Roshi Joan Halifax is recognized as master teacher and a pioneer in end-of-life care. She is Founder, Abbot, Head Teacher of Upaya Institute and Zen Center, a Buddhist monastery located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her 2009 book, Being With Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of [...]
One of my mantras in the early days of our move to the ranch was, “It’s about dignity.” Those early days were fresh and fragile as I was very conscious of the milieu being created in our new intergenerational living experience. We had relocated in search of an environment [...]
In 2003, we were many miles apart but still in touch – two decades after being colleagues in a Chicago-area hospital. Stephanie Mayercik, my “wise sage” during our employment years, possessed finely-tuned listening skills, common sense and abundant practical wisdom, a quick wit and sense of humor, and buoyant and [...]
Introduced to Maslow’s Theory during my graduate studies, I have frequently had the theory come to mind in numerous work and personal relationships over the years. This simple and orderly model has been adapted for use in many different work settings. And so, it was not an unusual response [...]
This well-researched 2008 publication covers the concept of Alzheimer’s disease from its intriguing history to the monumental challenge it has become today. The book’s practical perspective provides a new lens by which to view the challenges of living with brain aging. Anecdotal sharing of my personal experiences of past [...]
We came from similar rural backgrounds in the Midwest, and eventually, we became part of some of the same networks. Following undergraduate studies at the same college, our paths were linked via the alumni network for which she and Ramzi, her spouse, were later named as recipients of the [...]
Comfort IN, Dump OUT... How not to say the wrong thing? What is The Ring Theory – and what is its best application? How to unpack this technique? Upon receiving a diagnosis of dementia, one’s social contacts can change abruptly, and sometimes end. Old friends and associates stop coming because [...]
I was simply stunned. This time, it hit close to home. My deceased father had been in a highly invisible group of people ... a group which, in many cultures, is revered and held in esteem. Writing this in a chaotic post-truth era, the words of the Acting White [...]
A voice for change, Dr. Bill Thomas was featured in the very first regional Alzheimer’s Association publication, Spring 1999 issue, which I received after my hometown arrival in late ‘98. It was an unforgettable moment in which his compelling words totally resonated. Even today, two decades later, his words [...]
I learned about The Chalice and The Blade during a 1987 dinner meeting of Women in Management in Chicago's downtown chapter. The book is now considered a classic. It is an important historical review of the shaping of human culture, comparing two basic models of society – the dominator [...]
