy. This crisis is between control and determination of how they want to be remembered – their organic legacy. The difficulty is that determining their organic legacy requires relinquishment of control.

We humans are not capable of looking forward as we drive AND looking in the rearview mirror at the same time? As family members and caregivers, I believe we have a similar situation.

According to the World Federation for Mental Health, “Caregiving affects us all. Regardless of culture or country, all people have been – currently are – or will need a caregiver during the course of their lifetime.” What is a caregiver?

I am talking about that moment when you become your loved one – your mother, your aunt, your father, your sister, your friend – at least legally. When does that moment occur? It occurs when a Power-of-Attorney is signed and then enacted.

Why should someone execute a Medical and Durable Power-of-Attorney? Isn’t that asking for something terrible to happen?

When my mother had a stroke and developed Vascular Dementia, it was the start of a flash flood of change. Did it overcome me or did I overcome?

Many caregivers are stressed, exhausted, depressed. What if, in their search for answers, they found hope in a simple perspective change?