Marianne Smith is the retired partner and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Smith & Co. and Smith O’Keefe & Associates Marketing & Advertising… and co-founder, with her husband Ken, of EverAgeless.com, a blog advocating for living an ageless life.
My Elder Care Diary was a labor of love.
Marianne has been married for 56 years with two sons and four grandchildren – an avid reader, serious baker (author of three books of comfort food and dessert recipes on Amazon) and loving partner – in business and life – with her soulmate Ken.
This emotional book is about 6 years of intense caregiving when, unexpectedly and unplanned, three frail, elderly parents were brought into the family home at the same time – while maintaining her CFO responsibilities with her firm.
It’s a story of responsibility and loving care that reflects the dynamic challenges facing more and more families today. The author has decided to share her personal Diary she kept during this 6-year drama - in hopes that this in-real-time Diary of struggles and emotions can inspire and encourage others to plan for elder care more strategically than she and Ken did.
Every entry in the Diary is authentic.
Every word recorded in real time without edit. Every raw emotion bared. Every expression of joy in the small victories celebrated. What will be obvious is how the detailed and thorough early Diary posts gave way to less frequent and admittedly more tortured posts as the end neared for the parents. But this is far from a downer account of despair.
After ten years time has passed, re-reading these posts reveals a story of deep devotion and love – a source of intense pride that Marianne and Ken did everything they could to provide comfort, quality care and uncompromising respect for the parents who raised them to be ready for this challenge.
This Diary is not an easy read.
Marianne cried constantly re-visiting and re-living these 6 years. Life is not always pretty or even fair. But it is what we make it. And the better we are prepared, the more effectively and more smoothly we can travel this journey with hope and aspiration.
Marianne and Ken are content that they did their jobs well. They accepted the challenge with determination to do what is right. And they did it with love. That is enough.
Today Marianne and Ken live an active, and ever-aspiring life. Be sure to visit EverAgeless.com and join them as they dedicate themselves to an ageless life of meaning and fulfillment.
You can find "My Elder Care Diary" in Amazon Books. If you are anticipating or are currently facing this elder care challenge, you'll find this book a valuable must-read. Most of the information is also on our Website/Blog EverAgeless.com
"My Elder Care Diary" also contains an extensive Elder Care Resources Directory - providing website links and contact information for a wide range of services: Long Term Care, Assisted Living, Nursing Homes, Alzheimers, Home Health Care, Hospice and other Aging Issues.