Chamber forum offers tips on tough talks with aging parents

SANDPOINT — Tough talks with aging parents will be the focus of next week’s Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce general membership luncheon.

The lunch meeting will be Thursday, March 8, from noon-1 p.m. Registration starts at 11:30 a.m. in the community room of the Panhandle State Bank Building. The cost is $15 for members and $20 for non-members.

Paul Graves will be on hand to teach us how to ask, “Dad, can I have the car keys … please?” as the luncheon looks at healthy ways to talk tough with aging parents. It is sponsored by Intermax Networks.

The difficult conversations with aging parents can include a wide variety of topics, driving being just a common example. Paul will identify some of the basic ways we can approach those tough talks that will make healthy resolutions more likely. One of the primary things to remember: “You may feel like you and your parent have switched places. But while your roles may be different, remember to honor your parent as your parent.” That can be tricky, but it is essential to healthy communication in your family.

After 27 years in parish ministry, Paul Graves was in need of a change. He found a new form of ministry in geriatric social work. Since 1996, he has served as director of social services in both nursing homes in Sandpoint, and as administrator of an assisted living facility. He has also served as a Sandpoint City Council member and as mayor of Sandpoint. In 2005, he started Elder Advocates, a consulting ministry that provides direction in the maze of elder care.

In February 2008, he began writing “Dear Geezer”, a bi-weekly column in the Bonner County Daily Bee. The column has been well-received by geezers, geezers-in-training, and geezers-in-waiting alike. Paul also hosts the Geezer Forum, an informal gathering of folks who explore aging issues of their own or belonging to their family members. The forum meets in the Community Room of the Panhandle State Bank building on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month, 2:30-4 p.m.

Information or to register: online, www.sandpointchamber.com or 263-2161