Inspiring wonderful places to grow up and grow old by fostering care communities and care economies for & by neighbors.
My father wanted to write a book but was stuck. I’d self-published a career memoir (more on that below) and he asked my advice to get over his stuckness. I suggested that rather than fret over a narrative arch, he might get started by gathering some photos and writing about what they captured. I know…Continue reading Making a treasured keepsake + my book
I pass a house on my walks with a “ROB ME!” sign in the front yard often. OK, so there isn’t an actual sign, but newspapers piling up on the walkway as good as advertise that no one’s home. If I didn’t live so far away, I’d offer the house dwellers to collect their papers…Continue reading Low-hanging trust building
After 25 years in dementia care, Laura Herman has facilitated stunning changes in the behavior and functioning of thousands of people with dementia. Now, though her ABC Dementia Course & Community, she shows others how to do so too. Laura has kindly agreed to share one of her tales of transformation here. Can Dementia Get…Continue reading No, that’s not “just the dementia.”
PART 1: Eric Frimpong left his wife and crying kids in Ghana to look for work in the States to give them a better life. Eight years passed without him seeing his family, and the last hurdle Eric needed to clear to be reunited with them was significant: gaining U.S. citizenship. Working as a maintenance…Continue reading Recognizing quiet (but important) contributions
A trip for red lentils pushed me to learn to drive at age 36: Then a new resident of Georgia, it once took me 3+ hours to get to and from Whole Foods on MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta “not so” Rapid Transit Authority) and once was enough. But I was a lucky one because even though…Continue reading How ice cream cones (or red lentils) can help you plan your future
As a daughter, my mother is my mother. As a family caregiver, my mother is my customer / client: she gets services from me. As a village maker, neighbors are my primary customers. Or people who’ll “buy into” caring for folks nearby. The idea for Vertical Village Alliance grew directly from my childhood as an…Continue reading Making what’s missing to serve your “customers”
There’s a saying that goes, “If you want to take the island, burn the boats.” Attributed to different people, it means “if you’re determined to advance, eliminate your means of retreat.” Like when I quit my job vs. taking a sick leave of absence: the latter would have let me return easily if the going…Continue reading Making a minimum viable village
My friend put his face close to mine looking eager for an answer to his question: “How did you get your parents to leave their house?” he wanted to know. Sadly, my answer didn’t help him much because my father’s doctor literally ordered him out of my parents’ three-story house to avoid stairs, which was…Continue reading Telling Mom it’s time to move and other tricky care conversations
A Village for Life started as Village Company 360. A friend suggested that I drop the word “company” because he thought it was sending the wrong message. Though I later changed the name (for an unrelated reason) my friend’s suggestion helped me to see that I hadn’t clearly communicated something BIG: As much as fostering…Continue reading Naborforce: A helping hand, flexible income & business model in one