How to comfort a dying loved one

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

Click on the link above to learn a powerful way to comfort someone who is leaving this life. My new book Mothers Losing Moithers: Comfort and Reassurance in Your Time of Loss has just come out in eBook format. I am honored to have as my guest an expert on how to comfort the person who is dying. Read on please.

The largest generation ever is now in middle age and many of them are caring for elderly parents who are in their final transition. When your loved one asks, “What’s going to happen to me when I die?” How do you answer? And how do you deal with your own feelings as your loved one leaves this life? Often families are so caught up in making arrangements, giving care, and trying to comfort a dying loved one that they don’t know where to turn to get the support and answers they need.

My guest this week is Penelope Mont, who has extensive experience helping families weather this difficult time. Mont has worked for decades in the assisted living and hospice care fields, also caring for Alzheimer’s patients and training others to help families at this time. Mont has created useful tools to help. To celebrate the publication this week of my new book Mothers Losing Mothers: Comfort and Reassurance in Your Time of Loss, I am happy to welcome Penelope Mont, expert in end of life transition.  

To listen to Family First, click on this link and choose June 1. The show is live June 1 at 1 PM PT/2 PM MT/3 PM CT/4 PM PT. You can also hear it on demand and as a podcast any time afterwards. Just go to http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first. Share it with a friend who is losing a loved one.

Penelope Mont's work experience over the past forty years includes special education teaching; geriatric recreation therapy in a large nursing home; Director of an Alzheimer's day center program; and Director of Sales and Marketing in an assisted living community. Now in retirement, she pursues her passion for writing and speaking.  

Mont authored a booklet called “When Your Loved One Asks...What's Going To Happen  To Me When I Die?” from Premium Book Company; which  is used as hospice educational material, information for caregivers, families and clients, handouts at health fairs, and an addition to the office libraries of hospice satellites and supportive agencies across the USA. Her other publications include “Tips To Finding Alzheimer's Gift Ideas” from e-Books; and a novel called “Then What Happens?” from Infinity Publishing. Mont lives by the water in Beaufort, SC with her big dog, Bart. She likes kayaking, shrimping and especially visits from her two daughters and grandchildren. 

To hear Penelope Mont’s important insights, listen to Family First. The program airs live June 1 at 1 PM PT/2 PM MT/3 PM CT/4 PM PT. You can also hear it on demand and as a podcast any time afterwards. Just go to http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first.

Randy Rolfe's Take Home Tips: When you are speaking to loved ones about difficult sujbects it helps a lot if you have articulated your thoughts for yourself ahead of time. Don't shy away from difficult questions which you children or your parents may ask. If you are not ready to talk about it, ask them to give you some time to think. But then be sure to get back to them, whether it is minutes or days later.

Build a child's confidence through sense of place!

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

In our fast-changing society today, many kids feel a bit adrift and their self-confidence can suffer. One of the most powerful ways to help them find their way is to help them reconnect with their cultural and family heritage and sense of place.

My guest this week is Michelle Dirks, who does exactly that. Michelle Dirks is an internationally acclaimed educator and artist has captured her secrets of teaching success in her Treasure House Press curriculums. For over fifteen years, she has taught children, ages 3-17, creative art programs from painting to print-making, primitive weaving to learning from the masters, calligraphy to urban-street art, recycled material murals  to martial arts, each creative opportunity rich and engaging for students. The result is children re-discovering their passion for learning. In a multi-disciplinary approach to art education, Michelle Dirks provides a vast knowledge base while enhancing self esteem and cooperative communication between her students.

Listen in Friday at 1 PM PT/2 PM MT/3 PM CT/4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on demand or podcast. Simply click on the link above or go to http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first and click on this episode to the right of the program home page. 

Michelle Dirks is a native of Ireland and graduate of Limerick College of Art and Design. She has been instrumental in founding Irish National Arts Programs, with grants from The Art Council of Ireland. Dirks shares her enthusiasm for life-long learning with her students to nurture their creativity and sense of heritage. She was one of the top macrobiotic food specialists in the US, teaching classes in natural nutrition and cooking for celebrities.  

