Having a good week? Me too! Went to a great bar-b-q on Saturday with lots of little kids (all under 5!). It was so much fun since I'm rarely around really little children. Good to be reminded what pure fun looks like!

This picture is of me as the keynote speaker at the Town of Hempstead Department of Senior Enrichment conference. It was a great program and I want to say hi to all the wonderful people I met who are making the lives of Hempstead's Seniors so rewarding.

And speaking of speaking . . . On Tuesday, October 6th I will be presenting "Understanding Family Expectations" for professionals. If you're going to be in the New York area, why not attend? You'll find all the information right after the article. By the way . . . if you know of a company or organization that wants to help their employees or members address their eldercare issues, please have them give me a call or send me their contact information and I'll contact them. Remember, eldercare affects people regardless of their gender, profession, or economic status.

On September 8th, my radio show guest was Lynn Goodwin, author of "You Want Me to Do What? Journaling for Caregivers. (You can listen to the show through the Barbara's Radio Show page. We had such an interesting conversation that I asked her to write this week's article. Please read on and enjoy! BTW - you can listen to my shows whenever you want by downloading them on ITunes. Just follow the links on Barbara's Radio Show page.

Until next week, Happy New Year.

Until next week, enjoy!

PS> Are you on Facebook or Twitter? If so, I'd love to have you 'friend' me and AgeWiseLiving. That way you can get the latest news and have lots to share with your followers about AgeWiseLiving, the AgeWiseLiving newsletter, my radio show, etc. A whole new world!

The Ultimate Caregiver's Success System

ARE YOU AN ELDERCARE PROVIDER?

If you found something that told you WHAT to do and HOW to do it so you could resolve your eldercare issues by choice, not crisis . . . you'd buy it . . . right?

ARTICLE: Why Caregivers Should Journal

Writing gives perspective and restores sanity. It is a lifeline as well as a record. Writing even a few sentences about your life allows you to vent, delve into issues, and untangle messes. It lets you imagine and dream. Do not underestimate its power.

Journaling is like talking on paper. Write down your thoughts, reflections and discoveries. Make a list, write a letter, tell a story, create a poem, draw, or invent your own form. There are no rules. Your journal can be whatever you make it.

Early in the interview, Barbara asked if journaling was like keeping a diary. Great question. A diary is like a soap opera, and a journal is like PBS. It offers a chance to step away from the routine and reflect.

When I was a caregiver for my mother, I'd take her typed list to the grocery store, go down the list, check each item off, and still get items wrong. I'd bring home salt free canned vegetables instead or regular ones or Lay's potato chips instead of Pringles. Though her words said she forgave me, her tone said she resented my slipshod work.

I poured my misery into my journal, and discovered that my mother resented losing her independence. Maybe the tone of voice was directed at that and not at me. Apparently, role reversal was tough on both of us. When I listened … to my … mother … piecing … a sentence … together, my brain slowed down. I felt sluggish and stupid. Journaling revived me. My concentration increased and complex thoughts emerged. Journaling gave me perspective and restored my sanity.

So, what do you do if you're not really a writer, and you don't know where to start?

Start anywhere.

Write about the sun that comes through the screen door or the aroma of coffee rising from the striped mug your son made in third grade. Start with "Today I feel…" "I was thrilled when…" "I felt isolated when…" "I lust after…" or one of the 200 other sentence starts in "You Want Me to Do What? Journaling for Caregivers. Finish the sentence, write another, and you are journaling. Keep going. Skip around and pick whatever topic is right for you on any give day. You'll uncover new layers in your life as you write.

What do you do if you hate to write? Draw. Talk into a tape recorder. Disregard the haunting voice that says, "You can't spell." Writing is not spelling. Pour your heart onto the paper or into the tape recorder and let your unique voice emerge.

Journals never argue. They let you vent, expound, rationalize, elaborate, and imagine. They help you become the person you were meant to be.

Do not let your moment in history disappear. No one can tell your story but you.

B. Lynn Goodwin is a teacher, editor, freelance writer, the owner of Writer Advice, www.writeradvice.com and the author of You Want Me to Do What? Journaling for Caregivers, which is available through Amazon.com and on Writer Advice. When you visit Writer Advice, be sure to click on Journaling for Caregivers.

Remember, if you're struggling to help your aging loved one, I urge you not to wait for a crisis to develop. Please call me toll-free at (877) AGE-WISE or email me at Barbara@AgeWiseLiving.com for a complimentary "get acquainted" conversation. I'm here to help!