A few years ago, if someone had asked me whether I was caring for aging parents, I probably would have said no.
Today, I’d answer differently.
Not because my parents suddenly became dependent on me. They didn’t.
It’s because I’ve realized that caring for aging parents doesn’t begin with a crisis. It begins with awareness.
It’s noticing that they move a little more slowly than they used to.
It’s hearing them mention retirement more often.
It’s becoming the person they call when they can’t figure out a new phone or need help navigating paperwork.
Most of the time, there isn’t one defining moment. It’s a series of small ones.
At the same time, my wife and I are raising young twins, running a physiotherapy clinic, and trying to squeeze as much as we can out of family life. Like many parents, our weeks are full of school, activities, work, and everything that comes with trying to build a life while raising a family.
And somewhere in the middle of all of that, another realization quietly crept in.
While my children are growing up, my parents are growing older.
Those two realities happen side by side, whether we’re paying attention or not.
Working at Get Right Physio has given us a perspective that I’m incredibly grateful for. Every week, we visit older adults in their homes and meet the families who love them. We see people after hip replacements, strokes, falls, or simply because everyday tasks have become a little more difficult.
What stands out isn’t just the medical side of aging.
It’s the families.
The daughter trying to balance work while coordinating appointments.
The son wondering whether it’s finally time to talk about driving.
The grandchildren who still see Grandma as invincible, even though everyone else can see things are changing.
No two families are the same, but the questions they ask are remarkably similar.
How do we know when it’s time to step in?
How do we help without making our parents feel like they’re losing their independence?
Should they stay in their home?
What services are available?
How do we even start these conversations?
These aren’t questions you can answer with a quick Google search.
You might find pieces of information, but it’s much harder to find practical advice that’s grounded in real experience. It’s even harder to find stories from people who have already walked this path.
That’s why I started Between Generations.
Not as another website about aging.
There are already plenty of those.
I wanted to build something for the people who are in the middle of it.
The sons and daughters who are raising children while slowly taking on a bigger role in their parents’ lives.
The families who don’t necessarily need all the answers today but want to be better prepared for tomorrow.
I hope this becomes a place where healthcare professionals can share practical advice without overwhelming people with medical jargon.
A place where seniors can share the lessons they’ve learned over a lifetime.
A place where families can feel a little less alone as they navigate decisions that almost everyone faces eventually.
Just as importantly, I hope it reminds us not to spend all our time preparing for the future that we forget to enjoy the present.
Working with seniors has taught me something I wasn’t expecting.
The conversations people remember most rarely involve careers or accomplishments.
They remember family dinners.
Vacations.
The traditions that happened every Christmas.
The afternoons that seemed ordinary at the time.
Those are the moments that stay with us.
That’s one of the reasons I wrote about Interstellar. The movie reminded me that time has a way of slipping past without asking for permission. Before you know it, your children are older, your parents have changed, and you find yourself wishing you’d slowed down just a little more.
Between Generations isn’t only about helping parents age well.
It’s about helping families make the most of the years they have together.
You’ll find practical guides here.
Conversations with healthcare professionals.
Stories from seniors whose experiences deserve to be heard.
Personal reflections as I navigate this stage of life alongside many of you.
Some articles will help you make difficult decisions.
Others might simply remind you to call your parents, ask another question about their childhood, or bring the kids over for one more Sunday dinner.
If this website helps one family feel a little more prepared, a little more connected, or a little less overwhelmed by everything that comes with this stage of life, then it’ll have accomplished exactly what I hoped it would.
Thank you for being here.
Welcome to Between Generations.
I’m glad we’re on this journey together.