We’re Marianne and Ken Smith. We’ve had three frail, elderly parents living with us in our home for four years now, and the challenges grow every day. A recent accident in which Marianne’s father fell and broke his leg has created a whirlwind of coping, soul-searching, researching and action to deal with our elder care challenges.This diary blog is part therapy for the two of us and part our feeling of responsibility to share with others our four years of research and experience. So many of us share this place, and, with the aging of the boomer generation looming on the horizon, elder care issues will become very much on the radar screen of our society.

This diary begins a few days after Marianne’s father fell.For a background on our family and how we got to this place, visit About Our Family.The history you’ll find there is just a brief overview. In the months that follow, we’ll expand on some of our parents’ unique and interesting experiences that are so indicative of the struggles and character of this “Greatest Generation.”Plus we’ll expand on some of what we have learned during our four years of exhaustive research on how to deal with the incredible challenges of elder care… long term care options, nursing home, home health care, hospice, how to deal with Alzheimer’s, how to pay for all this, the value of long-term care insurance and much more.Marianne will be doing most of the posting on this blog – every few days. We’ll also periodically include some video comments as well.Join us on this journey. We hope it helps you as much as it helps us to write it.

How this blog works

Because this is a diary, posts are shown in chronological order by month – rather than last-post-first as most blogs are structured. Our first post is October 16, 2007. So, if you wish to start at the beginning, click here, you will be able to LEAVE A COMMENT regarding any post in a month at the bottom of each monthly diary page.orstart with the “October Diary” link on the right sidebar. To LEAVE A COMMENT regarding any post in a month, click on the MONTH at the TOP of the page. The comments box will appear at the BOTTOM of the page ready for your input.