“At first, it wasn’t a big deal, because he took care of himself. He cooked and cleaned and drove. Then, he started forgetting things,” Chicagoan Margaret Wood says of her 88-year-old father. “I came in to check on him one day and the kettle was whistling. The apartment was 95 degrees. I don’t even know […]

Are we what we drink? Standage argues that beverages have influenced the course of human history in many ways, beginning with the first beer made in Mesopotamia circa 10,000 B.C.(Walker; $14.95). Not all glasses contain alcohol. First there is beer, then wine, whiskey, coffee, tea, and, most recently, Coca-Cola. Although early […]

For Jeanne and Jerry Joiner, simplifying their life meant trading 12-hour workdays for part-time work and living across the street from family members.
For Ann Palmer, it meant moving from Seattle to a small island in Puget Sound so her daughter could get to school in a safe, nurturing environment.
For Betsey Voss, it meant giving away […]

Even though they already have a blended family of four children, five dogs and five cats, Maryclaire Collins and her fiancé built a house in Highland Park with a special additional feature—a suite for Maryclaire’s mother, Florence Collins, 88. Although Florence lives in nearby Winnetka, the suite will serve as a permanent home for […]

Tony Fitzpatrick, a painter and poet who lives in Chicago, calls his parents “my salvation.” He isn’t just talking about the way they stuck by him in his 20s, when he was killing himself with drugs and alcohol, although he’s grateful for that. Or the way they supported him when he was trying to break […]

Moving a parent into the house isn’t just an emotional decision, it’s a financial one, too. After her mother moved in, one woman spent so much time providing care that she couldn’t take big high-paying consulting contracts anymore. Her annual revenue hit: $70,000. And even though she feels she’s doing the right thing, she admits […]

The dating game can be pretty intimidating at any age–especially if you’ve had your share of challenging life experiences (like divorce or death of a spouse). But that’s no reason to sit on the sidelines, say psychologist Judith Sills and Dennie Hughes, author of Dateworthy. The two dating experts were recent guests on the Today […]

Back-to-school season is in full-swing. And as throngs of kids migrate to college, it’s also the start of empty-nest season. The feeling of loss when a child leaves home is often associated with mothers, but fathers shoulder their fair share of grief too, as a recent Forbes article notes:

According to experts, communication is crucial during […]