Marilyn Ellis

How Clara Could Have Been Saved: Money Isn't Everything

Clara, unmarried, childless, elderly, frail and disabled, hated the idea of moving to a nursing home. She wanted to remain in her home as long as possible but had decided that she could not afford an expensive agency caregiver. Her friends and neighbors s... Read >

It Might Be Worth Something: Estate Sales, Auctions and Donations. What Is Best For You?

"$500? Look, fella, I'm not a collector and I don't want to buy your junk to keep for myself. I have to sell it and make a profit. I'll give you $100. Take it or leave it." I could have hugged that TV Pawn Shop Guy. As a Professional Organizer, Estat... Read >

Competition? What's That?

Sometimes business coaching clients call me in a panic when discovering "a new kid in town". They are really worried about their competition. I tell them to calm down and take a different point of view. All businesses worth their salt have "competition... Read >

Slow Economy Can Mean An Opportunity

If its not war, its the economy and now, sadly, the grim reality of the Gulf oil spill. Every business experiences slowdowns at one time or another. Right now, there is not only a slowdown, there is a downright malaise. I believe it is a collective emoti... Read >

What To Do When The Kids Move Back Home

Baby Boomers are often called the Sandwich Generation. They earned this moniker because they are often faced with caring not only for their children but their aging parents as well. I'd like to add another layer of cheese, tomato and lettuce, along with... Read >

Niche Craft: Finding Your Market Niche

Common sense would tell us that casting a broad net when marketing our products or services would provide the most customers. And we would be dead wrong. That thinking will keep you struggling for years to find your market - perhaps never finding it at a... Read >

Assisted Living - Wating Too Long

" I know, I need to move," said the lovely Amelia, aged 85, alone, frail and living in a run down house with multiple levels and too much clutter. "But I just have to go through a few papers first. My friend is helping me" She glanced at the huge pile o... Read >

A New Life For Amelia: An Ailing Senior Gets Help

"Who?" said the booming female voice at the other end of the phone. When I identified myself as someone who had been referred to her to help her move into her Assisted Living apartment,she replied, "Moving? I'm not moving! Who told you that?" Later,... Read >

Another Look at Depression

"I just went through my closet, took a bunch of clothes off the hangars, folded them and put them on shelves", said my elderly client. "So now I can keep everything and you don't need to help me sort through my clothes". Having just mo... Read >

When Yes Really Means No: Assisted Living

"I don't know what you are talking about," replied the Executive Director of a very posh Assisted Living Community I had just move my clients into. I had just listed the problems I saw with the care my clients were getting. "We just had our town hall meet... Read >

Prescription Drug Abuse In The Elderly

"I'm taking 22 pills a day", said my elderly client proudly. That immediately raised a red flag with me. According to a recent study by the Toronto Star, the average 65 yr old takes 5 pills per day and only 12% take more than 10 pills a day. So what... Read >

What To Do With Stubborn Parents

Sitting hunched over in his recliner chair, wearing oxygen tubes in his nose, John declared that he and his 89 yr old wife were just fine and they could take care of themselves, thank you very much. He was a real curmudgeon, although I expected that beh... Read >

What To Look For In Choosing An Assisted Living Community

Relax, choosing the right Assisted Living Community doesn't have to be daunting. You just have to know what to look for and what questions to ask. It is important to know what kind of lifestyle you would like to have and if the Community is able to supp... Read >

Five Easy Steps To Better Listening

Certain skills, once mastered, enrich our lives forever. Learning to play a musical instrument and knowing how to speak a foreign language are good examples of this principle.There is another skill, that once mastered is truly invaluable in every aspect o... Read >

Future Trends: The End of the World In 2012? Get Over It!

The world is not going to end in 2012 any more than our computers imploding at the end of 1999. Stop worrying. Welcome to the second decade of the 21st Century! How did that happen so quickly? We worried in vain about our computer systems imploding o... Read >