caregiver Archives • DAVIDPDX

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ELDER RESPECT AND WHY IT MATTERS

September 16, 2025 by David Gillaspie

Elder respect matters because not everyone gets there, and if they do, for however long or short a time, give them their flowers while they’re still alive. In one respect, being an elder is a privilege, especially if you’ve got any semblance of normalcy. By that I mean still functioning in the activities of daily […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: assignment, assisted living, big daddy, caregiver, elder respect, end of life, family, fighter, flowers, humane, life changing, life journey, loyalty, matters, old age, old man, Oregon, respect, retirement home, sarcasm

MARATHON MINDSET OFF THE TRACK

June 1, 2025 by David Gillaspie

I hear marathon mindset and the number 332 pops up. Three hours and thirty-two minutes, the longest 3:32 I can remember. Soooo long it felt never ending, but it all worked out after twenty-six miles. If things don’t work out, then it’s not the end, which is often a problem.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: access Hollywood, Baby Boomer blogger, Baby Boomers, caregiver, Death, death march, education, facebook, family, Hollywood, impatience, marathon mindset, microsoft, millennials, Nike, normal feeling, remember, running, superstar, the end, timing, wife, writer, writing

FOLLOWING ORDERS WITH FELLOW FOLLOWERS

March 6, 2025 by David Gillaspie

Following orders seems simple at face value: Someone tells someone what to do and the second someone does it. Done deal? Not so fast.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: all volunteer army, Army, boss, bullied, bully, caregiver, cowing down, face value, fear, fellow followers, followers, following, following orders, germany, historical, historical reference, karma, loss, mai lai massacre, orders, Parkinson's, powerful position, senior care, soldiers, testosterone, volunteer, war, WWII, young men

CAREGIVING REVIEW WITH HUNTER THOMPSON

November 16, 2024 by David Gillaspie

A caregiving review needs an expert. I am that expert and this is my review with help from Hunter Thompson. His famous quotes are care-worthy:

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: activities of daily living, alcohol, caregiver, caregiving, caregiving review, cocaine, fail grade, fame, guns, healthcare, healthcare system, insurance, mental health, story, suicide, Violence

ERRAND BOY? EMBRACE THE JOB

October 6, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Who’s an errand boy? Who isn’t? That’s how things get done, doing on errands. What else is there, hiring someone to do errands? But there are times it makes sense.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: boots, calmed down, caregiver, cement blocks, construction, enema, errand boy, errand boy proud, errands, family, fitness, hard labor, he-man, home care, hope, hotrod, Mom, pain, pride, professional intervention, property, step dad, weight lifter, wife

BIG TIME TAKES SMALL STEPS: THE GATE

September 29, 2024 by David Gillaspie

The big time is closer than you think, closer than I thought. It’s easy to miss if you don’t look closely. The wood in the picture is an example.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: baby boomer, big time, building, building together, caregiver, caring, do it yourself, fence gate, gate building, homeowner, homeownership, project euphoria, small steps, time

MAKING TIME AND COUNTING DAYS

August 1, 2023 by David Gillaspie

Making time to do the things you need to get done is one thing. Taking time for the people and places important to you is another. Which one are you best at?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: baby boomer, blogger, BOOMER, boomerpdx, boomers, caregiver, coach, depressed, dreams, enthusiasm, making time, metal band, music, sports, tears, time, youth sports

IMPORTANT PEOPLE NEVER TELL YOU, THEY SHOW YOU

June 6, 2023 by David Gillaspie

Important people need one thing: Someone who knows how important they are. If it’s someone they like, even better. But what if no one feels important enough?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: caregiver, D-Day, Death, deathbed, dying, family, family home, important people, married, people, racism, show you, sports talk, step-dad, tell you, wife pride, WWII

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IN THREE PARTS

March 13, 2023 by David Gillaspie

Civil disobedience arrived the night I was standing in front of an Army barracks listening to an order from a captain. “First Platoon report.” I was the leader of the fourth platoon during a middle of the night fire drill where things didn’t go well. “Fourth platoon, report.”

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: baby boomer, Baby Boomers, blogger, BOOMER, caregiver, civil disobedience, first person, fragile moment, lucky man, MARRIAGE, marriage reset, nursing home, Oregon, policeman, Portland, Portland Oregon, protagonist, sandwich generation, serious work

HUMAN POTENTIAL: THE BURDEN OF GREAT EXPECTATIONS

December 19, 2022 by David Gillaspie

Human potential grade from counselor: “You can do anything you want to do.” Human response: “What am I supposed to do with that?” And so begins the journey of great expectations with: “What do you want to be?” I knew what I didn’t want to be early. My dad told me.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: academic achievements, academic counselor, blogger, boomerpdx, Cambridge England, cambridge students, caregiver, elon musk, England, great expectations, human potential, King Charles, potential, reader, students, writer, writing