Laugh to Keep from Crying – How to Parent Your Parents

In this episode of Boomer TV: Embrace Life, Embrace Age, Empower Dreams, Andy Asher, editor of BloomerBoomer talks to Charlotte Canion, the author of You Have to Laugh to Keep from Crying: How to Parent Your Parents.

Charlotte Canion is being called the first book everyone needs to read when faced with the parent your parent issue. She was the caregiver for her live-in father-in-law who developed dementia, her mother who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and her father with Parkinson’s – all at the same time.

Nine out of ten caregivers are female and this fell on her shoulders. The book focuses on helping those who are dealing with aging parents or loved ones. She gives down-to-earth advice on how to manage everything from day-to-day tasks to making long-term decisions on the right type of care for their elderly loved ones.

According to Canion, raising children and enjoying a successful career does not necessarily prepare adults for dealing with their parent’s needs. She notes that this can be an extremely difficult time, requiring new tools to face these challenges. Her book offers support to those who need to maintain a positive attitude in the face of mounting problems with aging parents or loved ones. She teaches techniques on how to stay connected by finding the passions of your loved ones and thus making caregiving a joy, not a job.

Canion says, “The thought of our parents aging is a frightening one, but my book will teach you how to laugh through the journey. Discover the power of laughter and see how it will help you cope with the task of parenting our parents, a task that will be inevitable for most of us. Whether you are on the threshold of seeking a nursing facility for an aging loved one, have a parent living with you, or think these issues are far down the road, my book helps prepare for and face obstacles you may have never dreamt.”
Canion is an encouraging motivator, and a strong shoulder to lean on during the decision-making process. She goes on to encourage those who are struggling with the difficulty associated with daily elder care obstacles. She says, “When spending time with your parents seems like too much effort, remember, one day, all you will have left are memories. Make them cherished ones.”