Dirks is author of two children’s books: Yummy Yummy in my Tummy and Mr. Hoppity’s Color Me Cookbook for Kids and did illustrations for Wild Food Foraging by Deborah Lee-Hoagie. The student work produced from her curriculums has created fund-raising opportunities for Pegasus Artworks - Boys and Girls Club of Delaware, Chester County Community Foundation, Coatesville Community Education Foundation and others. Dirks led a five organization sponsored tour called the Art of Hope, reaching ten locations and ending with a Festival of Hope event. 

To hear Michelle dirks’ valuable ideas, listen in Friday at 1 PM PT/2 PM MT/3 PM CT/4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on demand or podcast. Click on the link above or go to http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first and click on this episode to the right of the program home page.

Randy Rolfe's Take Home Tips: Be sure to have your child explore with you often your surroundings and neighborhood and also tell her or him stories of where you grew up and where their ancestors came from. Show them on a globe, a map, or google maps, and ask them to draw pictures of these places and stories! 

Turn frustration and anger into peace and composure

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

Parents have lots to feel upset about today, with pressure from the economy, pressure from jobs, pressure from the normal responsibilities at home which don’t diminish with these other added pressures, and then extra pressure to have their children succeed in school so they won’t be unemployed, plus daily pressure from advertisers to keep up with the social competition. No wonder parents’ patience can wear thin and anger begins to affect family relationships. Kids too get angry. They feel pressure to achieve, feel the stress of keeping up, and have less time and support from parents.

My guest this week is Jules Shuzen Harris Sensei, a leader in the teaching of Zen Buddhism, and the founder and Vice Abbot of Soji Zen Center in Lansdowne, PA. Buddhist philosophy has grown in popularity over the last fifty years because of its unique approach to handling powerful emotions through methods to calm the mind and relieve our stress, which methods Shuzen will share with us.

To hear the show live online, click on the above link at 1 pm PT/2 pm MT/3 pm CT/4 pm ET. The show is also archived for on demand, download, or podcast.

Jules Shuzen Harris Sensei received Shiho from Enkyo Roshi at the Wisdom House in Litchfield, Connecticut and became her second Dharma successor. Shuzen is a member of the Zen Peacemakers Sangha, the Soto Zen Buddhist Association, and the American Zen Teachers Association. Shuzen is a Soto Priest who has practiced Buddhism for more than 25 years. In August 2006, Shuzen received Hoshi from Enkyo Roshi at the Grail. In May 2002, Shuzen, an assistant teacher at Kanzeon Zen Center, Salt Lake City, UT, received Denkai (transmission of the precepts) from Genpo Roshi, Abbott of the Center.

Jules Shuzen Harris holds an Ed.D. with a concentration in applied human development. As a psychotherapist, Shuzen has found creative ways to synthesize Western psychology and Zen to achieve dramatic results for patients and students. He also holds black belts in Iaido (the use of a samurai sword) and in Kendo (Japanese fencing). He founded two Japanese swordsmanship schools in Albany, NY and Salt Lake.

To enjoy Jules' insights live, click on the above link this Friday at 4 pm ET/3 pm CT/2 pm MT/1 pm PT. The show is also archived for podcast, on demand, RSS, and download anytime.

Randy Rolfe's Take Home Tip: Thomas Jefferson said to count to ten when your blood starts to boil. Most of the things that make us angry are just things over which we have no control when we thought we did. Rethink the situation and don't let outside circumstances change your inner state of peace and joy! Remember, your example is more powerful than you can imagine for how your children will later handle their circumstances.

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

Even before this recession, start-ups of family businesses were at an all time high. Now in this economy when many are being downsized from corporate jobs, more families are considering becoming entrepreneurs and starting their own businesses. Meanwhile, some families who have been operating family-owned businesses are finding the impact of the slump too much for their business to survive and are facing tough decisions. America was built on the entrepreneurial spirit and family businesses.

