It was never about the grass Those of us in the direct service business are really in the business of 'stewardship.'  For either a short time or for a life-time, we assume stewardship over a valued aspect of our customer or client's life. It is not about...

  Wildfire Smoke Is Invading Our Communities How to Protect the People You Care About Wildfire smoke can leave us feeling as though there is little we can do. We cannot control the wind, put out a distant fire, or clear the sky on command. We can, however, protect our...

  Cool Down and Check In Heat Waves  What if the most caring thing we do this summer is ask one simple question: are you cool enough? The question may sound small. It is not. Recent heat waves in France and Spain have shown again how quickly hot weather can...

  See Something.  Say Something.  Do Something World Elder Abuse Awareness Day:  Waiting for his bank’s local branch to open, my brother, a retired Corporate VP, struck up a pleasant conversation with an older woman.  When the doors opened, she headed for the...

  Advocacy Part 2 for an Age When Silence Costs Too Much I’ve Got Your Back Again There are moments when advocacy arrives quietly. No protest sign. No microphone. No dramatic movie soundtrack. Sometimes advocacy sounds like, “Can we slow down and explain that...

Why Playfulness Looks Even Better with Age We tend to admire composure in later life. Calm helps. Steadiness does too. A measured presence can be lovely. But what if the person making the cheeky comment at lunch, wearing the bright scarf, breaking into song in the...

Nourish to Flourish… Willpower Not Required March is Nutrition Month in Canada, and the theme is Nourish to Flourish (Dietitians of Canada). So let’s say the quiet part out loud. When something is convenient or right at our fingertips—whether it’s a quick meal or the...

Feel The Difference -- Why Training Matters You deserve to feel heard, not handled Have you ever walked away from a meeting thinking, “They were polite… but I don’t feel heard”? That moment is more than uncomfortable. It’s often the start of confusion,...

  The Questions That Are On Everyone's Mind: What Was, What Is, What Will Be I had a conversation recently with a dear friend and colleague, and it stayed with me. We were talking about the new year, the kind of January that arrives with fresh calendars and promising...

  Shifting Holiday Traditions For many, the holidays arrive wrapped in nostalgia. Old music plays. Cherished ornaments come out of their boxes. Stories get retold, sometimes with more punch than the spiked eggnog. And still, for many people in later years, the...