50 Ways To Love Your Mother

By Jane Monachelli

Gift ideas for aging parents when all they need is love. This book is a resource for baby boomers who's aging parents are moving into or live in down sized living spaces. Complete with websites and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0977772144
• ISBN13: 9780977772148
• Release Date: March 2006
• Publisher: Helping House
• Length: 95 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A DELIGHTFUL WOMAN WRITES A DELIGHTFUL -- AND USEFUL -- BOOK!

Secrets of the Zona Rosa: How Writing (and Sisterhood) Can Change Women's LivesWhen Jane Monachelli's mother entered her "golden years," Jane was living in Arizona while her mother was in Mississipi. Monachelli, a busy woman with a demanding psychotherapy practice, was frustrated -- and became moreso when her mother moved into a care center, where she had little room for "things," indeed, seemed to have lost interest in them. Then she noticed that the residents at the center who received a lot of attention from family and friends seemed to receive special prestige and status. How could she give this to her mother from a distance, especially as she had so little spare time? That was the beginning was this book, which any person who loves someone older, especially someone older who lives elsewhere, will treasure. In it, Monachelli gives 50 clever and well-though-out suggestions for things one can do for one's loved one from a distance; each short section is broken up into easy-to-read cost (from low end to high), where and how to buy your gift, and how to deliver it, plus a useful tip. Everything about the book is lively, including it's colorful cover and feminine line drawings. 50 WAYS TO LOVE YOUR MOTHER is a book for which many, many women (and men), eager to show their love to someone who's not close by, will be grateful!

Ways to love Grandma K.

50 Ways to Love Your mother, has really helped me with wonderful ideas to help me "Love" my 96 year old grandmother. This book opened my eyes to the difficulties she goes through everyday, and having a resource like this helps me to purchase gifts that will benefit her. It has been hard to think of gifts for someone her age that will not go to waste.(other than chocolate!) My first project is printing pictures in 8" by 10" to hang around her room.I would love to replace the small snapshots she has that she cant really see, so she can see her many family members daily. I will also include pictures of her so she has a story to tell her visitors! The ideas in this book are so thought out and love filled! I am sending copies to my cousins!

GREAT GIFT BOOK

I received this book as a gift. I put it to use right away. It is so very helpful, especially if you are living at a distance from your loved one. I just sent a copy to a friend whose mother went into assisted living. She was delighted. PS despite the title, many of the suggestions in here are suitable for men.

Help for guys!! Sons and Nephews.

I think guys have problems knowing what to do for our mothers and aunts who are so far away. My mother lived in her big old farmhouse in Pennsylvania until she died at age 96 in Dec '04. With only my brother there who visited each morning to make breakfast. And now I look after our last aunt's affairs, who is 94 and lives in a small retirement apartment. Neither had/have daughters or nieces, only sons, and we (most of us?) struggle with how to reach out to them. I know it was hard to be so alone in the twilight of one's years -- outliving all your siblings and co-workers and friends; with only an occasional visit from a church member; and yearning for any contact from their sons. "50 Ways ...." has lots of little hints, either to utilize directly, or to spur other ideas. But to me, its real value is as a gentle reminder. Don't put it in a bookshelf, but lay it out and keep it dusted, on a night stand, the arm of a couch, or on the kitchen counter -- and each time you see it it will be a gentle reminder to think "what can I do this month, this week or this day. To reach out and touch. To express love." And you will be enriched.

Things I wish I knew

"50 Ways..." So wish someone had given me the book when my mother was alive. Makes me sad that I didn't have it then but am now motivated to give it to every friend I currently have who have parents, friends, neighbors or relatives still living but now live in smaller units. Page 80 describes how the author made a scrap book called "Things You Need to Know About Jane Schutt" who lived in an assisted living/nursing home. Was for the purpose of having it available in her Aunt's room for the staff to see, share and ask questions. Included pictures of her life which made it so much easier to talk with her instead of not having any idea of what kind of questions to ask or what to say to her. Oh, how my mother would love to have talked about the pictures of her last 90 years. For families who live far away and feel helpless as to what they can do, the book is filled with simple, inexpensive things to give and mail. Especially like the easy to read format with telephone numbers and email addresses of places to order simple gifts along with price ranges and quick TIPs to make the suggestions even easier. When someone tells me how difficult it is to move their parent from their family home to a scaled down unit ie. apartment, retirement home, I take one of the "stashed" books out, give it to her and feel like I've helped to make a difference.