Transitions With Jean - Columns

Recently, a customer told me matter-of-factly: “When I die, I don’t want a funeral.” My first thought was “Ouch.  Where does that leave your family?” I reached out to an expert, Eric Stadler, Pre-planning Specialist at Valley Funeral Home.  I asked what his response...

My big sister, Laura, is someone I look up to.  As the oldest of eight kids, she spent her early years taking care of her siblings.  She was also the one that had to break in Mom and Dad as parents.  She did the supervising role well, and she did a pretty good job...

I have this thing. I need to clear-out things because I have too much stuff.  But this thing is special.  It cannot just go to charity.  It must go to the right person, someone who will appreciate it.  I’ll bet you have a thing, too. We want to control our stuff and...

Dear Jean: When I am with my grandchildren, I don’t know what to talk to them about. They just sit on their phones.   We don’t seem to have anything in common.  Do you have any ideas? Answer: Sometimes, I wonder about the same thing.  I am pretty sure my grandkids are...

Dear Jean, Recently, I was in the audience at the library when you spoke about how to get rid of our stuff. You told us not to sell things on Facebook Marketplace or Craig’s List, because we shouldn’t let people in who can haul things out. I disagree. I have been...

A few years ago, I had a fun quiz about how to approach family gatherings over the holidays. Here are more questions for you to consider. There is no perfect answer, just food for thought. 1. The family dinner is the highlight of the day. It means so much to Mom to...

Change is hard.  This month, I get to experience that first hand. After 64 years in business, we are closing A-1 Moving & Storage. I have been running the company for 30 years. I am ready to dedicate more time to my passion: helping seniors as they transition from...

Dear Jean, From what I can tell, my mom doesn’t eat well. She also doesn’t get out much. I heard there is a program with the county for meals. Please tell me more. Answer: You are right. There is really good food available for seniors. Nutrition is so important in...

Dear Jean, Our mom recently passed away, and we are left with all kinds of medical things that we want to find a good home for. We have a lift chair, wheelchairs, walkers, depends, even IV poles. Do you know who we can give them to? Surely someone could use them....

Dear Jean, I recently fell for the third time in a year. My doctor is addressing my balance issues, but I am asking about my fear. I am so afraid of falling again and maybe really hurting myself. How can I overcome the fear? Answer, You are already taking the most...