Yet the challenges of building and running a business with family members have always been daunting. And the decisions about growth, selling, or passing on a family business always carry extra emotion.

My guest this week on Family First has decades of experience with exactly these kinds of relationships. With expertise in both family counseling and business coaching, Marie Maguire will share the pitfalls and benefits of family businesses and ways to minimize the stress and maximize the rewards.

To hear my interview with Marie Maguire, listen in online on Friday at 1 pm PT/2 pm MT/3 pm CT/4 pm ET, or any time afterwards on archive on demand or download, at:

http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first.

Ms. Maguire has two Masters Degrees; one in Electrical Engineering and another in Clinical Social Work. She has an extensive background in corporate consulting, education and private coaching and counseling. Her career includes four years managing projects for IBM, five years as a professor at Temple University, three years as a corporate management consultant and thirty years engaged in private consulting practice, coaching and counseling people in overcoming their success barriers and achieving high levels of success.

Marie’s private counseling work has been mainly with couples and families.  For the past twenty years along with her private work, she has been a principal of Caramanico Maguire Associates, involved in all aspects of the sales and training process. She has co-authored two books with her professional and marital partner, Dan Caramanico. They are The Optimal Salesperson and soon to be available, Optimal Selling- Conversations of the Optimal Salesperson.

To hear Marie's insights about running a family business, listen in online on Friday May 11 at 1 pm PT/2 pm MT/3 pm CT/4 pm ET, or any time afterwards on archive on demand or download, at:

http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first.

Randy Rolfe's Take home Tip: In all family relationships, keeping each other informed about your concerns, any news, and any decisions coming up will help smooth the way.:

Latest word on ADHD

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

More and more children today are being diagnosed with learning disabilities, and at earlier and earlier ages. Schools have difficulty meeting the needs of kids with learning differences, and some kids can affect the whole classroom when they become bored or confused. Parents face difficult choices when they hear ADHD: get supplemental schooling, change schools, use questionable medications, try alternative health approaches, check environmental factors, hire tutors, or try home education?

 My guest this week is Sherry Torkos, an award winning pharmacist, health author, and fitness expert who has researched a number of critical health issues and made the scientific information accessible to the general public through her many books on different topics. As a mother herself, she has explored many issues of child health and will share with us what we actually know about ADHD and how parents can recognize it, minimize it, or prevent it in their children through methods which really work. 

Click on the above link this Friday May 4, at 1pm PT/2pm MT/3pm CT/4pm ET, to hear Sherry Torkos on ADHD and learning differences. The program is also archived for on demand and download later!

Sherry Torkos is a pharmacist, author, certified fitness instructor, and health enthusiast who enjoys sharing her passion with others. Sherry graduated with honors from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science in 1992. Since that time she has been practicing holistic pharmacy in the Niagara area. Her philosophy of practice is to integrate conventional and complementary therapies to optimize health and prevent disease. Sherry has won several national pharmacy awards for providing excellence in patient care.  

As a leading health expert, Sherry has delivered hundreds of lectures to medical professionals and the public. She is frequently interviewed on radio and TV talk shows throughout North America and abroad. Sherry has authored fourteen books & booklets, including The Glycemic Index Made Simple and Breaking the Age Barrier. Her most recent book, The Canadian Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine has become a national bestseller. She has a very helpful website at www.sherrytorkos.com.

Click on the link at the top of this message to hear Sherry Torkos' insights. The program is live at 4pm ET/3pm CT/2pm MT/1pm PT on Friday May 4. It is also archived for on demand or download indefinitely!.

Take Home Tips from Randy Rolfe: Frequent, loving interaction between parent and child is the best way to see that a child's brain, behavior, and perception develop normally. It is also the best way to notice if something doesn't seem right so that you can investigate further to see what adjustments you can make to the environment or your interactions to minimize any developmental delays.