Thought:
Many out there have become caretakers for our parent's, as they have entered into their later years in life. Wanting and needing them to be close to us, has prompted many to take their aging parents into their own homes to better give them the extra loving care they may need to continue to be independent. This is a major undertaking and certainly is underrated when it comes to the value of the care children afford their parents at this time in their lives.

It is not easy, as we also have other responsibilities to care for in our home and having to keep to a schedule is important to have some sense of peace among those who are living together again. Meal plans, schedules, medications, "happy hours," quality time is among important parts of the day that in order for all to remember their roles, it is doubly vital to keep a consistent routine.

Never would we believe all the stories we heard about getting older. Born with no teeth in mouth...now we take the fake ones out...chose what we wanted to hear of what our parent's said...now if they could just hear...we would all be blessed...

I think that keeping a sense of humor and remembering the hard work our parents did to get us to where we are today is the least we can do, if we have the opportunity, to help in the best way we can, for as long as we can. If you are a care taker for your aging parent or parents...how do you endure the privilege and what helps you? Share your thoughts with us...

Poem:

Isn't it funny how our lives take a turn?
When we age to the ages we are and with all of what we have learned,
We still tend to, at some point further down the road in life,
Feel like we are back to square one again...isn't this right?

I mean, I don't think it is fair,
That all those years of living got me nowhere,
Because even though the census reports me as...ahem...over 61,
I feel I have gone back to doing all the things I used to do when I was young.

For instance, when I was a baby, after the bottled milk came pureed food,
Well, ha, ha, ha... I just learned Gerber Baby Foods have a new line out... this is good news.
Now I can have all the foods I used to eat as I grew,
All pureed together, in just one bite, and I get to eat it with a spoon!

Then there's the part where I have to learn how to remember to do certain things,
Because, well, my potty skills went out the door, sometime last spring.
So just a heads up, if you are heading this way,
Don't throw your Pampers Diapers coupons away as you might need them again someday.

They have all these neat things on the market now that will help your children care for you,
And that you are secure in knowing they will hear you when you want them too.
A baby monitor is set up throughout most of the house,
To let them know that if I am up out of bed and I am roving about.

Not because I want to be up during the night,
But I can't remember which way is the way back to my bedroom from the Toilet, left or right?
This little bout of confusion might directed me to every room but my own, so I might end up back in the kitchen and this is okay,
While I am there, I might have some ice cream (it is soft) and maybe drink some O.J.

And I am sorry if all the noise I make wakes you up,
But I did it for years when you were young, so I know having to get up can be tough.
But I did it and I battled through these days, as my love for you kept me going and mothering you,
So now that we have switched roles and I have reverted to being very young, the "payback" for all your years of challenging me, putting me through the wringer, and anything else you want to add, well...happy days...for you have just begun!