Seminars on Eldercare
Gail has been presenting seminars of eldercare for many years. If you are interested in inviting her to speak or present a seminar, please contact her at seminars@comingofagewith- agingparents.com or write Coming of Age with Aging Parents, 617 W. 15th Avenue, Spokane, WA 99203
Her frequently requested programs are listed below.
Frequently Requested Programs:
The Sibling Factor: "Team Lemon" or "Team Lemonade"?
Invariably a family's unfinished business will surface during eldercare. Families are vulnerable to changing dynamics any time divergent values, unresolved conflicts, and geographical separations interface. And in times of eldercare, when rapport with siblings or other significant relatives may be easily disrupted, emotions can explode, causing all parties to feel desperate, powerless, or unappreciated.
In caring for aging parents the most critical element to include in any blueprint for preserving family unity at this time is teamwork. Siblings (or other relevant players such as spouses) who collaborate not only surmount the most difficult challenges posed by caregiving but also transform old vendettas into more promising family affairs, ensure optimal care for parents and also a sense that after they are gone the rest of the family will live on free of regrets about this time of transition.
Critical Conversations: Preparing for the Inevitable
Most of us put off the "tough" conversations we know we need to have with our aging relatives as long as possible. Though some adult children have the foresight to look toward their parents' futures, many wait until the crisis hits before tackling the challenge of preparing for the inevitable.
Whether commencing or continuing dialogues regarding medical and emotional specifics for end-of-life preferences, defining the most ideal strategies and respectful approaches for talking to parents are wise investments in your collective futures.
Are You Part of an Endangered Species? Feeding the Feeders
While many family caregivers are frequently overwhelmed at best and physically or emotionally ill at worst, caregiver burnout continues to flourish. Why? The short answer is-it sneaks up on people-especially those believing they have everything under control. A more complex analysis reveals that many providing care to elders need to develop healthy attitudes and behaviors regarding their own self-care.
Understanding motivations for choosing to be a caregiver as well as your ability or unwillingness to ask for help are great starting places. By identifying the symptoms of burnout and how to implement early intervention on your own behalf you can learn to nurture and feed yourself with the same kind of caring and compassion you devote to others.
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Bio
 Gail Goeller, editor of the award-winning The Directory for Seniors and Their Families, a comprehensive guide published annually since 1994 in several Washington state communities with regional satellite publications in Idaho, worked in eldercare for twelve years. After tending to as many as five aging relatives at one time, she and her husband John said good-bye to their one remaining elder, Gail's ninety-one-year-old father recently. Throughout this period of time, they also raised two children and welcomed three grandbabies into their family.
Gail left a rewarding career as a management consultant to found the family business, Mature Matters, so she could share the wisdom gleaned from her caregiving experiences. In addition to publishing the directory, she is a popular speaker at coast-to-coast conferences. Twice she was selected to speak at The Governor's Conference for Women in Washington State. She has been featured several times on the evening news by Spokane's three local affiliate television channels, was interviewed for a community television production, and has been a guest on numerous radio and television talk shows.
With a master's degree in Applied Behavioral Sciences and a sixteen-year career in organizational development, Gail has a deep appreciation for human interactions. She is an active community volunteer for organizations and events involving seniors. In addition to developing subsequent books on eldercare and family, Gail writes a quarterly column for the Spokane-based Journal of Business.
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