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Generations.Advisor.com shows you how generations connect to family, community and society.

The Un-Comfort Zone
What's Pushing Your Buttons?
Do you know what really motivates you?
By Robert Wilson

What motivates you? That's the question I'd like to ask in this inaugural blog entry on motivation. Are you motivated by fame, fortune, or fear? Or is it something deeper that fans the flames inside of you?

Perhaps you are like Jeanne Louise Calment whose burning desire let her do something that no other human being has done before -- feat so spectacular that it generated headlines around the globe, got her a role in a motion picture, and landed her in the Guinness Book of World Records -- a record that has yet to be beaten.

Senior.Advisor.com
Funeral Pre-Planning
Although it's a tough conversation to have, planning for a funeral now can save heartache later.
By Debbie Hartman-Fares, Poway Bernardo Mortuary

Q: A few months ago, my aunt was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. She doesn't have any kids and she's like a second mom to my brothers and me, so we're very involved with her care. Although it's likely she'll be with us for quite a while, we've begun to realize that we might not have very long to find out what her wishes are for her care and funeral.

Home.Advisor.com
Remodeling for Safety: The Bathroom
If your goal is to help your parent(s) stay in their own home as long as possible, bathroom safety should be a priority.
By David Dickinson, In Your Home co-founder

As Boomers age, we're helping our parents deal with livability issues. All too soon, we'll be dealing with these issues for ourselves and our spouses. Some of us — the "early aged," who have some sort of injury or debilitating condition — are already dealing with these challenges.

Family.Advisor.com
Take the "Work" Out of Homework!
Getting your child to do homework doesn’t have to be a power struggle.
By Susie Walton

As you head into another month of school, are you finding yourself more frustrated with your child's study habits (or lack there of)? Do you find yourself nagging, bribing, threatening to take the TV away forever if they don't start their homework without being told a million times?

Too Much Homework?
I'm all for finding ways to encourage kids to do their homework, but I think we need to question some assumptions here. Are teachers asking kids to do an unreasonable amount of homework? When I was...

Generations.Advisor.com
Boomer Snapshot
The Baby Boom generation has traits unlike any other.
By Stephen F. Barnes, Ph.D

Is the Baby Boom generation really that different? In many respects, the answer is no, but there are important ways the 78 million people born from the end of World War II to 1964 are distinguishable from all previous generations. The distinctiveness is not just in the numbers, but also in values, life choices, and longevity.

Work.Advisor.com
Are You Thinking About Retiring Retirement?
More Boomers plan to work well past "normal" retirement age, a shift that will affect everyone.
Stephen F. Barnes, Ph.D.

Retirement is one of the most significant life transitions, and current Senior "retirees" and the 78 million Baby Boomers just behind them are re-writing the rules. No longer satisfied with just a retirement dinner and commemorative watch, then endless days of golf, or arts and crafts at the local Senior Center, many of us want a lot more out of our "golden years." In fact, many of us aren't planning to retire anytime soon -- if ever.

Health.Advisor.com
A New Look at Menopause Symptoms
The causes of your symptoms might not be what you think.
By Dr. Carolle Jean-Murat

Many midlife women, during the years before and after menopause, are plagued with emotional and physical symptoms. If you're woman in midlife with any of these problems, this article can help you discover what could be the cause.

Go to the doctor to make sure
There are some symptoms that are both causes of menopause and other disorders or diseases. In memory lapses, a woman can experience this because of menopause and another one can have memory lapses...

Generations.Advisor.com
Meet a Vital Boomer: Edward James Olmos
The Vital Aging Conference provided valuable resources for Boomers and Seniors, and brought a visitor to inspire us.
By AnnMarie Garcia

More than 1,000 San Diego County residents attended the "Vital Aging Conference: Caring for Yourself and Others" in June 2007, which featured information on important health concerns for older adults and family caregivers on topics, such as diabetes, nutrition, fitness, legal issues, and stress management. The conference also featured inspiring keynote speaker and vitally aging Boomer himself, Edward James Olmos.

Senior.Advisor.com
The 40/70 Rule: Talk Now Rather Than Later
As hard as it may seem, talking with your aging parents about tough issues is easier now than it will be later.

The quality of communication between adult children and their senior parents leaves a lot to be desired, according to a study from the senior care company Home Instead. The findings of the study led researchers to coin the phrase "the 40/70 rule."

Work.Advisor.com
Assess a Career Change
Here's what to consider if you're thinking about a job change late in life.
By Stephen F. Barnes, PhD.

Q: I've been with the same company for the last 9 years, and I've recently realized I'm ready for a change. The problem is that I'm 56 years old, and intimidated by the prospect of looking for a new job.

New job
I'm thinking about a new job, so this helps. It is a great insight.

Caregiver.Advisor.com
Happy, Healthy Holidays: Tips for Caregivers
As your family changes, traditional holiday activities can result in more stress than comfort. Here are suggestions for traditions that are easier on the family.
By Barbara Mandel Pache

Holidays can be difficult for anyone dealing with the changes of Alzheimer's, or any ailment, really. They are also stressful times for caregivers trying to maintain traditions.

Health.Advisor.com
5 Things You Can Do to Reduce Your Risk of Alzheimer's Disease
You can reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Here are 5 places to start living a brain-healthy lifestyle.
By Diane Darby Beach, MPH, Ed.D.

An estimated 5 million people in the United States have Alzheimer's disease; this number is expected to double by the year 2050 as the elderly segment of our population grows. Specifically, as Baby Boomers age, the incidence of Alzheimer's disease will proliferate. This article is directed at you, the Baby Boomer. But you might find these tips useful for helping to reduce your parents' risk of Alzheimer's and dementia, as well. Since many of the tips in this article focus on staying active and connected, suggested activities are great for you and your parents to do together.

HawkTrek
Are you an "aging boomer"?

Me 'neither. But how often do you read this trite phrase in articles about the Boomer Generation? Plenty!

It might seem just trivial. But it's actually a negative stereotype, a meaningless generality to apply to almost 80 million people. And the next step after stereotyping is prejudice. Saying "aging boomers" is saying Boomers are no longer normal people.

Family.Advisor.com
Help Children and Teens Cope When a Loved One Has Alzheimer's
Young people need to understand dementia and share their feelings about it. These tips will help the entire family.
By Barbara Mandel Pache, Alzeheimer's Association San Diego/Imperial Chapter communications vice president

Alzheimer's disease can have a big impact on every member of the family, including children. Each child reacts differently to someone who has Alzheimer's. The young people in your life might have questions about what is happening. It's important for you to take the time to answer these questions openly and honestly.

Camp Building Bridges
Camp Building Bridges is a respite camp for young teens that have a parent/grandparent with Early Onset Dementia. Please visit the camp website. http://www.freewebs.com/younghope2007/ Thanks, Tracy (...

Medicine.Advisor.com
Learn the Truth About Hospice Care for Advanced Illness
Here are the facts about how hospice and palliative care can give your family help and hope when they need it most.
By Frank D. Ferris, M.D.

Hospice and palliative care services focus on meeting the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of a person with advanced illness, and also provide support for the patient's loved ones. Care can be provided wherever the patient resides, including the person's home, residential or skilled nursing facility, or assisted living environment.

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I like people who refuse to speak until they are ready to speak.

— Lillian Hellman