loved one Archives - Finishing Well In Life

My sister and I (I'm on the left) as adults, and us as children.

When it comes to dementia, Laughter truly is the best medicine

Posted on May 1, 2025 by seniajean

Caregiving for someone with dementia is neither easy nor for the faint of heart. It is certainly not a laughing matter – it’s a serious responsibility filled with many decisions and little sleep. It was almost 20 years ago when it was determined that my Mama had dementia. Back then, there were very few resources or books that offered advice about how to do day-to-day care. After our Daddy passed away, my sister, husband, and I realized we had to figure out how to navigate this journey with very few signposts along the way.

Venitra White-Dean, CDP, and her brother Henrico White are standing next to a Frankie Mae Foundation banner.

Frankie Mae Foundation: A Model for Caregiving Excellence

Posted on December 1, 2024December 1, 2024 by seniajean

Our caregiving journey began when Mama was in the early stages of dementia. My dad was still alive at that time, although he had his own struggles with Parkinson’s disease. Our parents lived in a little cottage in the country. Wayne and I, and my sister, Peggy took care of everything required to care for parents whose abilities were diminishing.

Sunrise Photo by Frank McKenna on Unsplash

The Art of Rest – For Both Caregivers and Their Loved-Ones

Posted on July 1, 2023December 28, 2023 by seniajean

Whenever the topic of preventing dementia comes up, one item that seems to rise to the top of the list is rest – usually in the form of sleep. As in ‘get enough sleep each night’. While that is great advice, there are aspects of rest that need to happen in your waking hours as well. The secret is to somehow find the balance between all the responsibilities you have for your loved one, and your own well-being.

Encountering Grief and Going Forward

Posted on April 1, 2021June 7, 2025 by seniajean

As I sit down to write, I look out the window and notice how gray the day seems to be. The skies are gray and a bit misty as the rain drizzles down. The birds are not active – most of them have taken shelter in trees. I can spot the red feathers of cardinals peeking out under leaves – decorating the large beach tree in our back yard. Today’s weather mirrors the topic I am planning to write about. Grief.

If possible, bring flowers instead of sending them.

Be the Valentine for your Loved-One with dementia

Posted on February 1, 2020February 5, 2020 by seniajean

Caring Makes a Difference
When a person has dementia, it means they are losing memories, not feelings. One of my favorite quotes from Maya Angelou is,
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Our 'Bee Crossing' Sign that alerts the bees where to cross.

Quality of life for loved one benefits everyone

Posted on August 1, 2018February 20, 2022 by seniajean

Quality of life rises to a higher priority as options become more and more limited. When we first realized that Mama was beginning to display signs of dementia, our family made the decision to try to fill her life with as much joy as possible. I say ‘unconscious decision’ because, at that point, we didn’t…

Find a sense of balance in your busy life

Posted on October 2, 2017October 13, 2022 by seniajean

In order to find a sense of balance in our busy lives, it is first important to define what balance actually is. One definition is a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions.

Andy finished life well – but way too soon

Posted on July 20, 2017August 18, 2020 by seniajean

We know that Andy had many struggles in life but over the past several years he experienced many victories and was in a good place – he finished well.

Two of our children watching the memorial service on the iPads

A Time to Mourn

Posted on April 9, 2017August 19, 2020 by seniajean

And finally, a memorial service is also one more way to show honor to a parent. As God’s word tells us in Ecclesiastes, there is “A time to mourn.”

The Messenger

Posted on January 22, 2017August 18, 2020 by seniajean

Mama was a messenger. Her life was a message that didn’t need words. This season also gave her family something else. Time. The extra time we were given allowed us the opportunity to show her honor.