Showing Support for One Another Over the Decades, Especially in Later Years, at home and on the road

 In case you are an person coming into your later 50s or early 60s or beyond  check out a helpful website on CT Senior Law, www.czepigalaw.com. They cover many helpful points about aging (the nuts and bolts of how to be prepared for various challenges and changes, legal ins and outs and reasons to have a consult with an elder law attorney, ideally someone versed in medicaid or Title 19 as well.) People are living longer, and some say 120 will be the new 90.

That we were built to last that long. Many are making it to their 80s and 90s and thankfully mostly in good health. But not all. Some conditions can come on slowly and linger such as dementia and Alzheimer's. Arthritis is nothing to take lightly either particularly if mobility is being affected.

Work with people to manage pain so motion exercises, with assistance and daily repetitions can be done to prevent muscles from contracting. Over the course of a few weeks or months they can become more stiff and even shrink if not stretched. Working with a support team of a physical therapist and a team of people rotating overseeing the exercises rather than the person facing the mobility challenge having to do the exercises on their own may be the key to maintaining mobility. But that is not always clear to everyone involved.

Overall there are many resources to learn from early and often. See what Suzanne O'Brien offers on her site, doulagivers.com or its updating one.  End  of Life Doulas are support people offering non-medical and non-lega advice, yet they can provide support to face the natural process of someone who is aging, declining, or dying and provide support during and after the transition and time of death, the funeral or wake and other aspects of addressing needs of the family well after the time of a person's passing when other supports may be harder to find.

The consistency and care can be very helpful in facing transitions and 'knowing what's normal' and having support without needing to think of getting that during a time of crisis or challenge emotionally. Finding support through various times in life, to have a tribe online and ideally some people one can be in touch with by phone, email and in person would be a good way to feel connected and 'see what's around the corner' for oneself and others in one's family and social circles. Sharing information can be appropriate even while respecting HIPPA but it may take practice and following some 'guidelines' to focus on principles above personalities and to not disclose identifying information without a person's permission or their guardian's should they be incapicitated or possibly unable to discern what would be appropriate. Thanks in advance for considering these suggestions and sharing pointers with all on your team so they also can benefit.