Join us in this episode of Aging GreatFULLy as we welcome Ellen Rittberg, award winning journalist, humorist and attorney who represented senior citizens and children in court for over twenty-five years. She also wrote reports and recommendations for judges in guardianship cases. In her humorous self-help book, Why is Grandma Naked? Caring for your Aging Parent, she describes what worked for her while being a caregiver for her mother after moving in with her mother for six years, while working full time. She chose to write this book from a humorous perspective to lighten the load of caregivers, knowing their roles are often stressful she wanted to bring moments of laughter, comfort and even peace to their lives. Ellen treats listeners to an on-air excerpt read; and explains the importance of laughter despite what uncontrollable circumstances life doles out.
While written in a lighthearted manner, the book contains quick-read chapters of Ellen’s personal wisdom and experiences of what she learned as a caregiver and serves as a FUNdamental roadmap for others to use to navigate their own caregiver journey. Knowing that caregivers are often busy, this self-help guide is part manual, part support book, and part just the witty lift one might need to smile their way through the realities of caregiving. But it is based on her experiences--what she got right and sometimes didn’t--and her hope is that her book will help others along their caregiving journey. Ellen openly shares her journey of caring for her mother with cognitive decline and how their relationship changed over time. And candidly shares how in spite of the changes in the relationship, there were still ways to create special moments of connections, joy and even laughter. Ellen also shares a saying she has adopted, daresay a mantra -- that I feel many listeners will appreciate and even adopt into their own lives. An enjoyable and enriching hour from beginning to end!
Ellen Rittberg lectures about caregiving, parenting and creative writing in many venues, including before Covid, on cruise ships. Her plays, Sci Fi and Sabbath Elevator about the consequences of a loss of freedom and me-too, respectively have been performed on New York City Stages. You can learn more about her work, connect with her and purchase her book at https://ellenrittberg.com and it is also available via your favorite booksellers.
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