Hope you had a great week.

The low-light of mine was breaking one of my little toes. Who would think one little toe could be so painful?

The highlight? My radio show -- Age Wise Living on VoiceAmerica.com. My third one is now under my belt and it went very well. I even had my first caller! If you want to call in during the live show on Tuesday morning at 10a Eastern time, just call 866-472-5788. My guest will be Yale Hauptman, Elder Law attorney. Will be very interesting.

Can't be there "live"? Since it's internet based, I'm actually rebroadcast at lots of different times and it is also archived. To listen, just go to http://www.modavox.com/voiceamerica/vchannel.aspx?cid=246. Click on the "Live Schedule" tab to hear it rebroadcast or click on the "Shows" tab to hear the archive. And please do tune in next Tuesday at 10a Eastern/7a Pacific time to be there in person!

Can you believe this weekend is Memorial Weekend? Even though it's early, it's still the "unofficial" start of Summer. Whether graduation, vacation, or a wedding, as a caregiver, a big question for you may be should you bring your aging loved one along or not. If you do, this week's article will help you make it a good one.

Until next week, have a safe and festive Memorial Weekend.

P.S. Thought you'd be interested in seeing me in Central Park writing my newsletter and preparing for my radio show. Neither rain, nor snow, and all that!

ARTICLE: ENJOYING YOUR VACATION WITH MOM

Cathy writes. . . .

"Mom was very active until about a year ago when she broke her hip. Two years ago we took her with us on a cruise to the Caribbean. Originally, my husband and I planned to go to Hawaii, but there really wasn't much there for my mother do. We figured a cruise would eliminate the work of getting from place to place. We chose a cruise ship with the most things we would all enjoy. Mother brought a friend with her and they shared a room. We all had a blast and, other than breakfasts and a few dinners, we hardly saw each other!!!

"The hip has healed but Mom has not fully recovered mentally, physically or emotionally. She now has a caregiver during the day and I take care of her evenings and on weekends. As much as I love my mother, I desperately needed a vacation this year -- just for me and my husband. We had to postpone our trip by a couple of weeks so my sister could stay with her, but it was worth the wait for a much needed vacation."

When planning a vacation think about the reason you're considering taking Mom with you. Cathy and her husband really wanted Mom to come. They planned in advance to be sure everyone had something to do they would enjoy. Her mother brought a friend so she would have company. They were able to be flexible with where they went.

But, if like Cathy, a vacation together is no longer an option, maybe you can arrange for a sibling to stay with her. This is not always possible, but if it is, it's a good compromise and a great way to share responsibilities with other family members. Here are some other options: